title: Highly efficient isolation of Populus mesophyll protoplasts and its application in transient expression assays.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Populus is a model woody plant and a promising feedstock for lignocellulosic biofuel production. However, its lengthy life cycle impedes rapid characterization of gene function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We optimized a Populus leaf mesophyll protoplast isolation protocol and established a Populus protoplast transient expression system. We demonstrated that Populus protoplasts are able to respond to hormonal stimuli and that a series of organelle markers are correctly localized in the Populus protoplasts. Furthermore, we showed that the Populus protoplast transient expression system is suitable for studying protein-protein interaction, gene activation, and cellular signaling events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study established a method for efficient isolation of protoplasts from Populus leaf and demonstrated the efficacy of using Populus protoplast transient expression assays as an in vivo system to characterize genes and pathways.
authors.affiliation: Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Morrell-Falvey
authors.forename: Jessy L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Labbé
authors.forename: Wellington
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Muchero
authors.forename: Udaya C
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Kalluri
authors.forename: Gerald A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Tuskan
authors.forename: Jin-Gui
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D015870:Gene Expression; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D058503:Mesophyll Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015388:Organelles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D032107:Populus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003470:Culture Media; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators