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The Tr-cp 14 cysteine protease in white clover (Trifolium repens) is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and is associated with programmed cell death during development of tracheary elements

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Abstract

Cysteine proteases are known to be associated with programmed cell death, developmental senescence and some types of pathogen and stress-induced responses. In the present study, we have characterized the cysteine protease Tr-cp 14 in white clover (Trifolium repens). Tr-cp 14 belongs to the C1A family of cysteine proteases with homology to XCP1 and XCP2 from Arabidopsis thaliana and p48h-17 from Zinnia elegans, which previously have been reported to be associated with tracheary element differentiation. The proform as well as the processed form of the protein was detected in petioles, flowers and leaves, but the processed form was more abundant in leaves and petioles than in flowers. The Tr-cp 14 protein was localized to differentiating tracheary elements within the xylem, indicating that the cysteine protease is involved in protein re-mobilization during tracheary element differentiation. Immunogold studies suggest that the protease prior to the burst of the vacuole was associated to the ER cisternae. After disruption of the tonoplast, it was found in the cytoplasm, and, in later stages, associated with disintegrating material dispersed throughout the cell.

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Acknowledgments

Sanne Seval and Ole Braad Hansen, Aarhus University, are acknowledged for technical and horticultural assistance, respectively. Anke Schäfer, University of Kiel, is acknowledged for purification of the antibody. Marita Beese is acknowledged for assistance in the electron microscopical preparations. The project was supported by the Danish Food Industry Agency through the programme “Biotechnology in Food Research”.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Research Centre Flakkebjerg, Aarhus University, 4200, Slagelse, Denmark

    Torben Asp & Preben Bach Holm

  2. Institute of Botany and Central Microscopy, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstrasse 40, 24098, Kiel, Germany

    Maria Mulisch, Karin Krupinska & Julien Hollmann

Authors
  1. Maria Mulisch
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  2. Torben Asp
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  3. Karin Krupinska
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  4. Julien Hollmann
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  5. Preben Bach Holm
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Correspondence to Torben Asp.

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Handling Editor: Alexander Schulz

Authors Maria Mulisch and Torben Asp contributed equally to this article.

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Mulisch, M., Asp, T., Krupinska, K. et al. The Tr-cp 14 cysteine protease in white clover (Trifolium repens) is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and is associated with programmed cell death during development of tracheary elements. Protoplasma 250, 623–629 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-012-0427-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-012-0427-1

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