Expression of Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolB gene fusions in Escherichia coli: production of antibodies against the RolB protein

Abstract

Expression of the rolB gene of Agrobacterium rhizogenes TL-DNA is sufficient to trigger root differentiation in transformed plant cells. To investigate the role of RolB in differentiation, a large portion of rolB, comprising about 90% of its C-terminal coding sequence, was cloned into vectors pEX34 and pEA305 in frame with the truncated N termini of the pL-MS2 phage DNA polymerase and, respectively, the ptac-cIts phage λ repressor gene. Hybrid proteins were expressed from both fusions and the one from pMTBEX1 was utilized to raise antibodies. These antibodies specifically recognize the RolB moiety in both pL-MS2-rolB and ptac-cI-rolB fusions. Unfused, complete RolB protein was obtained by in vitro translation in a rabbit reticulocyte system of a transcript obtained by in vitro transcription of rolB. RolB protein is specifically immunoprecipitated by the antibodies raised against the hybrid protein MS2-RolB.