Membrane Microdomains and Protein Complexes

Model of membrane microdomain as derived from biochemical preparation and mass spectrometric analysis of plant plasma membrane. Core components are found reproducibly, variable components are found condition-dependently.

Model of membrane microdomain as derived from biochemical preparation and mass spectrometric analysis of plant plasma membrane. Core components are found reproducibly, variable components are found condition-dependently.

Many signalling proteins function as homo or heterodimers and there are indications that receptors form complexes with other signal transduction proteins under specific stress conditions (Tsunoda et al. 2001; Yanagawa et al. 2004). Furthermore, the organization of membranes in form of sterol-dependent 'microdomains' provides additional means of regulation of receptor density and signaling complex formation, as indicated by findings of high amounts of receptors and other signaling proteins in such sterol rich membrane environments (Foster et al. 2003).

The role of such membrane microdomains in perception and transduction of external nutrient signals is yet poorly understood in plants. Using blue-native gels of membrane fractions and careful quantitative characterization of isolated detergent resistant membrane fractions, we want to identify specific proteins involved in receptor complex formation under nutrient stress.

Recommended Reading

Keinath NF, Kierszniowska S, Lorek J, Bourdais G, Kessler SA, Asano H, Grossniklaus U, Schulze WX, Robatzek S, Panstruga R (2010) PAMP-induced changes in plasma membrane compartmentalization reveal novel components of plant immunity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 285 (50): 39140-39149

Kierszniowska S, Seiwert B, Schulze WX (2009) Definition of Arabidopsis sterol-rich membrane microdomains by differential treatment with methyl-ß-cyclodextrin and quantitative proteomics. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics 8 (4): 612-623

Pertl H, Schulze WX, Obermeyer G (2009) The pollen organelle membrane proteome reveals highly spatial-temporal dynamics during germination and tube growth. Journal of Proteome Research 8 (11): 5142-5152

Foster LJ, de Hoog C, et al. (2003). "Unbiased quantiative proteomics of lipid rats reveales high specificity for signaling factors." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 100(10): 5813-5818

Schrägger H, Cramer WA, et al. (1994). "Analysis of molecular masses and oligomeric states of protein complexes by blue native electrophoresis and isolation of membrane protein complexes by two-dimensional native electrophoresis." Analytical Biochemistry 217: 220-230

Tsunoda S, Yumei S, et al. (2001). "Independent anchoring and assembly mechanisms of INAD signaling complexes in Drosophila photoreceptors." Journal of Neuroscience 21(1): 150-158

Yanagawa Y, Sullivan JA, et al. (2004). "Arabidopsis COP10 forms a complex with DDB1 and DET1 in vivo and enhances the activity of ubiquitin conjugating enzymes." Genes and Development 18(17): 2172-2181