The Open Virology Journal
2011, 5 : 1-11Published online 2011 January 5. DOI: 10.2174/1874357901105010001
Publisher ID: TOVJ-5-1
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Role of Microtubule Association in Plasmodesmal Targeting of Movement Protein TGBp1
2 A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia
3 Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Timiryazevskaya str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
4 Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov str. 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
5 Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Biosafety of Genetically Modified Plants, Erwin-Baur-Str. 27, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany
* Address correspondence to this author at the A. N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia; Tel: +7 495 939 31 98; Fax: +7 495 939 31 81; E-mail: morozov@genebee.msu.su
ABSTRACT
Cell-to-cell movement of Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) is mediated by three virus-encoded ‘triple gene block’ (TGB) proteins termed TGBp1, TGBp2 and TGBp3. TGBp1 binds virus RNAs to form viral ribonucleoprotein complexes (vRNPs), the transport form of viral genome. TGBp2 and TGBp3 are necessary for intracellular delivery of TGBp1-containing vRNPs to plasmodesmata. To analyze subcellular localization and transport of TGBp1 we used a single binary vector for agrobacterium-mediated co-expression of PMTV TGBp1 fused to green fluorescent protein and TGBp2/TGBp3. At two days post infiltration (dpi) TGBp1 was found in the nucleus and in association with microtubules (MTs). Similar localization pattern was revealed in cells expressing GFP-TGBp1 alone after particle bombardment. At 3 dpi, in addition to the nucleus and MTs, TGBp1 was detected in numerous granular bodies located both along the MTs and at the cell wall. The latter structures co-localized with plasmodesmata-associated callose depositions. At 4 dpi, GFP-TGBp1 was detected in cell wall-associated bodies and also in residual MTs, the nucleoplasm and large perinuclear inclusions resembling aggresomes. Therefore GFP-TGBp1 association with MTs preceded to its localization to plasmodesmata. Disassembly of cell MTs by colchicine prevented GFP-TGBp1 targeting to plasmodesmata and the MT-dependent aggresome formation. Deletion analysis also revealed a correlation between TGBp1 microtubule association and plasmodesmata targeting. We propose that TGBp1 interaction with MTs may be important for the formation of vRNP bodies destined for the transport to plasmodesmata as well as degradation of the excessive TGBp1.