Abstract
In animals, the small GTP-binding proteins, Rac and Rho, of theras superfamily participate in the signal rransduction pathway that regulates the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. We report here on the characterization of two distinct cDNA clones isolated from a cotton fiber cDNA library that code for homologs of animal Rac proteins. Using gene-specific probes, we have determined that amphidiploid cotton contains two genes that code for each of the two Rac proteins, designated Rac13 and Rac9, respectively. The gene for Rac13 shows highly enhanced expression in developing cotton fibers, with maximal expression occurring at the time of transition between primary and secondary wall synthesis. This is also the time at which reorganization of the cytoskeleton occurs, and thus the pattern of expression of Rac13 is consistent with its possible role, analogous to animal Rac, in the signal transduction pathway that controls cytoskeletal organization.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams AEM, Johnson DI, Longnecker RM, Sloat BF, Pringle JR (1990) CDC42 and CDC43, two additional genes involved in budding and the establishment of cell polarity in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. J Cell Biol 111:131–143
Andrawis A, Solomon M, Delmer DP (1993) Cotton fiber annexins: a potential role in the regulation of callose synthase. Plant J 3:763–772
Baggiolini B, Wymann MP (1990) Turning on the respiratory burst. Trends Biochem Sci 15:69–72
Basra AS, Malik CP (1984) Development of the cotton fiber. Int Rev Cytol 89:65–113
Bednarek SY, Reynolds TL, Schroeder M, Grabowske R, Hengst L, Gallwitz D, Raikhel NV (1994) A small GTP-binding protein fromArabidopsis thaliana functionally complements the yeast YPT6 null mutant. Plant Physiol 104:591–596
Bourne HR, Sanders DA, McCormick F (1991) The GTPase superfamily: conserved structure and molecular mechanism. Nature 349:117–127
Chen W, Lim HH, Lim L (1993) A new member of theras superfamily, the rac1 homologue fromCaenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 268:320–324
Chen W, Blanc J, Lim L (1994) Characterization of a promiscuous GTPase-activating protein that has a Bcr-related domain fromCaenorhabditis elegans. J Biol Chem 269:820–823
Clarke S (1992) Protein isoprenylation and methylation at carboxylterminal cysteine residues. Annu Rev Biochem 61:355–386
Delmer DP, Solomon M, Read SM (1991) Direct photo-labeling with32P-UDP-glucose for identification of a subunit of cotton fiber callose synthase. Plant Physiol 95:556–563
Diaz M, Sanchez Y, Bennett T, Sun CR, Godoy C, Tamanoi F, Duran A, Perez P (1993) TheSchizosaccharomyces pombe cwg2 + gene codes for the β-subunit of a geranylgeranyltransferase type I required for β-glucan synthesis. EMBO J 12: 5245–5254
Dickmann D, Brill S, Garrett MD, Totty N, Hsuan J, Monfries C, Hall C, Lim L, Hall A (1991) Bcr encodes a GTPase-activating protein for p21rac. Nature 351:400–402
Doke N (1985) NADPH-dependent O2-generation in membrane fractions isolated from wounded potato tubers inoculated withPhytophthora infestans. Physio Plant Pathol 27:311–322
Downward J (1992) Rac and rho in tune: Nature 359:273–274
Finegold AA, Johnson DLI, Farnsworth CC, Gelb MH, Kudd SR, Glomset JA, Tamanoi F (1991) Protein geranylgeranyl-transferase ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae is specific for Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Leu motif proteins and requires the CDC43 gene product but not the DPR1 gene product. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:4448–4452
Fukuda H (1991) Tracheary element formation as a model system of cell differentiation. Int Rev Cytol 136: 289–332
Giddings TH, Staehelin LA (1991) Microtubule mediated control of microfibril deposition: a reexamination of the hypothesis. In: Lloys CW (ed) The cytoskeletal basis of plant growth and form. Academic Press, London, pp 85–99
Hall TC, Ma Y, Buchbinder BU, Pyne JW, Sun SM, Bliss FA (1978) Messenger RNA for G1 protein of French bean seeds: cell-free translation and product characterization. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 75:3196–3200
Hughes DW, Galau G (1988) Preparation of RNA from cotton leaves and pollen. Plant Mol Biol Reporter 6:253–257
Johnson DI (1993) CDC42: a member of theras superfamily involved in the control of cell polarity during theSaccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycl. In: Lacal JC, McCormick F (eds) Theras superfamily of GTPases. CRC Press: Florida, pp 297–312
Johnson DI, Pringle JR (1994) Cdc42p. In: Huber LA, Zerial M, Tooze J (eds) Guldebook to the small GTPases. Oxford University Press, in press
Kang MS, Cabib E (1986) Regulation of fungal cell wall growth: A guanine nucleotide binding proteinaceous component required for activity of (1–3)-β-glucan synthase. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:5808–5812
Knaus UG, Heyworth PG, Evans T, Curnutte JT, Bokoch GM (1991) Regulation of phagocyte oxygen radical production by the GTP-binding protein rac2. Science 254:512–1515
Lancaster CA, Taylor-Harris PM, Self AJ, Brill S, van Erp HE, Hall A (1994) Characterization of rhoGAP. A GTPase-activating protein for rho-related small GTPases. J Biol Chem 269:1137–1142
Legendre L, Heinstein PF, Low PS (1992) Evidence for participation of GTP-binding proteins in elicitation of the rapid oxidative burst in cultured soybean cells. J Biol Chem 267:20140–20147
Leung T, How B-E, Manser E, Lim L (1993) Germ cell b-chimaerin, a new GTPase-activating protein for p21rac, is specifically expressed during the acrosomal assembly stage in rat testis. J Biol Chem 268:3813–3816
Marshall MS (1993) The effector interactions of p21ras. Trends Biochem Sci 18:250–254
Meinert M, Delmer DP (1977) Changes in biochemical composition of the cell wall of the cotton fiber during development. Plant Physiol 59:1088–1097
Quader H, Herth W, Ryser U, Schnepf E (1987) Cytoskeletal elements in cotton seed hair developmentin vitro: their possible regulatory role in cell wall organization. Protoplasma 137:56–62
Ridley AF, Hall A (1992) The small GTP-binding protein Rho regulates the assembly of focal adhesions and actin stress fibers in response to growth factors. Cell 70:389–399
Ridley AJ, Paterson HF, Johnston CL, Diekmann D, Hall A (1992) The small GTP-binding protein rac regulates growth factor-induced membrane ruffling. Cell 70:01–410
Seagull RW (1990) The effects of microtubule and microfilament disrupting agents on cytoskeletal arrays and wall deposition in developing cotton fibers. Protoplasma 159:44–59
Seagull RW (1992) Cytoskeletal involvement in microfibril organization during cotton fiber development. In: Proceedings of the Cotton Fiber Cellulose Conference. National Cotton Council of America, Tennessee, pp 171–192
Terryn N, Van Montagu M, Inze D (1993) GTP-binding proteins in plants. Plant Mol Biol 22:143–152
Yang Z, Watson JC (1993) Molecular cloning and characterization of rho, a ras-related small GTP-binding protein from the garden pea. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90:8732–8736
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. Schell
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Delmer, D.P., Pear, J.R., Andrawis, A. et al. Genes encoding small GTP-binding proteins analogous to mammalian rac are preferentially expressed in developing cotton fibers. Molec. Gen. Genet. 248, 43–51 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02456612
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02456612