functional genomic screen for new plant cytoskeletal proteins and the determination of their role in actin mediated functions and guard cells regulation

The original objectives of the approved proposal were: 1. To construct a YFP fused Arabidopsis cDNA library in a mammalian expression vector. 2. To infect the library into a host fibroblast cell line and to screen for new cytoskeletal associated proteins using an automated microscope. 3. Isolate the new genes. 4. Characterize their role in plants. The project was approved as a feasibility study to allow proof of concept that would entail building the YFP library and picking up a couple of positive clones using the fluorescent screen. We report here on the construction of the YFP library, the development of the automatic microscope, the establishment of the screen and the isolation of positive clones that are plant cDNAs encoding cytoskeleton associated proteins. The rational underling a screen of plant library in fibroblasts is based on the high conservation of the cytoskeleton building blocks, actin and tubulin, between the two kingdoms (80-90% homology at the level of amino acids sequence). In addition, several publications demonstrated the recognition of mammalian cytoskeleton by plant cytoskeletal binding proteins and vice versa. The major achievements described here are: 1. The development of an automated microscope equipped with fast laser auto-focusing for high magnification and a software controlling 6 dimensions; X, Y position, auto focus, time, color, and the distribution and density of the fields acquired. This system is essential for the high throughput screen. 2. The construction of an extremely competent YFP library efficiently cloned (tens of thousands of clones collected, no empty vectors detected) with all inserts oriented 5't03'. These parameters render it well representative of the whole transcriptome and efficient in "in-frame" fusion to YFP. 3. The strategy developed for the screen allowing the isolation of individual positive cDNA clones following three rounds of microscopic scans. The major conclusion accomplished from the work described here is that the concept of using mammalian host cells for fishing new plant cytoskeletal proteins is feasible and that screening system developed is complete for addressing one of the major bottlenecks of the plant cytoskeleton field: the need for high throughput identification of functionally active cytoskeletal proteins. The new identified plant cytoskeletal proteins isolated in the pilot screen and additional new proteins which will be isolated in a comprehensive screen will shed light on cytoskeletal mediated processes playing a major role in cellular activities such as cell division, morphogenesis, and functioning such as chloroplast positioning, pollen tube and root hair elongation and the movement of guard cells. Therefore, in the long run the screen described here has clear agricultural implications.