Abstract
Dynamin and dynamin-related proteins are large GTPases that tubulate and pinch off membranes. In eukaryotes, each member of the dynamin-family is involved in various intra-cellular events, e.g. animal endocytosis, vesicular transport, division of organelles and cytokinesis. The Arabidopsis genome has 16 DRPs grouped into 6 subfamilies (DRP1-6). However, DRPs related to plant endocytosis have not been identified. In previous studies, DRPs in two of these subfamilies, DRP1 and DRP2, have been proposed to have roles in endocytosis. Using Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we observed green fluorescent protein fusions of DRP1A and DRP2B around the plasma membrane in tobacco suspension cells. These fusion proteins were observed as dot-like puncta resembling animal dynamin signals reported previously. The behaviors of GFP-DRP1A and DRP2B puncta have several patterns resembling those reported in animal cells.
