In vivo imaging of the tonoplast intrinsic protein family in Arabidopsis roots.
BACKGROUND
Tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs) are widely used as markers for vacuolar compartments in higher plants. Ten TIP isoforms are encoded by the Arabidopsis genome. For several isoforms, the tissue and cell specific pattern of expression are not known.


RESULTS
We generated fluorescent protein fusions to the genomic sequences of all members of the Arabidopsis TIP family whose expression is predicted to occur in root tissues (TIP1;1 and 1;2; TIP2;1, 2;2 and 2;3; TIP4;1) and expressed these fusions, both individually and in selected pairwise combinations, in transgenic Arabidopsis. Analysis by confocal microscopy revealed that TIP distribution varied between different cell layers within the root axis, with extensive co-expression of some TIPs and more restricted expression patterns for other isoforms. TIP isoforms whose expression overlapped appeared to localise to the tonoplast of the central vacuole, vacuolar bulbs and smaller, uncharacterised structures.


CONCLUSIONS
We have produced a comprehensive atlas of TIP expression in Arabidopsis roots, which reveals novel expression patterns for not previously studied TIPs.
Gattolin
Stefano
S
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK. s.gattolin@warwick.ac.uk
Sorieul
Mathias
M
Hunter
Paul R
PR
Khonsari
Roman H
RH
Frigerio
Lorenzo
L
D020346:Aquaporins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D020346:Aquaporins; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms