Co-localization of cytokinins with proteins related to cell proliferation in developing somatic embryos of Dactylis glomerata L.

The present report provides evidence for co-localization ofcytokinins with cell proliferation-associated nuclear proteins.Somatic embryos of Dactylis glomerata in two stages of developmentare used as a model system comprising both proliferating andinitially differentiated cells. Cytokinins are localized usingantibodies with marked specificity against isopentenyladenine/adenosine(2iP/2iPA) or zeatin/ riboside (Z/ZR). The proliferation-associatednuclear antigen, mitotin, is analysed using a specific monoclonalantibody. The nuclear protein BM28, required for the onset ofDNA replication and for cell division, is identified by an affinity-purifiedpolyclonal antibody. Using double immunofiuorescence labellingwith the antibodies against cytokinins and against each of thenuclear proteins, immunoreaction is observed generally in thesame nuclei of almost all cells in globular embryos and in thenuclei of cells in meristematic areas of the more developedembryos. Only small numbers of individual nuclei positive forboth type of antibodies were found in the surrounding vacuolatedparenchymatous cells. The occurrence of plant antigens homologousto BM28 and mitotin is confirmed by immunoblotting assay. InSDS-PAGE blots the anti-BM28 antibody reacts with a proteinof 58 kDa. The anti-mitotin antibody recognizes several (160,140, 125, 93, and 80 kDa) polypeptides. The data showing nuclearco-localization of cytokinins and proteins with a suggestedrole in the onset of DNA synthesis and in cell division providea new base for further study on the mode of action of cytokininsin cell cycle regulation. Key words: Immunolocalization, cytokinins, nuclear proteins, mitotin, BM28, cell proliferation, somatic embryo(s), Dactylis glomerata