Blue light inactivates plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase in pulvinar motor cells of Phaseolus vulgaris L

Two-Track Control of Cellular Machinery for Photomovement in Spirogyra varians (Streptophyta, Zygnematales)

Plants and freshwater algae devoid of flagella evolved various photomovements to optimize their photosynthetic efficiency. The filaments of Spirogyra varians exhibit complex swaying and undulating movement and form a compact mat which enables them to adjust their light exposure. Photomovement of filament fragments (1-10 cells) was analyzed using various photoreceptor and cytoskeleton inhibitors under monochromatic light. Different patterns of movement were observed under red and blue light. The filaments showed positive phototropism under blue light. Under red light, the filaments bent to undulating shape, but rapidly became unbent by a short exposure to far-red light suggesting the involvement of phytochrome in this movement. The mechanical effector for the red-light response was microtubules; the movement was inhibited effectively by the microtubule inhibitor, oryzalin. The blue-light movement was partially inhibited by the single treatment of either cytochalasin D or oryzalin, but was completely blocked when both chemicals were applied together. Phototropin-signaling inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, reversibly inhibited the blue-light movement. Caffeine treatment reversibly stopped the blue-light movement, while the red-light movement was not affected by calcium inhibitors. Our results suggest that the complex photomovement of S. varians is the result of a two-track control of microtubules and microfilaments signaled by the combination of phytochrome and phototropin-like receptors.

Electrical Signaling, Photosynthesis and Systemic Acquired Acclimation

Electrical signaling in higher plants is required for the appropriate intracellular and intercellular communication, stress responses, growth and development. In this review, we have focus on recent findings regarding the electrical signaling, as a major regulator of the systemic acquired acclimation (SAA) and the systemic acquired resistance (SAR). The electric signaling on its own cannot confer the required specificity of information to trigger SAA and SAR, therefore, we have also discussed a number of other mechanisms and signaling systems that can operate in combination with electric signaling. We have emphasized the interrelation between ionic mechanism of electrical activity and regulation of photosynthesis, which is intrinsic to a proper induction of SAA and SAR. In a special way, we have summarized the role of non-photochemical quenching and its regulator PsbS. Further, redox status of the cell, calcium and hydraulic waves, hormonal circuits and stomatal aperture regulation have been considered as components of the signaling. Finally, a model of light-dependent mechanisms of electrical signaling propagation has been presented together with the systemic regulation of light-responsive genes encoding both, ion channels and proteins involved in regulation of their activity. Due to space limitations, we have not addressed many other important aspects of hormonal and ROS signaling, which were presented in a number of recent excellent reviews.

Proteomic analysis of the pulvinus, a heliotropic tissue, in Glycine max

Certain plant species respond to light, dark, and other environmental factors by leaf movement. Leguminous plants both track and avoid the sun through turgor changes of the pulvinus tissue at the base of leaves. Mechanisms leading to pulvinar turgor flux, particularly knowledge of the proteins involved, are not well-known. In this study we used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-tandom mass spectrometry to separate and identify the proteins located in the soybean pulvinus. A total of 183 spots were separated and 195 proteins from 165 spots were identified and functionally analyzed using single enrichment analysis for gene ontology terms. The most significant terms were related to proton transport. Comparison with guard cell proteomes revealed similar significant processes but a greater number of pulvinus proteins are required for comparable analysis. To our knowledge, this is a novel report on the analysis of proteins found in soybean pulvinus. These findings provide a better understanding of the proteins required for turgor change in the pulvinus.

Osmoregulation of leaf motor cells

"Osmotic Motors"--the best-documented explanation for plant leaf movements--frequently reside in specialized motor leaf organs, pulvini. The movements result from dissimilar volume and turgor changes in two oppositely positioned parts of the pulvinus. This Osmotic Motor is powered by a plasma membrane proton ATPase, which drives KCl fluxes and, consequently, water, across the pulvinus into swelling cells and out of shrinking cells. Light signals and signals from the endogenous biological clock converge on the channels through which these fluxes occur. These channels and their regulatory pathways in the pulvinus are the topic of this review.

Microautoradiographic localisation of [3H]sucrose and [3H]mannitol in Robinia pseudoacacia pulvinar tissues during phytochrome-mediated nyctinastic closure

We have analysed the incorporation of [(3)H]sucrose and [(3)H]mannitol in pulvinar motor cells of Robinia pseudoacacia L. during phytochrome-mediated nyctinastic closure. Pairs of leaflets, excised 2 h after the beginning of the photoperiod, were fed with 50 mM [(3)H]sucrose or [(3)H]mannitol, irradiated with red (15 min) or far-red (5 min) light and placed in the dark for 2-3 h. Label uptake was measured in whole pulvini by liquid scintillation counting. The distribution of labelling in pulvinar sections was assessed by both light and electron microautoradiography. [(3)H]Sucrose uptake was twice that of [(3)H]mannitol incorporation in both red- and far-red-irradiated pulvini. In the autoradiographs, [(3)H]sucrose and [(3)H]mannitol labelling was localised in the area from the vascular bundle to the epidermis, mainly in vacuoles, cytoplasm, and cell walls. Extensor and flexor protoplasts displayed a different distribution of [(3)H]sucrose after red and far-red irradiation. Far-red light drastically reduced the [(3)H]sucrose incorporation in extensor protoplasts and caused a slight increase in internal flexor protoplasts. After red light treatment, no differences in [(3)H]sucrose labelling were found between extensor and flexor protoplasts. Our results indicate a phytochrome control of sucrose distribution in cortical motor cells and seem to rule out the possibility of sucrose acting as an osmoticum.

Possible involvement of phototropins in leaf movement of kidney bean in response to blue light

The leaf of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) moves in response to blue light. The movement is induced by a decrease in the turgor pressure of pulvinar motor cells on the irradiated side. In this study, we investigated the initial event of the movement with respect to function of phototropin and the plasma membrane H+-ATPase in the motor cells. The results indicated that, in dark conditions, phototropin existed in a dephosphorylated state and the H+-ATPase existed in a phosphorylated state. A pulse of blue light (30 s) induced the phosphorylation of phototropin and the dephosphorylation of the H+-ATPase as determined by the binding behavior of 14-3-3 protein. Phototropin phosphorylation occurred rapidly, followed by the transient gradual dephosphorylation of the H+-ATPase. When the specific flavoprotein inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium and the protein kinase inhibitors K-252a and staurosporine were administered to pulvinar cells, both phototropin phosphorylation and H+-ATPase dephosphorylation were inhibited. The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation exhibited similar fluence rate dependencies to blue light. These results indicated that phototropin may function upstream of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase and decrease the activity of H+-ATPase by dephosphorylation. We provide evidence for the existence of three kinds of phototropins in pulvinar motor cells.