Recent Trends in Plant Protein Complex Analysis in a Developmental Context

• Main Authors: Michiel Bontinck, Jelle Van Leene, Astrid Gadeyne, Bert De Rybel, Dominique Eeckhout, Hilde Nelissen, Geert De Jaeger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-05-01
• Series: Frontiers in Plant Science
• Subjects: plant development; affinity enrichment; tandem affinity purification; Arabidopsis thaliana; interactomics; proximity-dependent labeling
• Online Access: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2018.00640/full

Because virtually all proteins interact with other proteins, studying protein–protein interactions (PPIs) is fundamental in understanding protein function. This is especially true when studying specific developmental processes, in which proteins often make developmental stage- or tissue specific interactions. However, studying these specific PPIs in planta can be challenging. One of the most widely adopted methods to study PPIs in planta is affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry (AP/MS). Recent developments in the field of mass spectrometry have boosted applications of AP/MS in a developmental context. This review covers two main advancements in the field of affinity purification to study plant developmental processes: increasing the developmental resolution of the harvested tissues and moving from affinity purification to affinity enrichment. Furthermore, we discuss some new affinity purification approaches that have recently emerged and could have a profound impact on the future of protein interactome analysis in plants.