CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PLANT HOMOLOG OF PROHIBITIN, A GENE ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY IN MAMMALIAN-CELLS

This report describes the cloning and characterization of a plant cDNA coding for a protein which shows high amino acid sequence similarity with prohibitin, whose gene is associated with antiproliferative activ ity in mammalian cells. Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum pro hibitin complete cDNAs were isolated, and the expression pattern of pr ohibitin was examined using polyclonal antibodies raised against the A rabidopsis recombinant prohibitin expressed in Escherichia coil. A sin gle immunoreactive protein was detected in various plant species and i n all Arabidopsis organs examined. Subcellular fractionation using tob acco leaves revealed prohibitin in a mitochondrial-enriched fraction. Phylogenetic conservation of prohibitin's amino acid sequence and subc ellular localization suggests a similar function in plants, yeast and mammals.