A green fluorescent protein fused to rice prolamin forms protein body-like structures in transgenic rice

J Exp Bot. 2009;60(2):615-27. doi: 10.1093/jxb/ern311. Epub 2009 Jan 6.

Abstract

Prolamins, a group of rice (Oryza sativa) seed storage proteins, are synthesized on the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and deposited in ER-derived type I protein bodies (PB-Is) in rice endosperm cells. The accumulation mechanism of prolamins, which do not possess the well-known ER retention signal, remains unclear. In order to elucidate whether the accumulation of prolamin in the ER requires seed-specific factors, the subcellular localization of the constitutively expressed green fluorescent protein fused to prolamin (prolamin-GFP) was examined in seeds, leaves, and roots of transgenic rice plants. The prolamin-GFP fusion proteins accumulated not only in the seeds but also in the leaves and roots. Microscopic observation of GFP fluorescence and immunocytochemical analysis revealed that prolamin-GFP fusion proteins specifically accumulated in PB-Is in the endosperm, whereas they were deposited in the electron-dense structures in the leaves and roots. The ER chaperone BiP was detected in the structures in the leaves and roots. The results show that the aggregation of prolamin-GFP fusion proteins does not depend on the tissues, suggesting that the prolamin-GFP fusion proteins accumulate in the ER by forming into aggregates. The findings bear out the importance of the assembly of prolamin molecules and the interaction of prolamin with BiP in the formation of ER-derived PBs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cellular Structures / drug effects
  • Cellular Structures / metabolism*
  • Cellular Structures / ultrastructure
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / drug effects
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / metabolism
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum / ultrastructure
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / drug effects
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mercaptoethanol / pharmacology
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Oryza / cytology
  • Oryza / genetics*
  • Oryza / metabolism*
  • Oryza / ultrastructure
  • Plant Leaves / cytology
  • Plant Leaves / drug effects
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / ultrastructure
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / cytology
  • Plant Roots / drug effects
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / ultrastructure
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Prolamins / genetics
  • Prolamins / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*
  • Seeds / cytology
  • Seeds / metabolism
  • Seeds / ultrastructure
  • Solubility / drug effects
  • Starch / metabolism
  • Subcellular Fractions / drug effects
  • Subcellular Fractions / metabolism

Substances

  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Plant Proteins
  • Prolamins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Mercaptoethanol
  • Starch