Bcl-2 family members localize to tobacco chloroplasts and inhibit programmed cell death induced by chloroplast-targeted herbicides.
In mammalian cells, apoptosis is often mediated via organelles. While apoptotic-like cell death occurs in plants, the mechanistic details are unresolved. Transgenic tobacco plants have been generated that harbour selected animal anti-apoptotic genes. Subcellular fractionation followed by western blot analysis indicated that chloroplasts serve as a location for these animal anti-apoptotic proteins in addition to the established mitochondrial location. To explore the functional significance of this observation, tobacco plants were treated with three chloroplast-directed herbicides. Wild-type plants died and exhibited features associated with apoptosis. Transgenic plants survived and did not show any apoptotic-like characteristics. Moreover, the herbicide-induced apoptotic-like cell death was light requiring. It was concluded that chloroplasts may be involved in mediating certain types of plant programmed cell death.
Chen
Shaorong
S
Department of Plant Pathology, 406 Plant Sciences Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0722, USA.
Dickman
Martin B
MB
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051020:bcl-X Protein
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; C087233:Ced-9 protein, C elegans; D006540:Herbicides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein