| Abstract Detail
Water Relations Hachez, Charles [1], Zelazny, Enric [2], Muylaert, Mélanie [2], Cavez, Damien [2], Heinen, Robert [2], Veselov, Dmitry [2], Chaumont, François [2]. Plasma membrane aquaporins are widely expressed in maize and form heteromers to regulate plant water movement. Water movement across plant tissues occurs by parallel apoplastic, symplastic and transcellular pathways. At the cell level, aquaporins (AQP) play an important role in regulating transmembrane water flow. Thirteen plasma membrane aquaporin (PIP) genes are expressed in maize. We quantified and localized PIP expression and activity in Zea mays roots and shoots at both RNA and protein levels (Hachez et al., 2006, Plant Mol. Biol. 62, 305-323 and unpublished data). Expression was found to be dependent on the developmental stage of the plant, with, in general, an increase in expression towards the elongation zone of both leaves and roots. This expression was also found to be diurnally regulated. In situ expression studies revealed that PIPs are expressed in cells where transmembrane water movement is required. The observation that several PIPs colocalized in cells suggests that they may interact to regulate the cell water permeability. ZmPIP heteromerization was further supported by oocyte swelling assays, immunofishing experiments and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis (Fetter et al., 2004; Zelazny et al., submitted). Silencing of PIP isoforms is on the way and should provide important information about their physiological role in maize.
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1 - Universite catholique de Louvain, Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Croix du Sud 5-15, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
2 - Universite catholique de Louvain, Institut des Sciences de la Vie
Keywords:
aquaporin
membrane protein
gene expression
root development
shoot
Water relations.
Presentation Type: Plant Biology Abstract
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P09005
Abstract ID:276 |
