1
|
Zimmermann SE, Blau S, Frerigmann H, Krueger S. The phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis is crucial for indolic glucosinolate biosynthesis and plant growth promotion conferred by the root endophyte Colletotrichum tofieldiae. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 107:85-100. [PMID: 34424501 PMCID: PMC8443527 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-021-01181-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase 1 of the phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis, active in heterotrophic plastids, is required for the synthesis of serine to enable plant growth at high rates of indolic glucosinolate biosynthesis. Plants have evolved effective strategies to defend against various types of pathogens. The synthesis of a multitude of specialized metabolites represents one effective approach to keep plant attackers in check. The synthesis of those defense compounds is cost intensive and requires extensive interaction with primary metabolism. However, how primary metabolism is adjusted to fulfill the requirements of specialized metabolism is still not completely resolved. Here, we studied the role of the phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis (PPSB) for the synthesis of glucosinolates, the main class of defensive compounds in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We show that major genes of the PPSB are co-expressed with genes required for the synthesis of tryptophan, the unique precursor for the formation of indolic glucosinolates (IG). Transcriptional and metabolic characterization of loss-of-function and dominant mutants of ALTERED TRYPTOPHAN1-like transcription factors revealed demand driven activation of PPSB genes by major regulators of IG biosynthesis. Trans-activation of PPSB promoters by ATR1/MYB34 transcription factor in cultured root cells confirmed this finding. The content of IGs were significantly reduced in plants compromised in the PPSB and these plants showed higher sensitivity against treatment with 5-methyl-tryptophan, a characteristic behavior of mutants impaired in IG biosynthesis. We further found that serine produced by the PPSB is required to enable plant growth under conditions of high demand for IG. In addition, PPSB-deficient plants lack the growth promoting effect resulting from interaction with the beneficial root-colonizing fungus Colletotrichum tofieldiae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra E Zimmermann
- Institute for Plant Sciences, Biocenter University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Samira Blau
- Institute for Plant Sciences, Biocenter University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany
| | - Henning Frerigmann
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linne-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stephan Krueger
- Institute for Plant Sciences, Biocenter University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 47b, 50674, Cologne, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zimmermann SE, Benstein RM, Flores-Tornero M, Blau S, Anoman AD, Rosa-Téllez S, Gerlich SC, Salem MA, Alseekh S, Kopriva S, Wewer V, Flügge UI, Jacoby RP, Fernie AR, Giavalisco P, Ros R, Krueger S. The phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis links plant growth with nitrogen metabolism. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 186:1487-1506. [PMID: 34624108 PMCID: PMC8260141 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Because it is the precursor for various essential cellular components, the amino acid serine is indispensable for every living organism. In plants, serine is synthesized by two major pathways: photorespiration and the phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis (PPSB). However, the importance of these pathways in providing serine for plant development is not fully understood. In this study, we examine the relative contributions of photorespiration and PPSB to providing serine for growth and metabolism in the C3 model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Our analyses of cell proliferation and elongation reveal that PPSB-derived serine is indispensable for plant growth and its loss cannot be compensated by photorespiratory serine biosynthesis. Using isotope labeling, we show that PPSB-deficiency impairs the synthesis of proteins and purine nucleotides in plants. Furthermore, deficiency in PPSB-mediated serine biosynthesis leads to a strong accumulation of metabolites related to nitrogen metabolism. This result corroborates 15N-isotope labeling in which we observed an increased enrichment in labeled amino acids in PPSB-deficient plants. Expression studies indicate that elevated ammonium uptake and higher glutamine synthetase/glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GS/GOGAT) activity causes this phenotype. Metabolic analyses further show that elevated nitrogen assimilation and reduced amino acid turnover into proteins and nucleotides are the most likely driving forces for changes in respiratory metabolism and amino acid catabolism in PPSB-deficient plants. Accordingly, we conclude that even though photorespiration generates high amounts of serine in plants, PPSB-derived serine is more important for plant growth and its deficiency triggers the induction of nitrogen assimilation, most likely as an amino acid starvation response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ruben M Benstein
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
- Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University, Umeå SE-901 87, Sweden
| | - María Flores-Tornero
- Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Spain
- Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - Samira Blau
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Armand D Anoman
- Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Spain
- Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - Sara Rosa-Téllez
- Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Spain
- Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - Silke C Gerlich
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Mohamed A Salem
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Saleh Alseekh
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Center for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria
| | - Stanislav Kopriva
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Vera Wewer
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Ulf-Ingo Flügge
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Richard P Jacoby
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| | - Alisdair R Fernie
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Center for Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria
| | - Patrick Giavalisco
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne 50933, Germany
| | - Roc Ros
- Departament de Biologia Vegetal, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Spain
- Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Burjassot 46100, Spain
| | - Stephan Krueger
- Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jobe TO, Zenzen I, Rahimzadeh Karvansara P, Kopriva S. Integration of sulfate assimilation with carbon and nitrogen metabolism in transition from C3 to C4 photosynthesis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:4211-4221. [PMID: 31124557 PMCID: PMC6698703 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The first product of sulfate assimilation in plants, cysteine, is a proteinogenic amino acid and a source of reduced sulfur for plant metabolism. Cysteine synthesis is the convergence point of the three major pathways of primary metabolism: carbon, nitrate, and sulfate assimilation. Despite the importance of metabolic and genetic coordination of these three pathways for nutrient balance in plants, the molecular mechanisms underlying this coordination, and the sensors and signals, are far from being understood. This is even more apparent in C4 plants, where coordination of these pathways for cysteine synthesis includes the additional challenge of differential spatial localization. Here we review the coordination of sulfate, nitrate, and carbon assimilation, and show how they are altered in C4 plants. We then summarize current knowledge of the mechanisms of coordination of these pathways. Finally, we identify urgent questions to be addressed in order to understand the integration of sulfate assimilation with carbon and nitrogen metabolism particularly in C4 plants. We consider answering these questions to be a prerequisite for successful engineering of C4 photosynthesis into C3 crops to increase their efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy O Jobe
- Botanical Institute and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ivan Zenzen
- Botanical Institute and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Parisa Rahimzadeh Karvansara
- Botanical Institute and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Stanislav Kopriva
- Botanical Institute and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hilgers EJA, Schöttler MA, Mettler-Altmann T, Krueger S, Dörmann P, Eicks M, Flügge UI, Häusler RE. The Combined Loss of Triose Phosphate and Xylulose 5-Phosphate/Phosphate Translocators Leads to Severe Growth Retardation and Impaired Photosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana tpt/xpt Double Mutants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1331. [PMID: 30333839 PMCID: PMC6175978 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The xylulose 5-phosphate/phosphate translocator (XPT) represents the fourth functional member of the phosphate translocator (PT) family residing in the plastid inner envelope membrane. In contrast to the other three members, little is known on the physiological role of the XPT. Based on its major transport substrates (i.e., pentose phosphates) the XPT has been proposed to act as a link between the plastidial and extraplastidial branches of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OPPP). As the XPT is also capable of transporting triose phosphates, it might as well support the triose phosphate PT (TPT) in exporting photoassimilates from the chloroplast in the light ('day path of carbon') and hence in supplying the whole plant with carbohydrates. Two independent knockout mutant alleles of the XPT (xpt-1 and xpt-2) lacked any specific phenotype, suggesting that the XPT function is redundant. However, double mutants generated from crossings of xpt-1 to different mutant alleles of the TPT (tpt-1 and tpt-2) were severely retarded in size, exhibited a high chlorophyll fluorescence phenotype, and impaired photosynthetic electron transport rates. In the double mutant the export of triose phosphates from the chloroplasts is completely blocked. Hence, precursors for sucrose biosynthesis derive entirely from starch turnover ('night path of carbon'), which was accompanied by a marked accumulation of maltose as a starch breakdown product. Moreover, pentose phosphates produced by the extraplastidial branch of the OPPP also accumulated in the double mutants. Thus, an active XPT indeed retrieves excessive pentose phosphates from the extra-plastidial space and makes them available to the plastids. Further metabolic profiling revealed that phosphorylated intermediates remained largely unaffected, whereas fumarate and glycine contents were diminished in the double mutants. The assessment of C/N-ratios suggested co-limitations of C- and N-metabolism as possible cause for growth retardation of the double mutants. Feeding of sucrose partially rescued the growth and photosynthesis phenotypes of the double mutants. Immunoblots of thylakoid proteins, spectroscopic determinations of photosynthesis complexes, and chlorophyll a fluorescence emission spectra at 77 Kelvin could only partially explain constrains in photosynthesis observed in the double mutants. The data are discussed together with aspects of the OPPP and central carbon metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elke J. A. Hilgers
- Department of Biology, Cologne Biocenter, Botanical Institute II and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | - Stephan Krueger
- Department of Biology, Cologne Biocenter, Botanical Institute II and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Dörmann
- Molecular Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Ulf-Ingo Flügge
- Department of Biology, Cologne Biocenter, Botanical Institute II and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Rainer E. Häusler
- Department of Biology, Cologne Biocenter, Botanical Institute II and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|