Abstract
ER body is one of ER-related organelles that highly accumulate a specific protein, PYK10, a β-glucosidase with an ER-retention signal. Functions of ER bodies are still unclear. ER bodies have a limited distribution in Arabidopsis seedlings. They are present in the epidermal cells of cotyledons and hypocotyls (constitutive ER bodies) of young seedlings, and disappear in those of mature tissues. When mature leaves are wounded, ER bodies are induced around the wound site of the leaves (inducible ER bodies). Therefore, the induction of ER bodies might be involved in self-defense of the plants. To clarify the function of ER bodies, we compared constitutive ER bodies with inducible ER bodies. Numbers of ER bodies increased not only in local wounded cotyledons but also in the systemic cotyledons after wounding. We report here QPCR analysis for components of constitutive and inducible ER bodies and then discussed their possible functions.
