Dynamic behavior of the trans-golgi network in root tissues of Arabidopsis revealed by super-resolution live imaging

The trans-Golgi network (TGN) is an important organelle for protein transport at the post-Golgi network, which functions as a sorting station that directs cargo proteins to a variety of destinations including post-Golgi compartments and the extracellular space. However, the functions and dynamics of the TGN in plant cells have not been well understood yet. To elucidate the dynamics of the plant TGN, we established transgenic plants expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-SYP43, the ortholog of Tlg2/syntaxin16, which is localized to the TGN in yeast and mammalian cells, under the control of the native promoter as a TGN marker. Observation by confocal laser scanning microscopy and super-resolution confocal live imaging microscopy revealed two types of TGN in Arabidopsis root: the GA-TGNs (Golgi-associated TGNs), located on the trans-side of the Golgi apparatus, and the GI-TGNs (Golgi-released independent TGNs), located away from the Golgi apparatus and behaving independently. The GI-TGNs is derived from a population of GA-TGNs by segregation, although the core of the GA-TGN remains even after the generation of the GI-TGN. We further found that the abundance of the GI-TGNs differs between observed tissues. Our results indicate that the dynamic features of the TGN in plant cells differ from those of animal and yeast cells.