Evidence for substrate-cycling of 3-, 3,4-, 4-, and 4,5-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositols in plants

Inositol phospholipid metabolism in Arabidopsis. Characterized and putative isoforms of inositol phospholipid kinase and phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C

Phosphoinositides (PIs) constitute a minor fraction of total cellular lipids in all eukaryotic cells. They fulfill many important functions through interaction with a wide range of cellular proteins. Members of distinct inositol lipid kinase families catalyze the synthesis of these phospholipids from phosphatidylinositol. The hydrolysis of PIs involves phosphatases and isoforms of PI-specific phospholipase C. Although our knowledge of the roles played by plant PIs is clearly limited at present, there is no doubt that they are involved in many physiological processes during plant growth and development. In this review, we concentrate on inositol lipid-metabolizing enzymes from the model plant Arabidopsis for which biochemical characterization data are available, namely the inositol lipid kinases and PI-specific phospholipase Cs. The biochemical properties and structure of characterized and genome-predicted isoforms are presented and compared with those of the animal enzymes to show that the plant enzymes have some features clearly unique to this kingdom.

An Arabidopsis inositol phospholipid kinase strongly expressed in procambial cells: synthesis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 in insect cells by 5-phosphorylation of precursors

We have cloned a phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase (PIP5K) cDNA (AtP5K1) from Arabidopsis thaliana. By the application of cell permeabilization and short-term nonequilibrium labelling we show that expression of AtP5K1 in Baculovirus-infected insect (Spodoptera frugiperda) cells directs synthesis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. The same phosphoinositides were produced by isolated whole-cell membrane fractions of AtP5K1-expressing insect cells. Their synthesis was not affected by adding defined precursor lipids, that is PtdIns(3)P, PtdIns(4)P, PtdIns(3,4)P2, or PtdIns(4,5)P2, in excess, indicating that substrates for the plant enzyme were not limiting in vivo. Enzymatic dissection of lipid headgroups revealed that AtP5K1-directed synthesis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 proceeds via 5-phosphorylation of precursors. Analysis of promoter-reporter gene (beta-glucuronidase) fusions in transgenic plants revealed that expression of the AtP5K1 gene is strongest in vascular tissues of leaves, flowers, and roots, namely in cells of the lateral meristem, that is the procambium. Single-cell sampling of sap from flower stem meristem tissue and neighbouring phloem cells, when coupled to reverse transcriptase--polymerase chain reaction, confirmed preferential expression of AtP5K1 in procambial tissue. We hypothesize that AtP5K1, like animal and yeast PIP5K, may be involved in the control of cell proliferation.

Half-life of ubiquinone and plastoquinone in spinach cells

The half-life of plastoquinone (PQ), ubiquinone-9 (UQ-9) and ubiquinone-10 (UQ-10) in spinach tissue was determined. This was achieved by monitoring the decay of radioactivity incorporated into these lipids from a labeled precursor. The half-life of PQ was 15 h while for UQ-9 and UQ-10 it was longer, i.e. 30 h. The values of half-lives of PQ and UQ suggest a high rate of turnover of these lipids in spinach cells.

Salinity and hyperosmotic stress induce rapid increases in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, diacylglycerol pyrophosphate, and phosphatidylcholine in Arabidopsis thaliana cells

In animal cells, phosphoinositides are key components of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate/diacylglycerol-based signaling pathway, but also have many other cellular functions. These lipids are also believed to fulfill similar functions in plant cells, although many details concerning the components of a plant phosphoinositide system, and their regulation are still missing. Only recently have the different phosphoinositide isomers been unambiguously identified in plant cells. Another problem that hinders the study of the function of phosphoinositides and their derivatives, as well as the regulation of their metabolism, in plant cells is the need for a homogenous, easily obtainable material, from which the extraction and purification of phospholipids is relatively easy and quantitatively reproducible. We present here a thorough characterization of the phospholipids purified from [(32)P]orthophosphate- and myo-[2-(3)H]inositol-radiolabeled Arabidopsis thaliana suspension-cultured cells. We then show that NaCl treatment induces dramatic increases in the levels of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and diacylglycerol pyrophosphate and also affects the turnover of phosphatidylcholine. The increase in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was also observed with a non-ionic hyperosmotic shock. In contrast, the increase in diacylglycerol pyrophosphate and the turnover of phosphatidylcholine were relatively specific to salt treatments as only minor changes in the metabolism of these two phospholipids were detected when the cells were treated with sorbitol instead of NaCl.

Inositide signalling in Chlamydomonas: characterization of a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gene

Phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinases, which phosphorylate the D-3 position of the inositol ring, function in several different signalling pathways. The phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns)-specific PI 3-kinase of yeast (Vps34p) is part of a receptor signalling protein complex associated with the trans-Golgi membranes, whereas PI 3-kinases that phosphorylate polyphosphoinositides in animal cells form a major receptor-controlled signalling pathway in the plasma membrane. Recent studies have indicated the presence of active PLC, PLD, and PI 3-kinase-dependent signalling systems in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas, and PtdIns-3P in Chlamydomonas shows a particularly high rate of turnover. Here we report the cloning of the Chlamydomonas Vps34p, and some characterisation of its properties, regulation and localisation. A single-copy 12 kb gene was present. The corresponding protein of 122 kDa had full-length homology with Vps34ps from other species, but it contained a novel spacer-like insert region of 148 amino acid residues between homology region 2 (HR2) and the C-terminal catalytic core domain, and three other shorter putative inserts. Available cDNAs were used to assemble a pBluescript clone expressing a recombinant protein which had PtdIns-specific 3-kinase activity. However, an unexpected observation was that recombinant proteins containing the complete catalytic core, but lacking HR2, had no lipid kinase activity, pointing to a previously unsuspected role for this domain, possibly in substrate binding. VPS34 mRNA and protein levels, as determined by RNAse protection assays and by immunological methods respectively, were low in all cell stages that were examined. Western blotting of subcellular fractions revealed that most of Vps34p in cell lysates of cw-15 (a cell wall-deficient mutant) could be recovered in a NP-40-resistant 100000 x g pellet, suggesting that the enzyme may have a location different from that found in higher plants.

Metabolic evidence for PtdIns(4,5)P2-directed phospholipase C in permeabilized plant protoplasts

Comparison of the sequences of the genes encoding phospholipase C (PLC) which have been cloned to date in plants with their mammalian counterparts suggests that plant PLC is similar to PLCdelta of mammalian cells. The physiological role and mechanism of activation of PLCdelta is unclear. It has recently been shown that Ins(1,4,5)P3 may not solely be the product of PtdIns(4,5)P2-directed PLC activity. Enzyme activities capable of producing Ins(1,4,5)P3 from endogenous inositol phosphates are present in Dictyostelium and also in rat liver. Significantly it has not been directly determined whether Ins(1,4,5)P3 present in higher plants is the product of a PtdIns(4, 5)P2-directed PLC activity. Therefore we have developed an experimental strategy for the identification of d-Ins(1,4,5)P3 in higher plants. By the use of a short-term non-equilibrium labelling strategy in permeabilized plant protoplasts, coupled to the use of a 'metabolic trap' to prevent degradation of [32P]Ins(1,4,5)P3, we were able to determine the distribution of 32P in individual phosphate esters of Ins(1,4,5)P3. The [32]Ins(1,4,5)P3 identified showed the same distribution of label in individual phosphate esters as that of [32P]PtdIns(4,5)P2 isolated from the same tissue. We thus provide in vivo evidence for the action of a PtdIns(4,5)P2-directed PLC activity in plant cells which is responsible for the production of Ins(1,4,5)P3 observed here. This observation does not, however, exclude the possibility that in other cells or under different conditions Ins(1,4,5)P3 can be generated by alternative routes.

Phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate defines a novel PI 3-kinase pathway in resting mouse fibroblasts

PtdIns(3,5)P2 is identified as the product of an agonist-independent, wortmannin-sensitive pathway in resting mouse cells. Results are presented here to indicate that PtdIns(3,5)P2 is formed by phosphorylation of PtdIns3P at the D-5 position, and they suggest that relatively constant cellular levels of PtdIns3P and PtdIns(3, 5)P2 are maintained by the concerted action of PtdIns3P 5-kinase and PtdIns(3,5)P2 5-phosphatase. These studies imply a novel mechanism for the action of PtdIns-specific phosphoinositide 3-hydroxykinases in mammalian cells.