Identification of stathmin-like proteins in plants

Stathmin-like proteins were identified in broad bean, green bean, pea, soybean, and cowpea extracts by western blotting after SDS PAGE and native isoelectric focusing (IEF). The subunit molecular mass of these proteins ranged from 14–23 kDa in leaf, root and stem tissues, but higher molecular mass forms were observed in germinated seed (cotyledon) extracts. After IEF, multiple forms of stathmin-like proteins were observed in different tissues from all plant extracts. In general, the pIs ranged from 3.5 to 5.0, although each tissue showed a unique IEF pattern of stathmin-like proteins. Stathmin-like proteins in plants appear to be similar to mammalian stathmin in size, pI, and immunological determinants.