ZmcPKC70, a protein kinase C-type enzyme from maize. Biochemical characterization, regulation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and its possible involvement in nitrate reductase gene expression

Elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ in response to energy deficiency in plants: the general mechanism of adaptation to low oxygen stress

Ca2+ can be released from cell compartments to the cytosol during stress conditions. We discuss here the causes of Ca2+ release under conditions of ATP concentration decline that result in the suppression of ATPases and activation of calcium ion channels. The main signaling and metabolic consequences of Ca2+ release are considered for stressed plant cells. The signaling function includes generation and spreading of calcium waves, while the metabolic function results in the activation of particular enzymes and genes. Ca2+ is involved in the activation of glutamate decarboxylase, initiating the γ-aminobutyric acid shunt and triggering the formation of alanine, processes which play a role, in particular, in pH regulation. Ca2+ activates the transcription of several genes, e.g. of plant hemoglobin (phytoglobin, Pgb) which scavenges nitric oxide and regulates redox and energy balance through the Pgb–nitric oxide cycle. This cycle involves NADH and NADPH oxidation from the cytosolic side of mitochondria, in which Ca2+- and low pH-activated external NADH and NADPH dehydrogenases participate. Ca2+ can also activate the genes of alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase stimulating hypoxic fermentation. It is concluded that calcium is a primary factor that causes the metabolic shift under conditions of oxygen deficiency.

Structured plant metabolomics for the simultaneous exploration of multiple factors

Multiple factors act simultaneously on plants to establish complex interaction networks involving nutrients, elicitors and metabolites. Metabolomics offers a better understanding of complex biological systems, but evaluating the simultaneous impact of different parameters on metabolic pathways that have many components is a challenging task. We therefore developed a novel approach that combines experimental design, untargeted metabolic profiling based on multiple chromatography systems and ionization modes, and multiblock data analysis, facilitating the systematic analysis of metabolic changes in plants caused by different factors acting at the same time. Using this method, target geraniol compounds produced in transgenic tobacco cell cultures were grouped into clusters based on their response to different factors. We hypothesized that our novel approach may provide more robust data for process optimization in plant cell cultures producing any target secondary metabolite, based on the simultaneous exploration of multiple factors rather than varying one factor each time. The suitability of our approach was verified by confirming several previously reported examples of elicitor-metabolite crosstalk. However, unravelling all factor-metabolite networks remains challenging because it requires the identification of all biochemically significant metabolites in the metabolomics dataset.

A probable crosstalk between Ca⁺², reactive oxygen species accumulation and scavenging mechanisms and modulation of protein kinase C activity during seed development in sunflower

Seed development in sunflower involves a gradual dehydration and accumulation of oil bodies in the cells of developing cotyledons during transition from 30 to 40 DAA stage. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) content decreased with seed maturation. NO content and NO contributed by putative nitric oxide synthase, however, did not change markedly. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity exhibited a peak at 30 DAA stage, indicating its scavenging role at the mid-stage of seed development. H₂O₂ produced as a result of SOD action is subsequently scavenged primarily by elevation of GR activity. Significant temporal differences were evident in GR and POD activity during seed development. Protein kinase C (PKC) activity also showed modulation during early stages of embryo and seed development. Use of PKC-specific fluorescent probe, Fim-1, and PKC inhibitors (staurosporine and bisindoylmaleamide) provided evidence for increase in PKC activity at 40 DAA stage with an increase in protein concentration (50 to 200 µg). Endogenous calcium content also increased with seed maturation. Tissue homogenates from 40 DAA stage showed enhanced fluorescence due to Fim-1-PKC binding in presence of calcium ions and its lowering due to calcium chelating agent (BAPTA). Western blot analysis revealed an increase in the intensity of 2 bands representing PKC with the advancement of seed maturation and their further upregulation by calcium. Present findings, thus, provide new information on the biochemical regulation of seed development in sunflower, with evidence for a possible correlation between calcium, ROS, their scavenging enzymes and "conventional" PKC activity.

The plant non-specific phospholipase C gene family. Novel competitors in lipid signalling

Non-specific phospholipases C (NPCs) were discovered as a novel type of plant phospholipid-cleaving enzyme homologous to bacterial phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipases C and responsible for lipid conversion during phosphate-limiting conditions. The six-gene family was established in Arabidopsis, and growing evidence suggests the involvement of two articles NPCs in biotic and abiotic stress responses as well as phytohormone actions. In addition, the diacylglycerol produced via NPCs is postulated to participate in membrane remodelling, general lipid metabolism and cross-talk with other phospholipid signalling systems in plants. This review summarises information concerning this new plant protein family and focusses on its sequence analysis, biochemical properties, cellular and tissue distribution and physiological functions. Possible modes of action are also discussed.

Does diacylglycerol serve as a signaling molecule in plants?

Diacylglycerol (DAG) is an important signaling phospholipid in animals, specifically binding to the C1 domain of proteins such as protein kinase C. In most plant species, however, DAG is present at low abundance, and no interacting proteins have yet been identified. As a result, it has been proposed that the signaling function of DAG has been discarded by plants during their evolution. In this mini-review, we summarize the accumulating experimental evidence which supports that notion that changes in DAG content in response to particular cues are a feature of plant cells. This behavior suggests that DAG does indeed act as a signaling molecule during plant development and in response to certain environmental stimuli.

The role of TaCHP in salt stress responsive pathways

In our previous study, we found wheat TaCHP confers salt tolerance through regulating salt responsive signaling pathways. TaCHP possesses three divergent C1 domains that can specifically bind to phospholipid signaling molecule diacylglycerol (DAG) in animal cells, and most of proteins with this domain have kinase activity. Here, we found that TaCHP localizes both at cytoplasmatic membrane and in nuclei; it has no kinase activity but transcriptional activation activity, and the latter owes to C-terminal two C1 domains. TaCHP transcription was reduced by H2O2 application, but its ectopic expression in Arabidopsis improved both ROS production and scavenging capacity, and enhanced tolerance to H2O2 application. We suggest that TaCHP serve as both a transcription factor and a putative DAG binding protein to confer salt tolerance in part through improving ROS scavenging capacity; which is a component of the cross-talk machinery in the phospholipids-ROS-salt responsive signaling pathways.

Plant phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipases C NPC3 and NPC4 with roles in root development and brassinolide signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana

Phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipase C (PC-PLC) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to generate phosphocholine and diacylglycerol (DAG). PC-PLC has a long tradition in animal signal transduction to generate DAG as a second messenger besides the classical phosphatidylinositol splitting phospholipase C (PI-PLC). Based on amino acid sequence similarity to bacterial PC-PLC, six putative PC-PLC genes (NPC1 to NPC6) were identified in the Arabidopsis genome. RT-PCR analysis revealed overlapping expression pattern of NPC genes in root, stem, leaf, flower, and silique. In auxin-treated P(NPC3):GUS and P(NPC4):GUS seedlings, strong increase of GUS activity was visible in roots, leaves, and shoots and, to a weaker extent, in brassinolide-treated (BL) seedlings. P(NPC4):GUS seedlings also responded to cytokinin with increased GUS activity in young leaves. Compared to wild-type, T-DNA insertional knockouts npc3 and npc4 showed shorter primary roots and lower lateral root density at low BL concentrations but increased lateral root densities in response to exogenous 0.05-1.0 μM BL. BL-induced expression of TCH4 and LRX2, which are involved in cell expansion, was impaired but not impaired in repression of CPD, a BL biosynthesis gene, in BL-treated npc3 and npc4. These observations suggest NPC3 and NPC4 are important in BL-mediated signaling in root growth. When treated with 0.1 μM BL, DAG accumulation was observed in tobacco BY-2 cell cultures labeled with fluorescent PC as early as 15 min after application. We hypothesize that at least one PC-PLC is a plant signaling enzyme in BL signal transduction and, as shown earlier, in elicitor signal transduction.

Chemical signaling under abiotic stress environment in plants

Many chemicals are critical for plant growth and development and play an important role in integrating various stress signals and controlling downstream stress responses by modulating gene expression machinery and regulating various transporters/pumps and biochemical reactions. These chemicals include calcium (Ca(2+)), cyclic nucleotides, polyphosphoinositides, nitric oxide (NO), sugars, abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonates (JA), salicylic acid (SA) and polyamines. Ca(2+) is one of the very important ubiquitous second messengers in signal transduction pathways and usually its concentration increases in response to the stimuli including stress signals. Many Ca(2+) sensors detect the Ca(2+) signals and direct them to downstream signaling pathways by binding and activating diverse targets. cAMP or cGMP protects the cell with ion toxicity. Phosphoinositides are known to be involved both in transmission of signal across the plasma membrane and in intracellular signaling. NO activates various defense genes and acts as a developmental regulator in plants. Sugars affect the expression of many genes involved in photosynthesis, glycolysis, nitrogen metabolism, sucrose and starch metabolism, defense mechanisms and cell cycle regulation. ABA, JA, SA and polyamines are also involved in many stress responses. Cross-talk between these chemical signaling pathways is very common in plant responses to abiotic and bitotic factors. In this article we have described the role of these chemicals in initiating signaling under stress conditions mainly the abiotic stress.

