Abstract: The plant actin cytoskeleton provides a dynamic cytoplasmic framework for many fundamental cellular processes like cytoplasmic streaming,cytokinesis and morphogenesis.Understanding the actin organization and structure in plants requires the generation of new probes for measuring actin dynamics in living cells. Fluorescent analog cytochemistry presents an unrivaled opportunity to probe the actin cytoskeleton in living cells. Such method using in the study of plant actin cytoskeleton has not been reported. By using this method, based on the affinity chromatography of profilin with PLP-Sepharose (PLP: poly-L-proline) for actin purification, the author obtained 6 mg of > 98% in purity, polymerizable actin from 10 g of maize (Zea mays L. ) pollen, and this actin was successfully labeled with Oregon Green 488 carboxylic acid. From 10 g of maize pollen, 1.2 mg with 60 % dye/protein ratio, polymerizable, fluorescent actin analog was obtained. The study yields an effective method for purifying plant actin and preparing fluorescent analog, which may provide facilities for the study of actin dynamics in plant ceils.

Key words: Actin, Profilin, Fluorescent actin analog