Abstract
Metacaspases are cysteine-dependent proteases essential in plant PCD. This study focused on PCD features, the metacaspase II protein (TaeMCAII) and its gene expression and dynamic distribution during the developmental process of wheat sieve elements (SEs). Our results showed that the SEs experienced enucleation, inclusion loss, cell wall thickening and decreased cytosol density during their development. The RT-qPCR and in situ hybridization showed that the transcriptional levels of TaeMCAII in the development of SEs increased to high levels 3 days after flowering (DAF), then decreased, but then sharply increased at 7 DAF. Immunohistochemical observations revealed dynamic changes of TaeMCAII at the protein level. TaeMCAII was primarily detected at 3 DAF, 4 DAF and 7 DAF, which indicated that TaeMCAII played an important role during these stages. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that TaeMCAII was first localized in the nucleus, then in the cell cytoplasm, and finally on the cell membranes and cell walls of late-stage SEs. Our study found that TaeMCAII was key in the PCD-like process of the development of SEs.
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Zhang, Z., Lv, Y., Zhou, Z. et al. Type II metacaspase protein localization and gene transcription during programmed cell semi-death of sieve elements in developing caryopsis of Tritium aestivum. Biologia 72, 398–406 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2017-0041
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2017-0041