Identification of diacylglycerol pyrophosphate as a novel metabolic product of phosphatidic acid during G-protein activation in plants

Activation of MAPK-mediated immunity by phosphatidic acid in response to positive-strand RNA viruses

Increasing evidence suggests that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play a crucial role in plant defense against viruses. However, the mechanisms that underlie the activation of MAPK cascades in response to viral infection remain unclear. In this study, we discovered that phosphatidic acid (PA) represents a major class of lipids that respond to Potato virus Y (PVY) at an early stage of infection. We identified NbPLDα1 (Nicotiana benthamiana phospholipase Dα1) as the key enzyme responsible for increased PA levels during PVY infection and found that it plays an antiviral role. 6K2 of PVY interacts with NbPLDα1, leading to elevated PA levels. In addition, NbPLDα1 and PA are recruited by 6K2 to membrane-bound viral replication complexes. On the other hand, 6K2 also induces activation of the MAPK pathway, dependent on its interaction with NbPLDα1 and the derived PA. PA binds to WIPK/SIPK/NTF4, prompting their phosphorylation of WRKY8. Notably, spraying with exogenous PA is sufficient to activate the MAPK pathway. Knockdown of the MEK2-WIPK/SIPK-WRKY8 cascade resulted in enhanced accumulation of PVY genomic RNA. 6K2 of Turnip mosaic virus and p33 of Tomato bushy stunt virus also interacted with NbPLDα1 and induced the activation of MAPK-mediated immunity. Loss of function of NbPLDα1 inhibited virus-induced activation of MAPK cascades and promoted viral RNA accumulation. Thus, activation of MAPK-mediated immunity by NbPLDα1-derived PA is a common strategy employed by hosts to counteract positive-strand RNA virus infection.

Drought and heat stress mediated activation of lipid signaling in plants: a critical review

Lipids are a principal component of plasma membrane, acting as a protective barrier between the cell and its surroundings. Abiotic stresses such as drought and temperature induce various lipid-dependent signaling responses, and the membrane lipids respond differently to environmental challenges. Recent studies have revealed that lipids serve as signal mediators forreducing stress responses in plant cells and activating defense systems. Signaling lipids, such as phosphatidic acid, phosphoinositides, sphingolipids, lysophospholipids, oxylipins, and N-acylethanolamines, are generated in response to stress. Membrane lipids are essential for maintaining the lamellar stack of chloroplasts and stabilizing chloroplast membranes under stress. However, the effects of lipid signaling targets in plants are not fully understood. This review focuses on the synthesis of various signaling lipids and their roles in abiotic stress tolerance responses, providing an essential perspective for further investigation into the interactions between plant lipids and abiotic stress.

Genome-wide identification and molecular characterization of CRK gene family in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under cold stress and sclerotium rolfsii infection

BACKGROUND

The plant cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) are a large family having multiple roles, including defense responses under both biotic and abiotic stress. However, the CRK family in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) has been explored to a limited extent. In this study, a genome-wide characterization of the CRK family has been performed to investigate the structural and functional attributes of the cucumber CRKs under cold and fungal pathogen stress.

RESULTS

A total of 15 C. sativus CRKs (CsCRKs) have been characterized in the cucumber genome. Chromosome mapping of the CsCRKs revealed that 15 genes are distributed in cucumber chromosomes. Additionally, the gene duplication analysis of the CsCRKs yielded information on their divergence and expansion in cucumbers. Phylogenetic analysis divided the CsCRKs into two clades along with other plant CRKs. Functional predictions of the CsCRKs suggested their role in signaling and defense response in cucumbers. The expression analysis of the CsCRKs by using transcriptome data and via qRT-PCR indicated their involvement in both biotic and abiotic stress responses. Under the cucumber neck rot pathogen, Sclerotium rolfsii infection, multiple CsCRKs exhibited induced expressions at early, late, and both stages. Finally, the protein interaction network prediction results identified some key possible interacting partners of the CsCRKs in regulating cucumber physiological processes.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study identified and characterized the CRK gene family in cucumbers. Functional predictions and validation via expression analysis confirmed the involvement of the CsCRKs in cucumber defense response, especially against S. rolfsii. Moreover, current findings provide better insights into the cucumber CRKs and their involvement in defense responses.

DIACYLGLYCEROL KINASE 5 participates in flagellin-induced signaling in Arabidopsis

Flagellin perception is a keystone of pattern-triggered immunity in plants. The recognition of this protein by a plasma membrane (PM) receptor complex is the beginning of a signaling cascade that includes protein phosphorylation and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In both Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings and suspension cells, we found that treatment with flg22, a peptide corresponding to the most conserved domain of bacterial flagellin, caused a rapid and transient decrease in the level of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4,5-bisphosphate along with a parallel increase in phosphatidic acid (PA). In suspension cells, inhibitors of either phosphoinositide-dependent phospholipases C (PLC) or diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) inhibited flg22-triggered PA production and the oxidative burst. In response to flg22, receptor-like kinase-deficient fls2, bak1, and bik1 mutants (FLAGELLIN SENSITIVE 2, BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-associated kinase 1, and BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE 1, respectively) produced less PA than wild-type (WT) plants, whereas this response did not differ in NADPH oxidase-deficient rbohD (RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG D) plants. Among the DGK-deficient lines tested, the dgk5.1 mutant produced less PA and less ROS after flg22 treatment compared with WT seedlings. In response to flg22, dgk5.1 plants showed lower callose accumulation and impaired resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 hrcC-. Transcriptomics revealed that the basal expression of defense-related genes was altered in dgk5.1 seedlings compared with the WT. A GFP-DGK5 fusion protein localized to the PM, where RBOHD and PLC2 (proteins involved in plant immunity) are also located. The role of DGK5 and its enzymatic activity in flagellin signaling and fine-tuning of early immune responses in plant-microbe interactions is discussed.

The Electrostatic Basis of Diacylglycerol Pyrophosphate—Protein Interaction

Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) is an anionic phospholipid formed in plants, yeast, and parasites under multiple stress stimuli. It is synthesized by the phosphorylation action of phosphatidic acid (PA) kinase on phosphatidic acid, a signaling lipid with multifunctional properties. PA functions in the membrane through the interaction of its negatively charged phosphomonoester headgroup with positively charged proteins and ions. DGPP, like PA, can interact electrostatically via the electrostatic-hydrogen bond switch mechanism but differs from PA in its overall charge and shape. The formation of DGPP from PA alters the physicochemical properties as well as the structural dynamics of the membrane. This potentially impacts the molecular and ionic binding of cationic proteins and ions with the DGPP enriched membrane. However, the results of these important interactions in the stress response and in DGPP’s overall intracellular function is unknown. Here, using ³¹P MAS NMR, we analyze the effect of the interaction of low DGPP concentrations in model membranes with the peptides KALP23 and WALP23, which are flanked by positively charged Lysine and neutral Tryptophan residues, respectively. Our results show a significant effect of KALP23 on the charge of DGPP as compared to WALP23. There was, however, no significant effect on the charge of the phosphomonoester of DGPP due to the interaction with positively charged lipids, dioleoyl trimethylammonium propane (DOTAP) and dioleoyl ethyl-phosphatidylcholine (EtPC). Divalent calcium and magnesium cations induce deprotonation of the DGPP headgroup but showed no noticeable differences on DGPP’s charge. Our results lead to a novel model for DGPP—protein interaction.

Molecular Characterization of a Tolerant Saline-Alkali Chlorella Phosphatidate Phosphatase That Confers NaCl and Sorbitol Tolerance

The gene encoding a putative phosphatidate phosphatase (PAP) from tolerant saline-alkali (TSA) Chlorella, ChPAP, was identified from a yeast cDNA library constructed from TSA Chlorella after a NaCl treatment. ChPAP expressed in yeast enhanced its tolerance to NaCl and sorbitol. The ChPAP protein from a GFP-tagged construct localized to the plasma membrane and the lumen of vacuoles. The relative transcript levels of ChPAP in Chlorella cells were strongly induced by NaCl and sorbitol as assessed by northern blot analyses. Thus, ChPAP may play important roles in promoting Na-ion movement into the cell and maintaining the cytoplasmic ion balance. In addition, ChPAP may catalyze diacylglycerol pyrophosphate to phosphatidate in vacuoles.

Lipid metabolism has been good to me

My career in research has flourished through hard work, supportive mentors, and outstanding mentees and collaborators. The Carman laboratory has contributed to the understanding of lipid metabolism through the isolation and characterization of key lipid biosynthetic enzymes as well as through the identification of the enzyme-encoding genes. Our findings from yeast have proven to be invaluable to understand regulatory mechanisms of human lipid metabolism. Several rewarding aspects of my career have been my service to the Journal of Biological Chemistry as an editorial board member and Associate Editor, the National Institutes of Health as a member of study sections, and national and international scientific meetings as an organizer. I advise early career scientists to not assume anything, acknowledge others’ accomplishments, and pay it forward.

Lipid Remodeling Confers Osmotic Stress Tolerance to Embryogenic Cells during Cryopreservation

Plant species conservation through cryopreservation using plant vitrification solutions (PVS) is based in empiricism and the mechanisms that confer cell integrity are not well understood. Using ESI-MS/MS analysis and quantification, we generated 12 comparative lipidomics datasets for membranes of embryogenic cells (ECs) of Magnolia officinalis during cryogenic treatments. Each step of the complex PVS-based cryoprotocol had a profoundly different impact on membrane lipid composition. Loading treatment (osmoprotection) remodeled the cell membrane by lipid turnover, between increased phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and decreased phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The PA increase likely serves as an intermediate for adjustments in lipid metabolism to desiccation stress. Following PVS treatment, lipid levels increased, including PC and PE, and this effectively counteracted the potential for massive loss of lipid species when cryopreservation was implemented in the absence of cryoprotection. The present detailed cryobiotechnology findings suggest that the remodeling of membrane lipids and attenuation of lipid degradation are critical for the successful use of PVS. As lipid metabolism and composition varies with species, these new insights provide a framework for technology development for the preservation of other species at increasing risk of extinction.

Lipid-protein interactions for ECA1 an N-ANTH domain protein involved in stress signaling in plants

Epsin-like Clathrin Adaptor 1 (ECA1/ PICALM1A) is an A/ENTH domain protein that acts as an adaptor protein in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. ECA1 is recruited to the membrane during salt stress signaling in plants in a phosphatidic acid (PA)-dependent manner. PA is a lipid second messenger that rapidly and transiently increases in concentration under stress stimuli. Upon an increase in PA concentration another lipid, diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP), starts to accumulate. The accumulation of DGPP is suggested to be a cue for attenuating PA signaling during stress in plants. We showed in vitro that ECA1-PA binding is modulated as a function of membrane curvature stress and charge. In this work, we investigate ECA1 binding to DGPP in comparison with PA. We show that ECA1 has more affinity for the less charged PA, and this binding is pH dependent. Additionally, plant PA binding proteins SnRK2.10, TGD2C, and PDK1-PH2 were investigated for their interaction with DGPP, since no known DGPP binding proteins are available in the literature to date. Our results shed further light on DGPP and its interactions with membrane proteins which brings us closer toward understanding the complexity of protein interactions with anionic lipids, especially the enigmatic anionic lipid DGPP.

Membrane Lipid Remodeling in Response to Salinity

Salinity is one of the most decisive environmental factors threatening the productivity of crop plants. Understanding the mechanisms of plant salt tolerance is critical to be able to maintain or improve crop yield under these adverse environmental conditions. Plant membranes act as biological barriers, protecting the contents of cells and organelles from biotic and abiotic stress, including salt stress. Alterations in membrane lipids in response to salinity have been observed in a number of plant species including both halophytes and glycophytes. Changes in membrane lipids can directly affect the properties of membrane proteins and activity of signaling molecules, adjusting the fluidity and permeability of membranes, and activating signal transduction pathways. In this review, we compile evidence on the salt stress responses of the major membrane lipids from different plant tissues, varieties, and species. The role of membrane lipids as signaling molecules in response to salinity is also discussed. Advances in mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques have largely expanded our knowledge of salt-induced changes in lipids, however only a handful studies have investigated the underlying mechanisms of membrane lipidome regulation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent works that have been carried out on lipid remodeling of plant membranes under salt treatment. Challenges and future perspectives in understanding the mechanisms of salt-induced changes to lipid metabolisms are proposed.

Involvement of phosphatidylinositol metabolism in aluminum-induced malate secretion in Arabidopsis

To identify the upstream signaling of aluminum-induced malate secretion through aluminum-activated malate transporter 1 (AtALMT1), a pharmacological assay using inhibitors of human signal transduction pathways was performed. Early aluminum-induced transcription of AtALMT1 and other aluminum-responsive genes was significantly suppressed by phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI4K) and phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors, indicating that the PI4K-PLC metabolic pathway activates early aluminum signaling. Inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and PI4K reduced aluminum-activated malate transport by AtALMT1, suggesting that both the PI3K and PI4K metabolic pathways regulate this process. These results were validated using T-DNA insertion mutants of PI4K and PI3K-RNAi lines. A human protein kinase inhibitor, putatively inhibiting homologous calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase and/or Ca-dependent protein kinase in Arabidopsis, suppressed late-phase aluminum-induced expression of AtALMT1, which was concomitant with the induction of an AtALMT1 repressor, WRKY46, and suppression of an AtALMT1 activator, Calmodulin-binding transcription activator 2 (CAMTA2). In addition, a human deubiquitinase inhibitor suppressed aluminum-activated malate transport, suggesting that deubiquitinases can regulate this process. We also found a reduction of aluminum-induced citrate secretion in tobacco by applying inhibitors of PI3K and PI4K. Taken together, our results indicated that phosphatidylinositol metabolism regulates organic acid secretion in plants under aluminum stress.

Downregulation of mitochondrial alternative oxidase affects chloroplast function, redox status and stress response in a marine diatom

Diatom dominance in contemporary aquatic environments indicates that they have developed unique and effective mechanisms to cope with the rapid and considerable fluctuations that characterize these environments. In view of their evolutionary history from a secondary endosymbiosis, inter-organellar regulation of biochemical activities may be of particular relevance. Diatom mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) is believed to play a significant role in supplying chloroplasts with ATP produced in the mitochondria. Using the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum we generated AOX knockdown lines, and followed sensitivity to stressors, photosynthesis and transcriptome and metabolome profiles of wild-type and knockdown lines. We show here that expression of the AOX gene is upregulated by various stresses including H₂ O₂ , heat, high light illumination, and iron or nitrogen limitation. AOX knockdown results in hypersensitivity to stress. Knockdown lines also show significantly reduced photosynthetic rates and their chloroplasts are more oxidized. Comparisons of transcriptome and metabolome profiles suggest a strong impact of AOX activity on gene expression, which is carried through to the level of the metabolome. Our data provide evidence for the involvement of mitochondrial AOX in processes central to the cell biology of diatoms, revealing that cross-talk between mitochondria and chloroplasts is crucial for maintaining sensitivity to changing environments.

Knock-Down of Arabidopsis PLC5 Reduces Primary Root Growth and Secondary Root Formation While Overexpression Improves Drought Tolerance and Causes Stunted Root Hair Growth

Phospholipase C (PLC) is a well-known signaling enzyme in metazoans that hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) to produce inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol as second messengers involved in mutiple processes. Plants contain PLC too, but relatively little is known about its function there. The model system Arabidopsis thaliana contains nine PLC genes. Reversed genetics have implicated several roles for PLCs in plant development and stress signaling. Here, PLC5 is functionally addressed. Promoter-β-glucuronidase (GUS) analyses revealed expression in roots, leaves and flowers, predominantly in vascular tissue, most probably phloem companion cells, but also in guard cells, trichomes and root apical meristem. Only one plc5-1 knock-down mutant was obtained, which developed normally but grew more slowly and exhibited reduced primary root growth and decreased lateral root numbers. These phenotypes could be complemented by expressing the wild-type gene behind its own promoter. Overexpression of PLC5 (PLC5-OE) using the UBQ10 promoter resulted in reduced primary and secondary root growth, stunted root hairs, decreased stomatal aperture and improved drought tolerance. PLC5-OE lines exhibited strongly reduced phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate (PIP) and PIP2 levels and increased amounts of phosphatidic acid, indicating enhanced PLC activity in vivo. Reduced PIP2 levels and stunted root hair growth of PLC5-OE seedlings could be recovered by inducible overexpression of a root hair-specific PIP 5-kinase, PIP5K3. Our results show that PLC5 is involved in primary and secondary root growth and that its overexpression improves drought tolerance. Independently, we provide new evidence that PIP2 is essential for the polar tip growth of root hairs.

Drought Induced Signaling in Rice: Delineating Canonical and Non-canonical Pathways

Drought induced stress is often a bottleneck of agricultural crop production. Invariably, field crops across all agro-ecological regions succumb to it with an yield penalty. Drought massively affects the growth and harvestable yield in crops and has become an imminent problem necessitating breeding of tolerant crops. It induces myriad changes of biochemical, molecular, and physiological nature that manifest into aberrant plant morphology. The response to drought in plants incites a signaling cascade that involves perception and translation of drought signal leading to concomitant modulation of gene expression and de novo osmolyte synthesis. The intricate patterns of expression of these genes vary from early induction to late responsive genes. While one class of genes codes for products imparting osmotolerance and protection to plants, the second class predominantly modulates target gene expression by an intricate signal transduction mechanism. This review summarizes both canonical and non-canonical cascades of drought stress response in plants, delineating the mechanism in rice (Oryza sativa) and emphasizes hydropenia induced lipid signaling.

Discoveries of the phosphatidate phosphatase genes in yeast published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry

This JBC Review on the discoveries of yeast phosphatidate (PA) phosphatase genes is dedicated to Dr. Herbert Tabor, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) for 40 years, on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Here, I reflect on the discoveries of the APP1, DPP1, LPP1, and PAH1 genes encoding all the PA phosphatase enzymes in yeast. PA phosphatase catalyzes PA dephosphorylation to generate diacylglycerol; both substrate and product are key intermediates in the synthesis of membrane phospholipids and triacylglycerol. App1 and Pah1 are peripheral membrane proteins catalyzing an Mg²⁺-dependent reaction governed by the DXDX(T/V) phosphatase motif. Dpp1 and Lpp1 are integral membrane proteins that catalyze an Mg²⁺-independent reaction governed by the KX ₆RP-PSGH-SRX ₅HX ₃D phosphatase motif. Pah1 is PA-specific and is the only PA phosphatase responsible for lipid synthesis at the nuclear/endoplasmic reticulum membrane. App1, Dpp1, and Lpp1, respectively, are localized to cortical actin patches and the vacuole and Golgi membranes; they utilize several lipid phosphate substrates, including PA, lyso-PA, and diacylglycerol pyrophosphate. App1 is postulated to be involved in endocytosis, whereas Dpp1 and Lpp1 may be involved in lipid signaling. Pah1 is the yeast lipin homolog of mice and humans. A host of cellular defects and lipid-based diseases associated with loss or overexpression of PA phosphatase in yeast, mice, and humans, highlights its importance to cell physiology.

Acclimation to salt modifies the activation of several osmotic stress-activated lipid signalling pathways in Chlamydomonas

Osmotic stress rapidly activates several phospholipid signalling pathways in the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas. In this report, we have studied the effects of salt-acclimation on growth and phospholipid signalling. Growing cells on media containing 100 mM NaCl increased their salt-tolerance but did not affect the overall phospholipid content, except that levels of phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P₂] were reduced by one-third. When these NaCl-acclimated cells were treated with increasing concentrations of salt, the same lipid signalling pathways as in non-acclimated cells were activated. This was witnessed as increases in phosphatidic acid (PA), lyso-phosphatidic acid (L-PA), diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP), PI(4,5)P₂ and its isomer PI(3,5)P₂. However, all dose-dependent responses were shifted to higher osmotic-stress levels, and the responses were lower than in non-acclimated cells. When NaCl-acclimated cells were treated with other osmotica, such as KCl and sucrose, the same effects were found, illustrating that they were due to hyperosmotic rather than hyperionic acclimation. The results indicate that acclimation to moderate salt stress modifies stress perception and the activation of several downstream pathways.

Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate binds and inhibits the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in barley aleurone

The aleurona cell is a model that allows the study of the antagonistic effect of gibberellic acid (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Previous results of our laboratory demonstrated the involvement of phospholipids during the response to ABA and GA. ABA modulates the levels of diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid and diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DAG, PA, DGPP) through the activities of phosphatidate phosphatases, phospholipase D, diacylglycerol kinase and phosphatidate kinase (PAP, PLD, DGK and PAK). PA and DGPP are key phospholipids in the response to ABA, since both are capable of modifying the hydrolitic activity of the aleurona. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanism of action of these phospholipids during the ABA signal. DGPP is an anionic phospholipid with a pyrophosphate group attached to diacylglycerol. The ionization of the pyrophosphate group may be important to allow electrostatic interactions between DGPP and proteins. To understand how DGPP mediates cell functions in barley aleurone, we used a DGPP affinity membrane assay to isolate DGPP-binding proteins from Hordeum vulgare, followed by mass spectrometric sequencing. A cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, EC 1.2.1.12) was identified for being bound to DGPP. To validate our method, the relatively abundant GAPDH was characterized with respect to its lipid-binding properties, by fat western blot. GAPDH antibody interacts with proteins that only bind to DGPP and PA. We also observed that ABA treatment increased GAPDH abundance and enzyme activity. The presence of phospholipids during GAPDH reaction modulated the GAPDH activity in ABA treated aleurone. These data suggest that DGPP binds to GAPDH and this DGPP and GAPDH interaction provides new evidences in the study of DGPP-mediated ABA responses in barley aleurone.

Profiling the secretome and extracellular proteome of the potato late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans

Oomycetes are filamentous organisms that cause notorious diseases, several of which have a high economic impact. Well known is Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of potato late blight. Previously, in silico analyses of the genome and transcriptome of P. infestans resulted in the annotation of a large number of genes encoding proteins with an N-terminal signal peptide. This set is collectively referred to as the secretome and comprises proteins involved in, for example, cell wall growth and modification, proteolytic processes, and the promotion of successful invasion of plant cells. So far, proteomic profiling in oomycetes was primarily focused on subcellular, intracellular or cell wall fractions; the extracellular proteome has not been studied systematically. Here we present the first comprehensive characterization of the in vivo secretome and extracellular proteome of P. infestans. We have used mass spectrometry to analyze P. infestans proteins present in seven different growth media with mycelial cultures and this resulted in the consistent identification of over two hundred proteins. Gene ontology classification pinpointed proteins involved in cell wall modifications, pathogenesis, defense responses, and proteolytic processes. Moreover, we found members of the RXLR and CRN effector families as well as several proteins lacking an obvious signal peptide. The latter were confirmed to be bona fide extracellular proteins and this suggests that, similar to other organisms, oomycetes exploit non-conventional secretion mechanisms to transfer certain proteins to the extracellular environment.

Zn(2+)-dependent surface behavior of diacylglycerol pyrophosphate and its mixtures with phosphatidic acid at different pHs

Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) is a minor lipid that attenuates the phosphatidic acid (PA) signal, and also DGPP itself would be a signaling lipid. Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate is an anionic phospholipid with a pyrophosphate group attached to diacylglycerol that was shown to respond to changes of pH, thus affecting the surface organization of DGPP and their interaction with PA. In this work, we have investigated how the presence of Zn(2+) modulates the surface organization of DGPP and its interaction with PA at acidic and basic pHs. Both lipids formed expanded monolayers at pHs 5 and 8. At pH 5, monolayers formed by DGPP became stiffer when Zn(2+)was added to the subphase, while the surface potential decreased. At this pH, Zn(2+) induced a phase transition from an expanded to a condensed-phase state in monolayers formed by PA. Conversely, at pH 8 the effects induced by the presence of Zn(2+) on the surface behaviors of the pure lipids were smaller. Thus, the interaction of the bivalent cation with both lipids was modulated by pH and by the ionization state of the polar head groups. Mixed monolayers of PA and DGPP showed a non-ideal behavior and were not affected by the presence of Zn(2+) at pH 8. This could be explained considering that when mixed, the lipids formed a closely packed monolayer that could not be further modified by the cation. Our results indicate that DGPP and PA exhibit expanded- and condensed-phase states depending on pH, on the proportion of each lipid in the film and on the presence of Zn(2+). This may have implications for a possible role of DGPP as a signaling lipid molecule.

Involvement of Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in the regulation of proline catabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plant adaptation to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity involves complex regulatory processes. Deciphering the signaling components that are involved in stress signal transduction and cellular responses is of importance to understand how plants cope with salt stress. Accumulation of osmolytes such as proline is considered to participate in the osmotic adjustment of plant cells to salinity. Proline accumulation results from a tight regulation between its biosynthesis and catabolism. Lipid signal components such as phospholipases C and D have previously been shown to be involved in the regulation of proline metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we demonstrate that proline metabolism is also regulated by class-III Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), VPS34, which catalyses the formation of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P) from phosphatidylinositol. Using pharmacological and biochemical approaches, we show that the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, affects PI3P levels in vivo and that it triggers a decrease in proline accumulation in response to salt treatment of A. thaliana seedlings. The lower proline accumulation is correlated with a lower transcript level of Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase 1 (P5CS1) biosynthetic enzyme and higher transcript and protein levels of Proline dehydrogenase 1 (ProDH1), a key-enzyme in proline catabolism. We also found that the ProDH1 expression is induced in a pi3k-hemizygous mutant, further demonstrating that PI3K is involved in the regulation of proline catabolism through transcriptional regulation of ProDH1. A broader metabolomic analysis indicates that LY294002 also reduced other metabolites, such as hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids and sugars like raffinose.

Analysis of D3-,4-,5-phosphorylated phosphoinositides using HPLC

Detection of polyphosphoinositides (PPIs) is difficult due to their low chemical abundancy. This problem is further complicated by the fact that PPIs are present as various, distinct isomers, which are difficult, if not impossible, to separate by conventional thin layer chromatography (TLC) systems. PPIs in plants include PtdIns3P, PtdIns4P, PtdIns5P, PtdIns(3,5)P 2, and PtdIns(4,5)P 2. Here, a protocol is described analyzing plant PPIs using (32)P-orthophosphorus pre-labeled material. After extraction, lipids are deacylated and the resulting glycerophosphoinositol polyphosphates (GroPInsPs) separated by HPLC using a strong anion-exchange column and a shallow salt gradient. Alternatively, PPIs are first separated by TLC, the lipids reisolated, deacylated, and the GroPInsPs then separated by HPLC.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate is required for invasive growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates are important regulators of processes such as the cytoskeleton organization, membrane trafficking and gene transcription, which are all crucial for polarized cell growth. In particular, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] has essential roles in polarized growth as well as in cellular responses to stress. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the sole phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase (PI4P5K) Mss4p is essential for generating plasma membrane PtdIns(4,5)P2. Here, we show that Mss4p is required for yeast invasive growth in low-nutrient conditions. We isolated specific mss4 mutants that were defective in cell elongation, induction of the Flo11p flocculin, adhesion and cell wall integrity. We show that mss4-f12 cells have reduced plasma membrane PtdIns(4,5)P2 levels as well as a defect in its polarized distribution, yet Mss4-f12p is catalytically active in vitro. In addition, the Mss4-f12 protein was defective in localizing to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, addition of cAMP, but not an activated MAPKKK allele, partially restored the invasive growth defect of mss4-f12 cells. Taken together, our results indicate that plasma membrane PtdIns(4,5)P2 is crucial for yeast invasive growth and suggest that this phospholipid functions upstream of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A signaling pathway.

Involvement of phospholipase D and NADPH-oxidase in salicylic acid signaling cascade

Salicylic acid is associated with the primary defense responses to biotic stress and formation of systemic acquired resistance. However, molecular mechanisms of early cell reactions to phytohormone application are currently undisclosed. The present study investigates the participation of phospholipase D and NADPH-oxidase in salicylic acid signal transduction cascade. The activation of lipid signaling enzymes within 15 min of salicylic acid application was shown in Arabidopsis thaliana plants by measuring the phosphatidic acid accumulation. Adding of primary alcohol (1-butanol) to the incubation medium led to phosphatidylbutanol accumulation as a result of phospholipase D (PLD) action in wild-type and NADPH-oxidase RbohD deficient plants. Salicylic acid induced rapid increase in NADPH-oxidase activity in histochemical assay with nitroblue tetrazolium but the reaction was not observed in presence of 1-butanol and NADPH-oxidase inhibitor diphenylene iodide (DPI). The further physiological effect of salicylic acid and inhibitory analysis of the signaling cascade were made in the guard cell model. Stomatal closure induced by salicylic acid was inhibited by 1-butanol and DPI treatment. rbohD transgenic plants showed impaired stomatal reaction upon phytohormone effect, while the reaction to H2O2 did not differ from that of wild-type plants. Thus a key role of NADPH-oxidase D-isoform in the process of stomatal closure in response to salicylic acid has been postulated. It has enabled to predict a cascade implication of PLD and NADPH oxidase to salicylic acid signaling pathway.

Measuring PLD activity in vivo

Phospholipase D (PLD) hydrolyzes structural phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) into phosphatidic acid (PA) and free choline/ethanolamine. In plants, this activity can be stimulated by a wide variety of biotic and abiotic stresses (Li et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 1791:927-935, 2009; Testerink and Munnik, J Exp Bot 62(7):2349-2361, 2011). This chapter describes a protocol for the measurement of PLD activity in vivo. The protocol takes advantage of a unique property of PLD, i.e., its ability to substitute a primary alcohol, such as 1-butanol, for water in the hydrolytic reaction. This transphosphatidylation reaction results in the formation of phosphatidylbutanol (PBut), which is a specific and unique reporter for PLD activity. The assay is highly sensitive for detecting PLD activity in vivo, following stimulation of intact plant cells, seedlings, and tissues, being a valuable method for studying the regulation of plant PLD activity in vivo.

Analyzing plant signaling phospholipids through 32Pi-labeling and TLC

Lipidomic analyses through LC-, GC-, and ESI-MS/MS can detect numerous lipid species based on headgroup and fatty acid compositions but usually miss the minor phospholipids involved in cell signaling because of their low chemical abundancy. Due to their high turnover, these signaling lipids are, however, readily picked up by labeling plant material with (32)P-orthophosphate and subsequent analysis of the lipid extracts by thin layer chromatography. Here, protocols are described for suspension-cultured tobacco BY-2 cells, young Arabidopsis seedlings, Vicia faba roots, and Arabidopsis leaf disks, which can easily be modified for other plant species and tissues.

Defense activation triggers differential expression of phospholipase-C (PLC) genes and elevated temperature induces phosphatidic acid (PA) accumulation in tomato

Recently, we provided the first genetic evidence for the requirement of tomato PLC4 and PLC6 genes in defense activation and disease resistance. The encoded enzymes were catalytically active as they were able to degrade phosphatidylinositol (PI), thereby producing diacylglycerol (DG). Here we report differential PLC gene expression following the initiation of defense signaling by the interaction between Cladosporium fulvum resistance (R) protein Cf-4 and its matching effector Avr4 in tomato hybrid seedlings that express both Cf-4 and Avr4. Furthermore, we observed that PLC3 and PLC6 gene expression is upregulated by elevated temperature in the control seedlings. This upregulation coincides with an increase in the levels of phosphatidic acid (PA) and a decrease in the levels of PI and phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP). The decrease in PI and PIP levels matches with the activation of PLC. In addition, the levels of the structural phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) declined transiently during recovery after the exposure to elevated temperature., Further studies will be required to explain the mechanism causing the sustained accumulation of PA during recovery, combined with a reduction in the levels of structural phospholipids.

Inhibition of lipid phosphate phosphatase activity by VPC32183 suppresses the ability of diacylglycerol pyrophosphate to activate ERK(1/2) MAP kinases

The lipidic metabolite, diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP), in its dioctanoyl form (DGPP 8:0), has been described as an antagonist for mammalian lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors LPA1 and LPA3. In this study we show that DGPP 8:0 does not antagonize LPA dependent activation of ERK(1/2) MAP kinases but strongly stimulated them in various mammalian cell lines. LPA and DGPP 8:0 stimulation of ERK(1/2) occurred through different pathways. The DGPP 8:0 effect appeared to be dependent on PKC, Raf and MEK but was insensitive to pertussis toxin and did not involve G protein activation. Finally we showed that DGPP 8:0 effect on ERK(1/2) was dependent on its dephosphorylation by a phosphatase activity sharing lipid phosphate phosphatase properties. The inhibition of this phosphatase activity by VPC32183, a previously characterized LPA receptor antagonist, blocked the DGPP 8:0 effect on ERK(1/2) activation. Moreover, down-regulation of lipid phosphate phosphatase 1 (LPP1) expression by RNA interference technique also reduced DGPP 8:0-induced ERK(1/2) activation. Consistently, over expression of LPP1 in HEK293 cells increases DGPP 8:0 hydrolysis and this increased activity was inhibited by VPC32183. In conclusion, DGPP 8:0 does not exert its effect by acting on a G protein coupled receptor, but through its dephosphorylation by LPP1, generating dioctanoyl phosphatidic acid which in turn activates PKC. These results suggest that LPP1 could have a positive regulatory function on cellular signaling processes such as ERK(1/2) activation.

The physical chemistry of the enigmatic phospholipid diacylglycerol pyrophosphate

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is a lipid second messenger that is formed transiently in plants in response to different stress conditions, and plays a role in recruiting protein targets, ultimately enabling an adequate response. Intriguingly, this increase in PA concentration in plants is generally followed by an increase in the phospholipid diacylglycerolpyrophosphate (DGPP), via turnover of PA. Although DGPP has been shown to induce stress-related responses in plants, it is unclear to date what its molecular function is and how it exerts its effect. Here, we describe the physicochemical properties, i.e., effective molecular shape and charge, of DGPP. We find that unlike PA, which imparts a negative curvature stress to a (phospho)lipid bilayer, DGPP stabilizes the bilayer phase of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), similar to the effect of phosphatidylcholine (PC). DGPP thus has zero curvature. The pKa(2) of the phosphomonoester of DGPP is 7.44 ± 0.02 in a PC bilayer, compared to a pKa(2) of 7.9 for PA. Replacement of half of the PC with PE decreases the pKa(2) of DGPP to 6.71 ± 0.02, similar to the behavior previously described for PA and summarized in the electrostatic-hydrogen bond switch model. Implications for the potential function of DGPP in biomembranes are discussed.

Lipid profiling by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and the identification of lipid phosphorylation by kinases in potato stolons

There is limited information about the involvement of lipids and esterified fatty acids in signaling pathways during plant development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lipid composition and molecular species of potato (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Spunta) stolons and to identify phosphorylated lipids in the first two developmental stages of tuber formation. Lipid profiling was determined using ESI-MS/MS, a useful method for the determination of the biosynthesis and catabolism of lipids based on their fatty acid composition. The most prevalent compound identified in this study was phosphatidic acid (PA); digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) was the second most abundant compound. A 34:2 species was identified in PA, phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The identification of lipid phosphorylation by kinases was revealed by the presence of the phosphorylated lipids. PA was metabolized to diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) by phosphatidic acid kinase (PAK). This work establishes a correlation between lipid fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism enzymes at the beginning of tuber formation and is the first report of PAK activity in the early events of potato tuber formation.

The salt stress-induced LPA response in Chlamydomonas is produced via PLA₂ hydrolysis of DGK-generated phosphatidic acid

The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas has frequently been used as a eukaryotic model system to study intracellular phospholipid signaling pathways in response to environmental stresses. Earlier, we found that hypersalinity induced a rapid increase in the putative lipid second messenger, phosphatidic acid (PA), which was suggested to be generated via activation of a phospholipase D (PLD) pathway and the combined action of a phospholipase C/diacylglycerol kinase (PLC/DGK) pathway. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) was also increased and was suggested to reflect a phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) activity based on pharmacological evidence. The question of PA's and LPA's origin is, however, more complicated, especially as both function as precursors in the biosynthesis of phospho- and galactolipids. To address this complexity, a combination of fatty acid-molecular species analysis and in vivo ³²P-radiolabeling was performed. Evidence is provided that LPA is formed from a distinct pool of PA characterized by a high α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) content. This molecular species was highly enriched in the polyphosphoinositide fraction, which is the substrate for PLC to form diacylglycerol. Together with differential ³²P-radiolabeling studies and earlier PLD-transphosphatidylation and PLA₂-inhibitor assays, the data were consistent with the hypothesis that the salt-induced LPA response is primarily generated through PLA₂-mediated hydrolysis of DGK-generated PA and that PLD or de novo synthesis [via endoplasmic reticulum - or plastid-localized routes] is not a major contributor.

Plant adaptation to frequent alterations between high and low temperatures: remodelling of membrane lipids and maintenance of unsaturation levels

One major strategy by which plants adapt to temperature change is to decrease the degree of unsaturation of membrane lipids under high temperature and increase it under low temperature. We hypothesize that this strategy cannot be adopted by plants in ecosystems and environments with frequent alterations between high and low temperatures, because changes in lipid unsaturation are complex and require large energy inputs. To test this hypothesis, we used a lipidomics approach to profile changes in molecular species of membrane glycerolipids in two plant species sampled from alpine screes and in another two plant species grown in a growth chamber, with the temperature cycling daily between heat and freezing. We found that six classes of phospholipid and two classes of galactolipid showed significant changes, but the degree of unsaturation of total lipids and of three lysophospholipid classes remained unchanged. This pattern of changes in membrane lipids was distinct from that occurring during slow alterations in temperature. We propose two types of model for the adaptation of plants to temperature change: (1) remodelling of membrane lipids but maintenance of the degree of unsaturation are used to adapt to frequent temperature alterations; and (2) both remodelling and changes in the degree of unsaturation to adapt to infrequent temperature alterations.

Arabidopsis thaliana lipid phosphate phosphatase 2 is involved in abscisic acid signalling in leaves

Lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs, E.C. 3.1.3.4) catalyse the dephosphorylation of diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) and phosphatidic acid (PA), which are secondary messengers in abscisic acid (ABA) signalling. In this study, we investigated the effect of ABA on the expression of AtLPP genes as they encode putative ABA-signalling partners. We observed that AtLPP2 expression was down-regulated by ABA and we performed experiments on Atlpp2-2, an AtLPP2 knockout mutant, to determine whether AtLPP2 was involved in ABA signalling. We observed that Atlpp2-2 plantlets contained about twice as much PA as the wild-type Col-0 and exhibited higher PA kinase (PAK) activity than Col-0 plants. In addition, we showed that ABA stimulated diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) activity independently of AtLPP2 activity but that the ABA-stimulation of PAK activity recorded in Col-0 was dependent on AtLPP2. In order to evaluate the involvement of AtLPP2 activity in guard cell function, we measured the ABA sensitivity of Atlpp2-2 stomata. The inhibition of stomatal opening was less sensitive to ABA in Atlpp2-2 than in Col-0. Watered and water-stressed plants of the two genotypes accumulated ABA to the same extent, thus leading us to consider Atlpp2-2 an ABA-signalling mutant. Taken together our observations show that AtLPP2 is a part of ABA signalling and participate to the regulation of stomatal movements.

Phosphatidic acid formation is required for extracellular ATP-mediated nitric oxide production in suspension-cultured tomato cells

*In animals and plants, extracellular ATP exerts its effects by regulating the second messengers Ca(2+), nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In animals, phospholipid-derived molecules, such as diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid (PA) and inositol phosphates, have been associated with the extracellular ATP signaling pathway. The involvement of phospholipids in extracellular ATP signaling in plants, as it is established in animals, is unknown. *In vivo phospholipid signaling upon extracellular ATP treatment was studied in (32)P(i)-labeled suspension-cultured tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cells. *Here, we report that, in suspension-cultured tomato cells, extracellular ATP induces the formation of the signaling lipid phosphatidic acid. Exogenous ATP at doses of 0.1 and 1 mM induce the formation of phosphatidic acid within minutes. Studies on the enzymatic sources of phosphatidic acid revealed the participation of both phospholipase D and C in concerted action with diacylglycerol kinase. *Our results suggest that extracellular ATP-mediated nitric oxide production is downstream of phospholipase C/diacylglycerol kinase activation.

Heat stress activates phospholipase D and triggers PIP accumulation at the plasma membrane and nucleus

Heat stress induces an array of physiological adjustments that facilitate continued homeostasis and survival during periods of elevated temperatures. Here, we report that within minutes of a sudden temperature increase, plants deploy specific phospholipids to specific intracellular locations: phospholipase D (PLD) and a phosphatidylinositolphosphate kinase (PIPK) are activated, and phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) rapidly accumulate, with the heat-induced PIP(2) localized to the plasma membrane, nuclear envelope, nucleolus and punctate cytoplasmic structures. Increases in the steady-state levels of PA and PIP(2) occur within several minutes of temperature increases from ambient levels of 20-25 degrees C to 35 degrees C and above. Similar patterns were observed in heat-stressed Arabidopsis seedlings and rice leaves. The PA that accumulates in response to temperature increases results in large part from the activation of PLD rather than the sequential action of phospholipase C and diacylglycerol kinase, the alternative pathway used to produce this lipid. Pulse-labelling analysis revealed that the PIP(2) response is due to the activation of a PIPK rather than inhibition of a lipase or a PIP(2) phosphatase. Inhibitor experiments suggest that the PIP(2) response requires signalling through a G-protein, as aluminium fluoride blocks heat-induced PIP(2) increases. These results are discussed in the context of the diverse cellular roles played by PIP(2) and PA, including regulation of ion channels and the cytoskeleton.

Reversed-phase LC/MS method for polyphosphoinositide analyses: changes in molecular species levels during epidermal growth factor activation in A431 cells

In studies on lipid metabolomics, liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry (LC/MS) is a robust and popular technique. Although effective reversed-phase (RP) LC/ MS methods enabling the separation of phospholipid molecular species have been developed, RPLC methods to analyze phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) have not been reported. In this study, we developed conditions suitable for PIP analysis. Coupled with (diethylamino)ethyl (DEAE)-cellulose pretreatment, at least 1 pmol each of phosphatidylinositol monophosphates (PIP1), bisphosphates (PIP2), and triphosphates standards per approximately 6 x 10(6) cultured cells could be measured. Using these methods, we detected elevated concentrations of more than 12 PIP1 species in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated A431 cells, a human epidermoid carcinoma cell line. The PIP2 species detected were not elevated after stimulation. We also detected EGF-induced increases in the levels of several phosphatidic acid species using another set of methods. Our method sensitively determined PIPs within a biological sample and is thus suitable for analysis of phoisphoiniositide metabolism.

