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Identification of a 220 kDa membrane‐associated plant cell protein immunologically related to human β‐spectrin
Author(s) -
Michaud D.,
Guillet G.,
Rogers P.A.,
Charest P.M.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(91)81347-b
Subject(s) - spectrin , polyclonal antibodies , biology , biochemistry , red blood cell , membrane protein , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , immunofluorescence , cell , membrane , immunology , cytoskeleton
Electrophoretic analysis of low ionic strength extracts of tomato plant leaves revealed the presence of two proteins of apparent molecular weights of 240 kDa and 220 kDa which co‐migrated with purified human erythrocyte α‐ and β‐spectrin subunits. Immunochemical analyses employing an affinity‐purified polyclonal antibody to human erythrocyte β‐spectrin reacted specifically with the 220 kDa plant cell protein. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that the β‐spectrin antibody recognized an antigen which was primarily restricted to the peripheral areas of the cells. Collectively, these results suggest that the cells of higher plants contain polypeptides related to the spectrin family of proteins. It is proposed that the plant cell possesses a membrane skeleton which is structurally and perhaps functionally analogous to that of the animal cell.