Auxin-induced regulation of protein synthesis in tobacco mesophyll protoplasts cultivated in vitro: I. Characteristics of auxin-sensitive proteins.

The presence of auxin (2,4-D), in the culture medium of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var Maryland) mesophyll protoplasts is necessary both for cell wall regeneration and for passage of the cells from phase G(0) to phase G(1) of the cell cycle. Among about 250 proteins synthesized by protoplasts and characterized by their migration in a two-dimensional electrophoresis gel, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid affects the synthesis of 11.Nine proteins are synthesized at a reduced level in the presence of the hormone, of which three are rapidly labeled and short-lived, while the others, which are long-lived, become detectable only after 2 hours of radioactive labeling, suggesting that they undergo slow posttranslational maturation. These nine proteins are proline-rich but the proline radicals are not strongly hydroxylated. The synthesis of these proteins is no longer inhibited by auxin if dichlorobenzonitril, a weed-killer which inhibits cell wall reformation of tobacco protoplasts, is added to the culture medium.Two proteins are only synthesized if protoplasts are cultivated in an auxin-containing medium. These polypeptides are rapidly labeled, and are long-lived. The inhibition of cell wall reformation by dichlorobenzonitril does not modify their synthesis.These results suggest that proteins whose synthesis is reduced by auxin are related to cell wall reformation and that they do not play a role in the induction of the cell cycle. In contrast, proteins whose synthesis is stimulated in the presence of auxin are good candidates for a role in the induction of the cell cycle.