Reassessing the role of phospholipase D in the Arabidopsis wounding response

Plants respond to wounding by means of a multitude of reactions, with the purpose of stifling herbivore assault. Phospholipase D (PLD) has previously been implicated in the wounding response. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) AtPLDalpha1 has been proposed to be activated in intact cells, and the phosphatidic acid (PA) it produces to serve as a precursor for jasmonic acid (JA) synthesis and to be required for wounding-induced gene expression. Independently, PLD activity has been reported to have a bearing on wounding-induced MAPK activation. However, which PLD isoforms are activated, where this activity takes place (in the wounded or non-wounded cells) and what exactly the consequences are is a question that has not been comprehensively addressed. Here, we show that PLD activity during the wounding response is restricted to the ruptured cells using (32)P(i)-labelled phospholipid analyses of Arabidopsis pld knock-out mutants and PLD-silenced tomato cell-suspension cultures. pldalpha1 knock-out lines have reduced wounding-induced PA production, and the remainder is completely eliminated in a pldalpha1/delta double knock-out line. Surprisingly, wounding-induced protein kinase activation, AtLOX2 gene expression and JA biosynthesis were not affected in these knock-out lines. Moreover, larvae of the Cabbage White butterfly (Pieris rapae) grew equally well on wild-type and the pld knock-out mutants.

Phospholipid signaling responses in salt-stressed rice leaves

Salinity is one of the major environmental factors limiting growth and productivity of rice plants. In this study, the effect of salt stress on phospholipid signaling responses in rice leaves was investigated. Leaf cuts were radiolabeled with 32P-orthophosphate and the lipids extracted and analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, autoradiography and phosphoimaging. Phospholipids were identified by co-migration of known standards. Results showed that 32P(i) was rapidly incorporated into the minor lipids, phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphatidic acid (PA) and, interestingly, also into the structural lipids phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), which normally label relatively slowly, like phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylinositol (PI). Only very small amounts of PIP2 were found. However, in response to salt stress (NaCl), PIP2 levels rapidly (<30 min) increased up to 4-fold, in a time- and dose-dependent manner. PA and its phosphorylated product, diacylglycerolpyrophosphate (DGPP), also increased upon NaCl stress, while cardiolipin (CL) levels decreased. All other phospholipid levels remained unchanged. PA signaling can be generated via the combined action of phospholipase C (PLC) and diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) or directly via phospholipase D (PLD). The latter can be measured in vivo, using a transphosphatidylation assay. Interestingly, these measurements revealed that salt stress inhibited PLD activity, indicating that the salt stress-induced PA response was not due to PLD activity. Comparison of the 32P-lipid responses in salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive cultivars revealed no significant differences. Together these results show that salt stress rapidly activates several lipid responses in rice leaves but that these responses do not explain the difference in salt tolerance between sensitive and tolerant cultivars.

Cloning and characterization of drought-stimulated phosphatidic acid phosphatase genes from Vigna unguiculata

Under environmental stresses, several lipolytic enzymes are known to be activated and to contribute to membrane lipid turnover and generation of second messengers. In animal cells, phosphatidic acid phosphatase (PAP, EC 3.1.3.4), which dephosphorylates phosphatidic acid generating diacylglycerol, is long known as an enzyme involved in lipid synthesis and cell signalling. However, knowledge on PAP in plants remains very limited. The aim of this work was to isolate and characterize PAP genes in the tropical legume Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), and to study their expression under different stress conditions. Two cDNAs designated as VuPAPalpha and VuPAPbeta were cloned from the leaves of cowpea. Both proteins share sequence homology to animal type 2 PAP, namely, the six transmembrane regions and the consensus sequences corresponding to the catalytic domain of the phosphatase family, like the recently described Arabidopsis LPP (Lipid Phosphate Phosphatase) proteins. The recombinant protein VuPAPalpha expressed in Escherichia coli cells was able to convert phosphatidic acid into diacylglycerol. Unlike VuPAPbeta, VuPAPalpha has an N-terminal transit peptide and was addressed to chloroplast in vitro. Both genes are expressed in several cowpea organs and their transcripts accumulate in leaves in response to water deficit, including progressive dehydration of whole plants and rapid desiccation of detached leaves. No changes in expression of both genes were observed after wounding or by treatment with jasmonic acid. Furthermore, the in silico analysis of VuPAPalpha promoter allowed the identification of several putative drought-related regulatory elements. The possible physiological role of the two cloned PAPs is discussed.

Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate inhibits the alpha-amylase secretion stimulated by gibberellic acid in barley aleurone

ABA plays an important regulatory role in seed germination because it inhibits the response to GA in aleurone, a secretory tissue surrounding the endosperm. Phosphatidic acid (PA) is a well-known intermediary in ABA signaling, but the role of diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) in germination processes is not clearly established. In this study, we show that PA produced by phospholipase D (E.C. 3.1.4.4) during the antagonist effect of ABA in GA signaling is rapidly phosphorylated by phosphatidate kinase (PAK) to DGPP. This is a crucial fact for aleurone function because exogenously added dioleoyl-DGPP inhibits secretion of alpha-amylase (E.C. 3.2.1.1). Aleurone treatment with ABA and 1-butanol results in normal secretory activity, and this effect is reversed by addition of dioleoyl-DGPP. We also found that ABA decreased the activity of an Mg2+-independent, N-ethylmaleimide-insensitive form of phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAP2) (E.C. 3.1.3.4), leading to reduction of PA dephosphorylation and increased PAK activity. Sequence analysis using Arabidopsis thaliana lipid phosphate phosphatase (LPP) sequences as queries identified two putative molecular homologues, termed HvLPP1 and HvLPP2, encoding putative Lpps with the presence of well-conserved structural Lpp domains. Our results are consistent with a role of DGPP as a regulator of ABA antagonist effect in GA signaling and provide evidence about regulation of PA level by a PAP2 during ABA response in aleurone.

Post-translational modification of host proteins in pathogen-triggered defence signalling in plants

Microbial plant pathogens impose a continuous threat to global food production. Similar to animals, an innate immune system allows plants to recognize pathogens and swiftly activate defence. To activate a rapid response, receptor-mediated pathogen perception and subsequent downstream signalling depends on post-translational modification (PTM) of components essential for defence signalling. We discuss different types of PTMs that play a role in mounting plant immunity, which include phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation, nitrosylation, myristoylation, palmitoylation and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchoring. PTMs are rapid, reversible, controlled and highly specific, and provide a tool to regulate protein stability, activity and localization. Here, we give an overview of PTMs that modify components essential for defence signalling at the site of signal perception, during secondary messenger production and during signalling in the cytoplasm. In addition, we discuss effectors from pathogens that suppress plant defence responses by interfering with host PTMs.

Nitric oxide triggers phosphatidic acid accumulation via phospholipase D during auxin-induced adventitious root formation in cucumber

Auxin and nitric oxide (NO) play fundamental roles throughout plant life. NO is a second messenger in auxin signal transduction leading to root developmental processes. The mechanisms triggered by auxin and NO that direct adventitious root (AR) formation are beginning to be unraveled. The goal of this work was to study phospholipid (PL) signaling during the auxin- and NO-induced AR formation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) explants. Explants were labeled with 32P-inorganic phosphate and treated with the auxins indole-3-acetic acid or 1-naphthylacetic acid, or the NO donor S-nitroso N-acetyl penicillamine, in the presence or absence of the specific NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide. PLs were separated by thin-layer chromatography and quantified. We report that the signaling PLs phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylinositol phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate accumulated within 1 min after auxin or NO treatment. Both auxin and NO evoked similar and transient time course responses, since signaling PLs returned to control levels after 20 or 30 min of treatment. The results indicate that auxin relies on NO in inducing PA, phosphatidylinositol phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate accumulation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that auxin and NO trigger PA formation via phospholipase D (PLD) activity. Explants treated for 10 min with auxin or NO displayed a 200% increase in AR number compared with control explants. In addition, PLD activity was required for the auxin- and NO-induced AR formation. Finally, exogenously applied PA increased up to 300% the number of ARs. Altogether, our data support the idea that PLD-derived PA is an early signaling event during AR formation induced by auxin and NO in cucumber explants.

