Angus S. Murphy talks
with ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions
about this month's Fast Breaking Paper in the field of
Plant & Animal Science.
Article Title: ABCB19/PGP19 stabilises PIN1 in
membrane microdomains in Arabidopsis
Authors: Titapiwatanakun, B;Blakeslee, JJ;Bandyopadhyay,
A;Yang, H;Mravec, J;Sauer, M;Cheng, Y;Adamec, J;Nagashima,
A;Geisler, M;Sakai, T;Friml, J;Peer, WA;Murphy,
AS
Journal: PLANT J, Volume: 57, Issue: 1, Page: 27-44, Year:
JAN 2009
* Purdue Univ, Dept Hort, W Lafayette, IN 47907 USA.
* Purdue Univ, Dept Hort, W Lafayette, IN 47907 USA.
* Univ Ghent, Dept Plant Syst Biol, B-9052 Ghent,
Belgium.
* Purdue Discovery Pk, W Lafayette, IN 47907 USA.
(addresses have been truncated)
Why do you think your paper is highly cited? Does
it describe a new discovery, methodology, or synthesis of
knowledge?
I believe that one of the key reasons why this paper is being cited is
because it describes the interactions between two hormone transport systems
and provides a rationale for ABCB function in auxin transport. It is a new
discovery. The article is also cited because of the methods used to
solubilize ABCB proteins from detergent resistant membranes using beta
methyl cyclodextrin.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper in
layman’s terms?
"This work has already led us to new discoveries
regarding the regulation of transport complexes by
ordered membrane domains..."
The paper describes interactions between the coordinated, but independent,
ABCB and PIN auxin transport mechanisms. The paper also identifies lipid
ordered membrane domains as probable sites of interaction between these two
systems. The work also suggests that ABCB19 and other ABCB transporters may
contribute to the ordering of these membrane domains.
How did you become involved in this research, and were
there any problems along the way?
This paper is an end product of 12 years of research that began with the
identification of ABCB transporters as potential components of auxin
transport complexes. The work specifically addresses a previous paper (Bosl
Noh et. al., 2003), where we misinterpreted results indicating
that PIN1 was destabilized in detergent-solubilized membranes as evidence
of PIN1 mislocalization in Arabidopsis hypocotyls. This paper is
consistent with other evidence that PIN1 recruitment into ordered
membrane domains may regulate its activity.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
This work has already led us to new discoveries regarding the regulation of
transport complexes by ordered membrane domains, the function of ABCB
transporters in plant growth, and the function of ABCB transporters in
excluding auxin from the plasma membrane.
Do you foresee any social or political implications for
your research?
Apart from the implication for improving food supplies and bioenergy
sources—no.
Angus Murphy, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Horticulture
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN, USA Web
Why do you think your paper is highly cited? Does
it describe a new discovery, methodology, or synthesis of
knowledge?