Potential role of NADPH-oxidase in early steps of lead-induced oxidative burst in Vicia faba roots

The mechanism of oxidative burst induced by lead in Vicia faba excised roots was investigated by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. Results showed that lead triggered a rapid and dose-dependent increase in chemiluminescence production. In this study, specific inhibitors of putative reactive oxygen species (ROS) sources were used to determine the mechanism of lead-induced ROS generation. This generation was sensitive to dephenylene iodonium (DPI), quinacrine and imidazole, some inhibitors of the NADPH-oxidase and not inhibited by other putative ROS sources inhibitors. Data reported in this work clearly demonstrated the pivotal role of NADPH-oxidase-like enzyme in early steps of lead-induced oxidative burst. To investigate the respective implication of calmodulin and protein kinase (PK) in lead-induced NADPH-oxidase activation, excised roots were treated with the calmodulin inhibitor W7 or with the PK inhibitor staurosporine. The chemiluminescence generation inhibition by these inhibitors illustrated the role of PK in lead-induced NADPH-oxidase activation and revealed a calmodulin-dependent step. Using the calcium entry blocker La(3+) or different concentrations of calcium in the extra-cellular medium, our data highlighted the implication of Ca(2+) channel in lead-induced oxidative burst.

Plant signaling in stress: G-protein coupled receptors, heterotrimeric G-proteins and signal coupling via phospholipases

Plant growth and development are coordinalely controlled by several internal factors and environmental signals. To sense these environmental signals, the higher plants have evolved a complex signaling network, which may also cross talk with each other. Plants can respond to the signals as individual cells and as whole organisms. Various receptors including phytochromes, G-proteins coupled receptors (GPCR), kinase and hormone receptors play important role in signal transduction but very few have been characterized in plant system. The heterotrimeric G-proteins mediate the coupling of signal transduction from activated GPCR to appropriate downstream effectors and thereby play an important role in signaling. In this review we have focused on some of the recent work on G-proteins and two of the effectors, PLC and PLD, which have been shown to interact with Galpha subunit and also discussed their role in abiotic stress tolerance.

Elicitor signal transduction leading to production of plant secondary metabolites

Plant secondary metabolites are unique sources for pharmaceuticals, food additives, flavors, and other industrial materials. Accumulation of such metabolites often occurs in plants subjected to stresses including various elicitors or signal molecules. Understanding signal transduction paths underlying elicitor-induced production of secondary metabolites is important for optimizing their commercial production. This paper summarizes progress made on several aspects of elicitor signal transduction leading to production of plant secondary metabolites, including: elicitor signal perception by various receptors of plants; avirulence determinants and corresponding plant R proteins; heterotrimeric and small GTP binding proteins; ion fluxes, especially Ca2+ influx, and Ca2+ signaling; medium alkalinization and cytoplasmic acidification; oxidative burst and reactive oxygen species; inositol trisphosphates and cyclic nucleotides (cAMP and cGMP); salicylic acid and nitric oxide; jasmonate, ethylene, and abscisic acid signaling; oxylipin signals such as allene oxide synthase-dependent jasmonate and hydroperoxide lyase-dependent C12 and C6 volatiles; as well as other lipid messengers such as lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidic acid, and diacylglycerol. All these signal components are employed directly or indirectly by elicitors for induction of plant secondary metabolite accumulation. Cross-talk between different signaling pathways is very common in plant defense response, thus the cross-talk amongst these signaling pathways, such as elicitor and jasmonate, jasmonate and ethylene, and each of these with reactive oxygen species, is discussed separately. This review also highlights the integration of multiple signaling pathways into or by transcription factors, as well as the linkage of the above signal components in elicitor signaling network through protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Some perspectives on elicitor signal transduction and plant secondary metabolism at the transcriptome and metabolome levels are also presented.

Purification and characterization of a PMA-stimulated kinase and identification of PMA-induced phosphorylation of a polypeptide that is dephosphorylated by low temperature in Brassica juncea

