Abstract
The intracellular distribution of phospholipase D (PLD; EC 3.1.4.4) in castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) tissues was investigated by subcellular fractionation and by immuno-electron microscopy. Centrifugal fractionation revealed that most PLD in young leaves was soluble, whereas in mature leaves a majority of PLD was associated with microsomal membranes. Further separation of microsomal membranes by a two-phase partitioning system indicated that PLD was associated with both plasma and intracellular membranes. Sucrose gradient separation of intracellular membranes showed PLD present in the endoplasmic reticulum, a submicrosomal band, and in soluble fractions but not in mitochondria and glyoxysomes of postgermination endosperm. Immunocytochemical studies found high gold labeling in vacuoles in young leaves, suggesting that the high level of soluble PLD in young leaves is due to release of PLD from vacuoles during tissue disruption. In addition to the labeling in vacuoles, gold particles were also found in the cytoplasmic matrices and plasma membrane in leaves and in 2-d postgermination seedlings. Collectively, these results show that PLD in castor bean leaf and seedling tissues is localized in the vacuole and is associated with the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane and that the relative distribution between the soluble and membrane compartments changes during castor bean leaf development.