Immunochemical quantification of cytochrome f in leaves of a non-yellowing senescence mutant of Festuca pratensis

A non-competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which enables detection of as little as 0.1 ng cytochrome f in leaf extracts has been developed. No evidence for specific or non-specific interference by proteins other than cytochrome f was found. The assay was applied to a comparative study of age-related changes in the cytochrome f content of leaves of Festuca pratensis Huds. cv. Rossa, and a non-yellowing mutant genotype (Bf993) having a lesion in the mechanism responsible for thylakoid membrane disassembly. Cytochrome f in senescent leaves of the latter genotype was found to be present at significantly higher levels than in the wild-type, implying an inability on the part of the mutant to degrade this protein. The results obtained by ELISA were confirmed by antibody probing of Western blots.Abbreviations Ab antibody - BSA bovine serum albumin - chl chlorophyll - cyt cytochrome - ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - Ig immunoglobulin - kDa kilodalton - LHCP-2 light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein - OEC oxygen-evolving complex - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - POase peroxidase - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate - PS II Photosystem II - TBS Tris buffered saline - Tris tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane