title: A plasmodesmata-associated beta-1,3-glucanase in Arabidopsis.
abstract: Plasmodesmal conductivity is regulated in part by callose turnover, which is hypothesized to be determined by beta-1,3-glucan synthase versus glucanase activities. A proteomic analysis of an Arabidopsis thaliana plasmodesmata (Pd)-rich fraction identified a beta-1,3-glucanase as present in this fraction. The protein encoded by the putative plasmodesmal associated protein (ppap) gene, termed AtBG_ppap, had previously been found to be a post-translationally modified glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipid-anchored protein. When fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) or Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells, this protein displays fluorescence patterns in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane system, along the cell periphery and in a punctate pattern that co-localizes with aniline blue-stained callose present around the Pd. Plasma membrane localization was verified by co-localization of AtBG_ppap:GFP together with a plasma membrane marker N-[3-triethylammoniumpropyl]-4-[p-diethylaminophenylhexatrienyl] pyridinium dibromide (FM4-64) in plasmolysed cells. In Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion mutants that do not transcribe AtBG_ppap, functional studies showed that GFP cell-to-cell movement between epidermal cells is reduced, and the conductivity coefficient of Pd is lower. Measurements of callose levels around Pd after wounding revealed that callose accumulation in the mutant plants was higher. Taken together, we suggest that AtBG_ppap is a Pd-associated membrane protein involved in plasmodesmal callose degradation, and functions in the gating of Pd.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erlanger
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Bernard L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Epel
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005936:Glucans / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D031425:Plasmodesmata / Q000201:enzymology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D005936:Glucans; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C048306:callose; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase