Transient expression in microplasmodia of Physarum polycephalum

Abstract:

The plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum is a suitable eukaryotic cell for cell cycle investigation, but there is no compatible transient expression system for the plasmodium. Using the promoter and terminator of ardC actin of Physarum polycephalum substituted the CMV IE and SV40 polyA of plasmid pDsRed1-N1, using cassette PardC-MCS-DsRed1-TardC substituted the cassette PardC-hph-TardC of plasmid pTB38, we constructed plasmids pXM1 and pXM2 for transient expression of red fluorescent protein (RFP) in Physarum polycephalum respectively. After reconstituting the transcription elongation factor homologous gene (pelf1) of Physarum polycephalum into the pXM2, we generated a plasmid pXM2-pelf1. After the plasmid pXM1, pXM2 and pXM2-pelf1 were electroporated into the plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum, we observed optimum RFP and PELF1-RFP expression under fluoroscope and confocal microscope between 24-48 h after electroporation, and found that ELF1-RFP expression was accumulated in nucleus of microplasmodium, the optimum electroporation parameters were 40 V/cm electric field, 1 ampere current, and 70 ms electric shock time. The results suggest that this expression system is qualified for transient expression of specific protein in plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum.