Electrophoresis and Electrofocusing of Phytochrome from Etiolated Avena sativa L

R udolf Schendel and W olfhart Rüdiger Botanisches Institut der Universität München Z. Naturforsch. 44c, 12—18 (1989); received November 25, 1988 Microheterogeneity, Pest Sequence, Phytochrome Denaturation, Protein Conformation Phytochrome from etiolated oat seedlings (Avena sativa L.) was investigated by “native” gel electrophoresis and by isoelectric focusing. At pH 8 . 8 the Pfr form migrated faster than the Pr form in electrophoresis. We assume a difference in the surface charge rather than a difference in shape for the phytochrome forms. This assumption was confirmed by isoelectric focusing which clearly showed relatively more negative charge in the Pfr form than in the Pr form. The role of the peptide region from residue 323 to 360 is discussed in this connection. It carries 9 negatively charged residues, it is exposed only in the Pfr form and it has already been described as a signal region for rapid protein degradation (PEST sequence, see Rogers et al., Science 234, 364—368, 1986). The experiments on electrofocusing revealed a microheterogeneity of phytochrome which was present in the native state as well as in the completely unfolded state. The most probable reason could be either posttranslational modification or genetic polymorphism of phytochrome in oat.