Nitric oxide-induced phosphatidic acid accumulation: a role for phospholipases C and D in stomatal closure

Stomatal closure is regulated by a complex network of signalling events involving numerous intermediates, among them nitric oxide (NO). Little is known about the signalling events occurring downstream of NO. Previous studies have shown that NO modulates cytosolic calcium concentration and the activation of plasma membrane ion channels. Here we provide evidence that supports the involvement of the lipid second messenger phosphatidic acid (PA) in NO signalling during stomatal closure. PA levels in Vicia faba epidermal peels increased upon NO treatment to maximum levels within 30 min, subsequently decreasing to control levels at 60 min. PA can be generated via phospholipase D (PLD) or via phospholipase C (PLC) in concerted action with diacylglycerol kinase (DGK). Our results showed that NO-induced PA is produced via the activation of both pathways. NO-induced stomatal closure was blocked either when PLC or PLD activity was inhibited. We have shown that PLC- and PLD-derived PA represents a downstream component of NO signalling cascade during stomatal closure.

Phospholipids are present in extracellular fluids of imbibing sunflower seeds and are modulated by hormonal treatments

Phospholipids are well known messengers involved in developmental and stress responses mediating intracellular signalling. It has been hypothesized that phospholipids exist which could participate in intercellular communication events through the apoplast of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds. Here it is shown that extracellular washing fluids (EWFs) obtained from seeds imbibed for 2 h contain diverse phospholipids. Lipid profiling by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry revealed that the EWFs have a particular composition, with phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) being the major phospholipids. These profiles are clearly distinct from those of seed extract (SE), and comparative SDS-PAGE of EWF and SE, followed by intracellular and plasma membrane marker analyses, allowed a significant contamination of the EWF to be discarded. Treatment of the seeds with 100 microM jasmonic acid (JA) induces changes in the profile of EWF phospholipids, leading to a decrease in PI content, while the accumulation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) and specific PA species is observed. On the other hand, the EWF from seeds subjected to 50 microM abscisic acid (ABA) treatment exhibit an increase in PA and phosphatidylglycerol levels. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the existence of phospholipids as extracellular components of seeds. Moreover, the modulation of PA, PI, and PI4P levels by hormonal treatments further suggests their contribution to intercellular communication in planta.

Visualization of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the plasma membrane of suspension-cultured tobacco BY-2 cells and whole Arabidopsis seedlings

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P(2)] is an important signalling lipid in mammalian cells, where it functions as a second-messenger precursor in response to agonist-dependent activation of phospholipase C (PLC) but also operates as a signalling molecule on its own. Much of the recent knowledge about it has come from a new technique to visualize PtdIns(4,5)P(2)in vivo, by expressing a green or yellow fluorescent protein (GFP or YFP) fused to the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of human PLCdelta1 that specifically binds PtdIns(4,5)P(2). In this way, YFP-PH(PLCdelta1) has been shown to predominantly label the plasma membrane and to transiently translocate into the cytoplasm upon PLC activation in a variety of mammalian cell systems. In plants, biochemical studies have shown that PtdIns(4,5)P(2) is present in very small quantities, but knowledge of its localization and function is still very limited. In this study, we have used YFP-PH(PLCdelta1) to try monitoring PtdIns(4,5)P(2)/PLC signalling in stably-transformed tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cells and Arabidopsis seedlings. In both plant systems, no detrimental effects were observed, indicating that overexpression of the biosensor did not interfere with the function of PtdIns(4,5)P(2). Confocal imaging revealed that most of the YFP-PH(PLCdelta1) fluorescence was present in the cytoplasm, and not in the plasma membrane as in mammalian cells. Nonetheless, four conditions were found in which YFP-PH(PLCdelta1) was concentrated at the plasma membrane: (i) upon treatment with the PLC inhibitor U73122; (ii) in response to salt stress; (iii) as a gradient at the tip of growing root hairs; (iv) during the final stage of a BY-2 cell division. We conclude that PtdIns(4,5)P(2), as in animals, is present in the plasma membrane of plants, but that its concentration in most cells is too low to be detected by YFP-PH(PLCdelta1). Hence, the reporter remains unbound in the cytosol, making it unsuitable to monitor PLC signalling. Nonetheless, YFP-PH(PLCdelta1) is a valuable plant PtdIns(4,5)P(2) reporter, for it highlights specific cells and conditions where this lipid becomes abnormally concentrated in membranes, raising the question of what it is doing there. New roles for PtdIns(4,5)P(2) in plant cell signalling are discussed.

Nitric Oxide Is Critical for Inducing Phosphatidic Acid Accumulation in Xylanase-elicited Tomato Cells

Nitric Oxide (NO) is a second messenger related to development and (a)biotic stress responses in plants. We have studied the role of NO in signaling during plant defense responses upon xylanase elicitation. Treatment of tomato cell cultures with the fungal elicitor xylanase resulted in a rapid and dose-dependent NO accumulation. We have demonstrated that NO is required for the production of the lipid second messenger phosphatidic acid (PA) via the activation of the phospholipase C (PLC) and diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) pathway. Defense-related responses downstream of PA were studied. PA and, correspondingly, xylanase were shown to induce reactive oxygen species production. Scavenging of NO or inhibition of either the PLC or the DGK enzyme diminished xylanase-induced reactive oxygen species production. Xylanase-induced PLDbeta1 and PR1 mRNA levels decreased when NO or PA production were compromised. Finally, we have shown that NO and PA are involved in the induction of cell death by xylanase. Treatment with NO scavenger cPTIO, PLC inhibitor U73122, or DGK inhibitor R59022 diminished xylanase-induced cell death. On the basis of biochemical and pharmacological experimental results, we have shown that PLC/DGK-derived PA represents a novel downstream component of NO signaling cascade during plant defense.

Aluminium-induced phospholipid signal transduction pathway in Coffea arabica suspension cells and its amelioration by silicic acid

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is of economic importance worldwide. Its growth in organic-rich acidic soils is influenced by aluminium such that coffee yield may be impaired. Herein we have used the Al-sensitive C. arabica suspension cell line L2 to analyse the effect of two different Al species on the phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway. Our results have shown that the association of Al with coffee cells was affected by the pH and the form of Al in media. More Al was associated with cells at pH 4.3 than 5.8, whereas when Al was present as hydroxyaluminosilicates (HAS) the association was halved at pH 4.3 and unchanged at pH 5.8. Two signal transduction elements were also evaluated; phospholipase C (PLC) activity and phosphatidic acid (PA) formation. PLC was inhibited ( approximately 50%) when cells were incubated for 2 h in the presence of either AlCl(3) or Al in the form of HAS. PA formation was tested as a short-term response to Al. By way of contrast to what was found for PLC, incubation of cells for 15 min in the presence of AlCl(3) decreased the formation of PA whereas the same concentration of Al as HAS produced no effect upon its formation. These results suggest that Al is capable to exert its effects upon signal transduction as Al((aq))(3+) acting upon a mechanism linked to the phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway.