Name: studying protein import into chloroplasts using protoplasts
Uploaded: 2018-12-10T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Studying Protein Import into Chloroplasts Using Protoplasts at JoVE.com

This work was carried out with the supports of Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ010953012018), Rural Development Administration, and the National Research Foundation (Korea) grant funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (No. 2016R1E1A1A02922014), Republic of Korea.

1. Growth of Arabidopsis Plants
<ol>
	<li>Prepare 1 L Gamborg B5 (B5) medium by adding 3.2 g of B5 medium including vitamins, 20 g of sucrose, 0.5 g of 2-(N-morpholino) ethane sulfonic acid (MES) to approximately 800 mL of deionized water, and adjust the pH to 5.7 with potassium hydroxide (KOH). Add more deionized water bring the total volume to 1 L. Add 8 g of phytoagar and autoclave for 15 min at 121 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Allow the medium to cool down to 55 &#176;C and pour 20 &#8211; 25 mL of the B5 medium into a Petri...

<ol>
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Energy-dependent uptake of precursors by isolated mitochondria.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 257 (21), 13034-13041 (1982).</li><li>Smeekens, S., Bauerle, C., Hageman, J., Keegstra, K., Weisbeek, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+role+of+the+transit+peptide+in+the+routing+of+precursors+toward+different+chloroplast+compartments.">The role of the transit peptide in the routing of precursors toward different chloroplast compartments.</a> Cell. 46 (3), 365-375 (1986).</li><li>Lee, D. W., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Arabidopsis+nuclear-encoded+plastid+transit+peptides+contain+multiple+sequence+subgroups+with+distinctive+chloroplast-targeting+sequence+motifs.">Arabidopsis nuclear-encoded plastid transit peptides contain multiple sequence subgroups with distinctive chloroplast-targeting sequence motifs.</a> Plant Cell. 20 (6), 1603-1622 (2008).</li><li>Lee, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mitochondrial+targeting+of+the+Arabidopsis+F1-ATPase+gamma-subunit+via+multiple+compensatory+and+synergistic+presequence+motifs.">Mitochondrial targeting of the Arabidopsis F1-ATPase gamma-subunit via multiple compensatory and synergistic presequence motifs.</a> Plant Cell. 24 (12), 5037-5057 (2012).</li><li>Jin, J. B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+new+dynamin-like+protein,+ADL6,+is+involved+in+trafficking+from+the+trans-Golgi+network+to+the+central+vacuole+in+Arabidopsis.">A new dynamin-like protein, ADL6, is involved in trafficking from the trans-Golgi network to the central vacuole in Arabidopsis.</a> Plant Cell. 13 (7), 1511-1526 (2001).</li><li>Lee, K. H., Kim, D. H., Lee, S. W., Kim, Z. H., Hwang, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+import+experiments+in+protoplasts+reveal+the+importance+of+the+overall+context+but+not+specific+amino+acid+residues+of+the+transit+peptide+during+import+into+chloroplasts.">In vivo import experiments in protoplasts reveal the importance of the overall context but not specific amino acid residues of the transit peptide during import into chloroplasts.</a> Molecules and Cells. 14 (3), 388-397 (2002).</li><li>Lee, D. W., Lee, S., Oh, Y. 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R., Hwang, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sequence+motifs+in+transit+peptides+act+as+independent+functional+units+and+can+be+transferred+to+new+sequence+contexts.">Sequence motifs in transit peptides act as independent functional units and can be transferred to new sequence contexts.</a> Plant Physiology. 169 (1), 471-484 (2015).</li><li>Lee, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Both+the+hydrophobicity+and+a+positively+charged+region+flanking+the+C-terminal+region+of+the+transmembrane+domain+of+signal-anchored+proteins+play+critical+roles+in+determining+their+targeting+specificity+to+the+endoplasmic+reticulum+or+endosymbiotic+organelles+in+Arabidopsis+cells.">Both the hydrophobicity and a positively charged region flanking the C-terminal region of the transmembrane domain of signal-anchored proteins play critical roles in determining their targeting specificity to the endoplasmic reticulum or endosymbiotic organelles in Arabidopsis cells.</a> Plant Cell. 23 (4), 1588-1607 (2011).</li><li>Cleary, S. P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolated+plant+mitochondria+import+chloroplast+precursor+proteins+in+vitro+with+the+same+efficiency+as+chloroplasts.">Isolated plant mitochondria import chloroplast precursor proteins in vitro with the same efficiency as chloroplasts.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 277 (7), 5562-5569 (2002).</li></ol>

We provided a detailed protocol for the use of protoplasts of Arabidopsis to study protein import into chloroplasts. This method is powerful for investigating the protein import process. This simple, versatile technique is useful for examining the targeting of the intended cargo proteins to chloroplasts. Using this method, protoplasts are prepared from leaf tissues of Arabidopsis11,12 which can be obtained from plants at many different growth st...

The chloroplast is one of the most important organelles in plants. One of the main functions of chloroplasts is to carry out photosynthesis1. Chloroplasts also carry out many other biochemical reactions for the production of fatty acids, amino acids, nucleotides, and numerous secondary metabolites1,2. For all of these reactions, chloroplasts require a large number of different types of proteins. However, the chloroplast genome contains only approximately 100 genes3,4. Therefore, chloroplasts must import the majority of their proteins from the cytosol. In fact, most chloroplast proteins were shown to be imported from the cytosol after translation4,5,6. Plant cells require specific mechanisms to import proteins from the cytosol to chloroplasts. However, although these protein import mechanisms have been investigated for the past several decades, we still do not fully understand them at the molecular level. Here, we provide a detailed method for preparing protoplasts and exogenously expressing genes in protoplasts. This method could be valuable for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying protein import into chloroplasts in detail.
Protein import can be studied using many different approaches. One of these methods involves the use of an in vitro protein import system7,8. Using this approach, in vitro-translated protein precursors are incubated with purified chloroplasts in vitro, and protein import is analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by western blot analysis. The advantage of this approach is that each step of protein import into chloroplasts can be studied in detail. Thus, this method has been widely used to define the components of the protein import molecular machinery and to dissect sequence information for transit peptides. More recently, another approach involving the use of protoplasts from leaf tissues was developed and it has become widely used to study protein import into chloroplasts9,10. The advantage of this approach is that protoplasts provide a cellular environment that is closer to that of intact cells than the in vitro system. Thus, the protoplast system allows us to address many additional aspects of this process, such as the associated cytosolic events and how the specificity of targeting signals is determined. Here, we present a detailed protocol for the use of protoplasts to study protein import into chloroplasts.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>GAMBORG B5 MEDIUM INCLUDING VITAMINS</td>
			<td>Duchefa Biochemie</td>
			<td>G0210.0050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SUCROSE</td>
			<td>Duchefa Biochemie</td>
			<td>S0809.5000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MES MONOHYDRATE</td>
			<td>Duchefa Biochemie</td>
			<td>M1503.0250</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Agar, powder</td>
			<td>JUNSEI</td>
			<td>24440S1201</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micropore Surgical tape</td>
			<td>3M</td>
			<td>1530-0</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Surgical blade stainless No.10</td>
			<td>FEATHER</td>
			<td>Unavailable</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Conical Tube, 50ml</td>
			<td>SPL LIFE SCIENCES</td>
			<td>50050</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Macerozyme R-10</td>
			<td>YAKULT PHARMACEUTICAL IND.</td>
			<td>Unavailable</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cellulase ONOZUKA R-10</td>
			<td>YAKULT PHARMACEUTICAL IND.</td>
			<td>Unavailable</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ALBUMIN, BOVINE (BSA)</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>0332-100G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>D-Mannitol</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>M1902-1KG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CALCIUM CHLORIDE, DIHYDRATE</td>
			<td>MP BIOMEDICALS</td>
			<td>0219463505-5KG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Twister</td>
			<td>VISION SCIENTIFIC</td>
			<td>VS-96TW</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Screen cup for CD-1</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>S1145</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Screens for CD-1</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>S3895</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Petri Dish</td>
			<td>SPL LIFE SCIENCES</td>
			<td>10090</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pasteur pipette</td>
			<td>HILGENBERG</td>
			<td>3150102</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LABORATORY CENTRIFUGE / BENCH-TOP</td>
			<td>VISION SCIENTIFIC</td>
			<td>VS-5500N</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium chloride</td>
			<td>JUNSEI</td>
			<td>19015S0350</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium chloride</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>P3911-1KG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>D-GLUCOSE, ANHYDROUS</td>
			<td>BIO BASIC</td>
			<td>GB0219</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium Hydroxide</td>
			<td>DUKSAN</td>
			<td>40</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Calcium nitrate tetrahydrate</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>C2786-500G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Poly(ethylene glycol)</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>P2139-2KG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Magnesium chloride hexahydrate</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>M2393-500G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tube 13ml, 100x16mm, PP</td>
			<td>SARSTEDT</td>
			<td>55.515</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope slides</td>
			<td>MARIENFELD</td>
			<td>1000412</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope Cover Glasses</td>
			<td>MARIENFELD</td>
			<td>101030</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Counting Chamber</td>
			<td>MARIENFELD</td>
			<td>650030</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Axioplan 2 Imaging Microscope</td>
			<td>Carl Zeiss</td>
			<td>Unavailable</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro tube 1.5ml</td>
			<td>SARSTEDT</td>
			<td>72.690.001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2-Mercaptoethanol</td>
			<td>SIGMA</td>
			<td>M3148-250ML</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS), Proteomics Grade</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>M107-500G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TRIS, Ultra Pure Grade</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>0497-5KG</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DTT (DL-Dithiothreitol), Biotechnology Grade</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>0281-25G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bromophenol blue sodium salt ACS</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>0312-50G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycerol</td>
			<td>JUNSEI</td>
			<td>27210S0350</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Living Colors A.v. Monoclonal Antibody (JL-8)</td>
			<td>TAKARA</td>
			<td>632381</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

