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| Subject Categories: Plant Biology | Microbiology & Pathogens |
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| The EMBO Journal
(2005) 24, 428–437, doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7600524 Published online 23 December 2004 |
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| The VirE3 protein of Agrobacterium mimics a host cell function required for plant genetic transformation |
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| Benoît Lacroix, Manjusha Vaidya, Tzvi Tzfira and Vitaly Citovsky |
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Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY, USA To whom correspondence should be addressed Vitaly Citovsky, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, State University of New York, 312 Life Sciences Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA. Tel.: +1 631 632 9534; Fax: +1 631 632 8575; E-mail: vitaly.citovsky@stonybrook.edu Received 15 June 2004; Accepted 26 November 2004; Published online 23 December 2004. |
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| Abstract |
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To genetically transform plants, Agrobacterium exports its transferred DNA (T-DNA) and several virulence (Vir) proteins into the host cell. Among these proteins, VirE3 is the only one whose biological function is completely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that VirE3 is transferred from Agrobacterium to the plant cell and then imported into its nucleus via the karyopherin  -dependent pathway. In addition to binding plant karyopherin , VirE3 interacts with VirE2, a major bacterial protein that directly associates with the T-DNA and facilitates its nuclear import. The VirE2 nuclear import in turn is mediated by a plant protein, VIP1. Our data indicate that VirE3 can mimic this VIP1 function, acting as an 'adapter' molecule between VirE2 and karyopherin and 'piggy-backing' VirE2 into the host cell nucleus. As VIP1 is not an abundant protein, representing one of the limiting factors for transformation, Agrobacterium may have evolved to produce and export to the host cells its own virulence protein that at least partially complements the cellular VIP1 function necessary for the T-DNA nuclear import and subsequent expression within the infected cell. |
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| Keywords: Agrobacterium-to-plant protein transport, nuclear import, VirE2, VirE3 |
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Top of page MORE ARTICLES LIKE THISThese links to content published by NPG are automatically generated RESEARCHInvolvement of targeted proteolysis in plant genetic transformation by Agrobacterium Nature Letters to Editor (02 Sep 2004) The EMBO Journal Article (02 Jul 2001) Non-homologous end-joining proteins are required for Agrobacterium T-DNA integration The EMBO Journal Article (15 Nov 2001) |
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