CHANGES OF PROTEIN-PATTERNS DURING INDUCTION OF THE FIRST CELL DIVISIONS IN PETUNIA (PETUNIA-HYBRIDA) PROTOPLAST CULTURES

We analyzed the overall changes in protein patterns during induction of the first cell divisions in mesophyll protoplast cultures of Petunia hybrida. The soluble proteins extracted from freshly isolated protoplasts at various times of cultures were analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by staining with Coomassie brilliant blue. About 130 proteins were visualized and among them twenty polypeptides showed qualitative and quantitative changes during initiation of first cell division. Particularly, low molecular weight proteins were newly synthesized during this time. Immunoblots with antibodies against actin protein indicated a significant change in actin protein at 96 h of culture in comparison to the freshly isolated protoplasts. The results indicate that several proteins may be candidates for specific proteins related to the first cell divisions of petunia protoplasts.