Heterogeneity and cell type-specific localization of a cell wall glycoprotein from carrot suspension cells

EP1, an extracellular protein from carrot (Daucus carota) cell suspensions, has been partially characterized by means of an antiserum and a cDNA clone. In both embryo and suspension cultures different molecular mass EP1 proteins were detected, some of which (31, 32, 52, and 54 kilodaltons) were bound to the cell wall and released into the medium, whereas others (49, 60, and 62 kilodaltons) were more firmly bound to the cell wall and could be extracted with a salt solution. Immunoprecipitation of in vitro translation products revealed a single primary translation product of 45 kilodaltons, suggesting that EP1 heterogeneity is due to differential posttranslational modification. In seedlings organ-specific modification of EP1 proteins was observed, a phenomenon which did not persist in suspension cultures initiated from different seedling organs. In culture EP1 proteins were only found to be associated with vacuolated, nonembryogenic cells, and on these cells they were localized in loosely attached, pectin-containing cell wall material. Purified 52/54 kilodaltons EP1 proteins did not alleviate the inhibitory effect of the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin on somatic embryogenesis.