title: Characterization of microsome-associated tobacco BY-2 centrins.
abstract: Centrin - higher plants - MTOCs - microtubules nucleation In most eukaryotic cells, the Ca(2+)-binding protein centrin is associated with structured microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) such as centrosomes. In these cells, centrin either forms centrosome-associated contractile fibers, or is involved in centrosome biogenesis. Our aim was to investigate the functions of centrin in higher plant cells which do not contain centrosome-like MTOCs. We have cloned two tobacco BY-2 centrin cDNAs and we show that higher plant centrins define a phylogenetic group of proteins distinct from centrosome-associated centrins. In addition, tobacco centrins were found primarily associated with microsomes and did not colocalize with gamma-tubulin, a known MTOC marker. While the overall level of centrin did not vary during the cell cycle, centrin was prominently detected at the cell plate during telophase. Our results suggest that in tobacco, the major portion of centrin is not MTOC-associated and could be involved in the formation of the cell plate during cytokinesis.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, CNRS, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg/France. virginie.stoppin-mellet@ibmp-ulp.u-strasbg.fr
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stoppin-Mellet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Canaday
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002453:Cell Cycle; D018385:Centrosome / Q000378:metabolism*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000032:analysis; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008861:Microsomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011485:Protein Binding; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C056608:caltractin