Heterologous classical protein kinase C (cPKC) rat polyclonal antibodies showed presence of PKC homolog in Brassica juncea seedlings. It was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, diethyl amino ethyl (DEAE)-Sephacel, gel-filtration chromatography, and preparative gel electrophoresis. PKC-like kinase activity was fractionated into three distinct peaks after DEAE-Sephacel chromatography. The kinase activity was associated with a 55 kDa polypeptide. It was calcium dependent and lipids (phosphatidylserine, PS and oleyl acetylglycerol, OAG) stimulated it further, suggesting it to be a classical type protein kinase C. This was further confirmed by the stimulation of the kinase activity by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) (a diacylglycerol, DAG analog) and its inhibition by H-7 (a general kinase inhibitor) and staurosporine (a PKC specific inhibitor). Histone was the preferred substrate over casein and BSA. Phosphoamino acid analysis showed it to be a serine/threonine kinase. Western blotting with the purified polypeptide showed an immunopositive 55 kDa polypeptide. In search of the substrate for the kinase in vitro phosphorylation was done in presence of kinase inhibitors. PKC-dependent phosphorylation was observed which was inhibited by PKC inhibitors (H-7 and staurosporine) and enhanced by PKC activator (PMA). Low temperature induced dephosphorylation of the same polypeptide. Direct involvement of PKC-dependent phosphorylation in early LT signaling is indicated for the first time.

Ptr ToxA requires multiple motifs for complete activity

Ptr ToxA was the first proteinaceous necrosis-inducing toxin identified and cloned from the wheat pathogen, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis. How this protein causes necrosis in sensitive wheat cultivars is not known. In an effort to understand the structural features of Ptr ToxA required for induction of necrosis, we employed a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and peptide inhibition studies. Mutagenesis was carried out on conserved motifs within the active domain of Ptr ToxA. Proteins with mutations of potential casein kinase 2 phosphorylation sites but not protein kinase C phosphorylation sites have significantly reduced activity. Additionally, mutations in a region with high homology to amino acids surrounding and including the RGD cell attachment motif of vitronectin result in proteins with significantly less activity than Ptr ToxA. The importance of the vitronectin-like motif was confirmed by a decrease of Ptr ToxA-induced activity when coinfiltrated with peptides corresponding to amino acids within this motif. Reduction in Ptr ToxA activity by competition with mutant proteins demonstrates the necessity of multiple motifs for Ptr ToxA activity.

A Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase with characteristics of protein kinase C in leaves and mesophyll cell protoplasts from Digitaria sanguinalis: possible involvement in the C(4)-phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase phosphorylation cascade

In mesophyll cells (MC) of Digitaria sanguinalis, the C(4)-phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (C(4)-PEPC) initiating the photosynthetic pathway is controlled by a complex light-dependent phosphorylation process. We showed previously that the transduction cascade involves the phosphoinositide pathway and a Ca(2+)-dependent step, which precedes the upregulation of the PEPC kinase (PEPCk). We have now further characterized the cascade component requiring Ca(2+). A Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase that shows several characteristics of the conventional type of mammalian protein kinase C (PKC) was detected in protein extracts from mesophyll cell protoplasts (MCPs). It catalyzed the in vitro phosphorylation of the C1-peptide PKC substrate and was markedly inhibited by a PKC-specific pseudosubstrate domain. However, it was only modestly activated by the phospholipids phosphatidylserine and lysophosphatidylcholine, while choline, oleyl acetylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, and the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate did not show any effect. Nevertheless, its activity was found to be associated with a polypeptide of 75kDa that was recognized by a PKC antibody raised against the C-terminus of rabbit PKCbeta II. In addition, this protein kinase was also inhibited by the Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase (CDPK)/PKC inhibitors W7, H7, and staurosporine. Surprisingly, it was found to be phosphorylated in dark-adapted MCPs, albeit to a low extent, and this did not change during protoplast induction by light. W7, H7, and staurosporine were shown to markedly inhibit C(4)-PEPC phosphorylation in light-treated MCPs. These results support the view that this protein kinase is a good candidate to represent the Ca(2+)-activated component of the C(4)-PEPC phosphorylation cascade.

Plant molecular biology and biotechnology research in the post-recombinant DNA era

After the beginning of the recombinant DNA era in the mid-1970s, researchers in India started to make use of the new technology to understand the structure of plant genes and regulation of their expression. The outcome started to appear in print in early the 1980s and genes for histones, tubulin, photosynthetic membrane proteins, phototransduction components, organelles and those regulated differentially by developmental and extrinsic signals were sequenced and characterized. Some genes of biotechnological importance like those encoding an interesting seed protein and the enzyme glyoxalase were also isolated. While work on the characterization of genome structure and organization was started quite early, it remained largely focused on the identification of DNA markers and genetic variability. In this context, the work on mustard, rice and wheat is worth mentioning. In the year 2000, India became a member of the international consortium to sequence entire rice genome. Several laboratories have also given attention to regulated expression of plastid and nuclear genes as well as to isolate target-specific promoters or design promoters with improved potential. Simultaneously, transgenic systems for crops like mustard, rice, wheat, cotton, legumes and several vegetables have been established. More recently, genes of agronomic importance like those for insect resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, nutritional improvement and male sterility, isolated in India or abroad, have been utilized for raising transgenics for crop improvement. Some of these transgenics have already shown their potential in containment facility or limited field trials conducted under the stipulated guidelines. Plant molecular biology and biotechnology are thus clearly poised to make an impact on research in basic biology and agriculture in the near future.

Protein phosphorylation regulates actomyosin-driven vesicle movement in cell extracts isolated from the green algae, Chara corallina

In Characean cells endoplasmic streaming stops upon membrane depolarization accompanied by Ca(2+) entry. We investigated the mechanism of this cessation of endoplasmic streaming by reconstituting the vesicle movement in vitro. In a living cell of Chara corallina, there are a number of vesicles moving along actin cables. Vesicles in the endoplasm squeezed out of the cell into a medium containing Mg-ATP showed directional movements under a dark field microscope. When the extracted endoplasm was treated with 20 nM okadaic acid, vesicles showed only movements like the Brownian motion. When it was treated with 50 nM staurosporine, directional movements of vesicles were activated. These movements were analyzed by image processing of videomicroscopic records. Vesicle movements along F-actin filaments were also observed by merging both images of the same field by dark field microscopy and fluorescence microscopy, indicating that myosin on the vesicle surface was responsible for vesicle movements. We also examined the effects of okadaic acid and staurosporine on in vitro sliding of F-actin on Chara myosin. When Chara myosin was treated with 20 nM okadaic acid in the cell extract, the number of sliding F-actin filaments was greatly reduced. In contrast, it increased when Chara myosin was treated with 50 nM staurosporine. In addition, Chara myosin treated with protein kinase C greatly diminished its motility. These results suggest that inactivation of Chara myosin via its phosphorylation is responsible for cessation of endoplasmic streaming.

A novel protein kinase from Brassica juncea stimulated by a protozoan calcium binding protein. Purification and partial characterization

A novel protein kinase (BjCCaBPk) from etiolated Brassica juncea seedlings has been purified and partially characterized. The purified enzyme migrated on SDS/PAGE as a single band with an apparent molecular mass of 43 kDa. The optimum pH for the kinase activity was 8.0. It was stimulated more than sixfold by the protozoa Entamoeba histolytica calcium binding protein EhCaBP (10.5 nM) but not by calmodulin (CaM) when used at equimolar concentration. Moreover the kinase also did not bind CaM-Sepharose. There was neither inhibition of the kinase activity in the presence of W-7 (a CaM antagonist), KN-62 (a specific calcium/CaM kinase inhibitor) and anti-CaM Ig, nor any effect on BjCCaBPk activity of staurosporine (a protein kinase C inhibitor). Furthermore a CaM-kinase specific substrate, syntide-2, proved to be a poor substrate for the BjCCaBPk compared with histone III-S. The phosphorylation of histone III-S involved serine residues. Southern and Northern blot analysis showed the presence of EhCaBP homologues in Brassica. The data suggest that BjCCaBPk may be a novel protein kinase with an affinity towards a calcium binding protein like EhCaBP.

Calcium-dependent protein kinase from maize seedlings activated by phospholipids

A calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase of apparent molecular mass 54 kDa (designated ZmCPKp54) was partially purified from etiolated maize seedlings. Activity of ZmCPKp54 is stimulated by phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol, but is not essentially affected by diolein and phorbol esters. The enzyme cross-reacts with polyclonal antibodies against the calmodulin like-domain of the calcium-dependent protein kinase, but not with antibodies against catalytic or regulatory domains of protein kinase C. ZmCPKp54 is not able to phosphorylate the specific substrates of protein kinase C (MARCKS peptide and protein kinase C substrate peptide derived from pseudosubstrate sequence) and its activity is not inhibited by specific PKC inhibitors (bisindolylmaleimide, protein kinase C pseudosubstrate inhibitory peptide). The substrate specificity and sensitivity to the inhibitors of the maize enzyme resembles calcium-dependent protein kinase. The biochemical and immunological properties indicate that ZmCPKp54 belongs to the calcium-dependent protein kinase family.

Nitrate regulation of metabolism and growth

Recent research shows that signals derived from nitrate are involved in triggering widespread changes in gene expression, resulting in a reprogramming of nitrogen and carbon metabolism to facilitate the uptake and assimilation of nitrate, and to initiate accompanying changes in carbon metabolism. These nitrate-derived signals interact with signals generated further downstream in nitrogen metabolism, and in carbon metabolism. Signals derived from internal and external nitrate also adjust root growth and architecture to the physiological state of the plant, and the distribution of nitrate in the environment.