TUBULIN AND ACTIN PROTEIN-PATTERNS IN SCOTS PINE (PINUS-SYLVESTRIS) ROOTS AND DEVELOPING ECTOMYCORRHIZA WITH SUILLUS-BOVINUS

The role of tubulin and actin in the development of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) roots and in the formation of the ectomycorrhiza with the basidiomycete Suillus bovinus was studied by immunoblotting of 2D-gels with anti-tubulin and anti-actin antibodies. In the short roots the a lpha-tubulin pattern was different from that in the other root types d ue to the more acidic pi of the two alpha-tubulins. During the formati on of the ectomycorrhiza, two new alpha-tubulins were detected in the acidic alpha-tubulin cluster. No such variation occurred in the plant beta-tubulin patterns. The fungal tubulins dominated in the ectomycorr hiza, but no changes in tubulin polypeptide patterns from those in the S. bovinus mycelium were observed. Contrary to the tubulins, plant ac tin dominated in the mycorrhiza. The specific alpha tubulin patterns o f uninfected and infected short roots indicate that alpha-tubulin is i nvolved in the morphogenesis of Pinus sylvestris short roots. The high level of plant actin at early stage of the mycorrhiza formation sugge sts a significant role of this protein in the interaction between plan t cells and fungal hyphae.