studying protein import into chloroplasts using protoplasts

The chloroplast is an essential organelle that is responsible for various cellular processes in plants, such as photosynthesis and the production of many secondary metabolites and lipids. Chloroplasts require a large number of proteins for these various physiological processes. Over 95% of chloroplast proteins are nucleus-encoded and imported into chloroplasts from the cytosol after translation on cytosolic ribosomes. Thus, the proper import or targeting of these nucleus-encoded chloroplast proteins to chloroplasts is essential for the proper functioning of chloroplasts as well as the plant cell. Nucleus-encoded chloroplast proteins contain signal sequences for specific targeting to chloroplasts. Molecular machinery localized to the chloroplast or cytosol recognize these signals and carry out the import process. To investigate the mechanisms of protein import or targeting to chloroplasts in vivo, we developed a rapid, efficient protoplast-based method to analyze protein import into chloroplasts of Arabidopsis. In this method, we use protoplasts isolated from leaf tissues of Arabidopsis. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for using protoplasts to investigate the mechanism by which proteins are imported into chloroplasts.

The import of proteins into chloroplasts can be examined using two approaches: fluorescence microscopy and immunoblot analysis after SDS-PAGE-mediated separation. Here, we used RbcS-nt:GFP, a fusion construct encoding the 79 N-terminal amino acid residues of RbcS containing the transit peptide fused to GFP. When proteins are imported into chloroplasts, green fluorescence signals from the target protein RbcS-nt:GFP should merge with the red fluorescent signals from chlorophyll auto-fluores...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Studying Protein Import into Chloroplasts Using Protoplasts at JoVE.com

Studying Protein Import into Chloroplasts Using Protoplasts

Here we describe a protocol to express proteins into protoplasts by using PEG-mediated transformation method. The method provides easy expression of proteins of interest, and efficient investigation of protein localization and the import process for various experimental conditions in vivo.

The chloroplast is an essential organelle that is responsible for various cellular processes in plants, such as photosynthesis and the production of many ...

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