title: Transient expression in Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts derived from rapidly established cell suspension cultures.
abstract: Arabidopsis thaliana has emerged as a model species for the analysis of genes controlling plant development. However, its small size has impaired biochemical analyses, and the absence of a transient expression system has hampered promoter analysis. Here, we report a method for rapidly establishing A. thaliana suspension cultures that yield protoplasts that can be readily transfected. We have optimized transient expression conditions using a modified polyethylene glycol / calcium nitrate transformation protocol and a Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S promoter-luciferase reporter gene construct. Our methods permit isolation of large quantities of rapidly growing cells and analysis of Arabidopsis promoters in vivo in a homologous system.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department and Center for Plant Science and Biotechnology, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Box 1137, 63130, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Doelling
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Pikaard