Protein phosphorylation in Vicia faba root meristem cells during the first steps of leaving principal control points after sucrose application

Abstract

Before Vicia faba root meristem cells stopped by carbohydrate starvation in principal control points (PCP1 and PCP2) start sucrose induced replication and division they go through a phase of metabolic regeneration. This interval is characterised st great sensitivity to the inhibitors of cyclin-dependent protein kinases and protein phosphatases (PPs). In the present research, changes of phosphoprotein levels in the nucleolus, nucleus and cytoplasm were analysed using okadaic acid and 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) during the first period of cell regeneration in sucrose (0-3 h). It was established that when the cells start to leave checkpoints, the balance between protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation shifts towards the intensified activity of PPs. Furthermore, it was also established that the structures appearing during cell regeneration, which were located around cell nuclei and which contained large amounts of phosphorylated proteins, were plastids. The reactions of protein phosphorylation which took place in the plastids were directly correlated with starch synthesis and were stopped by inactivation of protein phosphatases (PP1 and/or PP2A).