Cryptogein, a protein secreted by the oomycete Phytophthora cryptogea, induces defense mechanisms in tobacco. Several proteins involved in the associated signaling pathway were identified and localized on the plasma membrane (PM). A fraction resistant to solubilization by detergent named DIMs for Detergent Insoluble Membranes, enriched in sterols an sphigolipids had been isolated from tobacco PM. It was proved to contain proteins previously identified as actors of the signaling cascade triggered by cryptogein. In animal cells, the dynamic association of proteins to sterol and sphingolipid rich microdomains under the influence of a biological stimulus plays an essential role in the regulation of cellular signaling. The purpose of this work was to test the hypothesis that such a phenomenon might occur in our model. The comparison using isotopic labeling (15N or 14N) and quantitative proteomics, of the composition of DIMs extracted from tobacco cells treated or not by cryptogein, revealed that, although the association to DIMs of most proteins remained unchanged, five proteins had their relative abundance modified after 5 minutes of treatment. One of these was a signaling protein (a 14-3-3 protein) and the four others were related to cell trafficking (4 DRPs, Dynamin Related Proteins). We characterized the DRP1A gene family in tobacco, and set up an antisens RNA antisense to down-regulate the expression of this protein. We studied the intracellular localization of DRP1 using specific antibodies and a GFP fusion. The results confirmed the presence of DRP1 in DIMs and its depletion from this fraction upon cryptogein treatment, through a dissociation from the PM. This is the first evidence of a dynamic association/dissociation of proteins to microdomains in plants upon a biological stimulus
