Phosphatidate Kinase, A Novel Enzyme in Phospholipid Metabolism (Characterization of the Enzyme from Suspension-Cultured Catharanthus roseus Cells)

Yeast phosphatidic acid phosphatase Pah1 hops and scoots along the membrane phospholipid bilayer

PA phosphatase, encoded by PAH1 in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, catalyzes the Mg²⁺-dependent dephosphorylation of PA, producing DAG at the nuclear/ER membrane. This enzyme plays a major role in triacylglycerol synthesis and in the regulation of phospholipid synthesis. As an interfacial enzyme, PA phosphatase interacts with the membrane surface, binds its substrate, and catalyzes its reaction. The Triton X-100/PA-mixed micellar system has been utilized to examine the activity and regulation of yeast PA phosphatase. This system, however, does not resemble the in vivo environment of the membrane phospholipid bilayer. We developed an assay system that mimics the nuclear/ER membrane to assess PA phosphatase activity. PA was incorporated into unilamellar phospholipid vesicles (liposomes) composed of the major nuclear/ER membrane phospholipids, PC, PE, PI, and PS. We optimized this system to support enzyme-liposome interactions and to afford activity that is greater than that obtained with the aforementioned detergent system. Activity was regulated by phospholipid composition, whereas the enzyme's interaction with liposomes was insensitive to composition. Greater activity was attained with large (≥100 nm) versus small (50 nm) vesicles. The fatty-acyl moiety of PA had no effect on this activity. PA phosphatase activity was dependent on the bulk (hopping mode) and surface (scooting mode) concentrations of PA, suggesting a mechanism by which the enzyme operates along the nuclear/ER membrane in vivo.

Comparative phytohormone profiles, lipid kinase and lipid phosphatase activities in barley aleurone, coleoptile, and root tissues

We analyzed lipid kinase and lipid phosphatase activities and determined endogenous phytohormone levels by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in root and coleoptile tissues following germination of barley (Hordeum vulgare) seeds. The enzymes showing highest activity in aleurone cells were diacylglycerol kinase (DAG-k, EC 2.7.1.107) and phosphatidate kinase (PA-k). The ratio of gibberellins (GAs) to abscisic acid (ABA) was 2-fold higher in aleurone than in coleoptile or root tissues. In coleoptiles, phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI4-k, EC 2.7.1.67) showed the highest enzyme activity, and jasmonic acid (JA) level was higher than in aleurone. In roots, activities of PI4-k, DAG-k, and PA-k were similar, and salicylic acid (SA) showed the highest concentration. In the assays to evaluate the hydrolysis of DGPP (diacylglycerol pyrophosphate) and PA (phosphatidic acid) we observed that PA hydrolysis by LPPs (lipid phosphate phosphatases) was not modified; however, the diacylglycerol pyrophosphate phosphatase (DGPPase) was strikingly higher in coleoptile and root tissues than to aleurone. Relevance of these findings in terms of signaling responses and seedling growth is discussed.

[Lipid signaling pathways in plants and their roles in response to water constraints]

Plants are sessile organisms that have developed the capacity to detect slight variations of their environment. They are able to perceive these environmental signals and to transduce them by signaling pathways in order to trigger adaptative responses. Lipid signaling elements play a central role in these pathways in plants. A key element is phosphatidic acid (PA), which can be produced by two pathways. In the first one, phospholipids are hydrolysed by phospholipase D (PLD) to release PA. In the second one, PA is produced through the activity of phospholipase C (PLC) to produce diacylglycerol (DAG) which is then phosphorylated by DAG kinase (DAGK). The amount of PA in the cell is regulated by PA kinase, which phosphorylates PA to produce diacylglycerolpyrophosphate (DGPP), considered as a second messenger as well. PLCs play a dual role in cell signaling by regulating the amount of intracellular Ca(2+), another essential second messenger. Phosphoinositides, such as PI3P, PI4P and PI(4,5)P(2), are substrates of PLCs and PLDs and are considered as second messengers also. In this review, we present recent data regarding the specific features of these lipid signaling pathways in plant compared with other eukaryotes.

Polyphosphoinositides are enriched in plant membrane rafts and form microdomains in the plasma membrane

In this article, we analyzed the lipid composition of detergent-insoluble membranes (DIMs) purified from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plasma membrane (PM), focusing on polyphosphoinositides, lipids known to be involved in various signal transduction events. Polyphosphoinositides were enriched in DIMs compared with whole PM, whereas all structural phospholipids were largely depleted from this fraction. Fatty acid composition analyses suggest that enrichment of polyphosphoinositides in DIMs is accompanied by their association with more saturated fatty acids. Using an immunogold-electron microscopy strategy, we were able to visualize domains of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the plane of the PM, with 60% of the epitope found in clusters of approximately 25 nm in diameter and 40% randomly distributed at the surface of the PM. Interestingly, the phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate cluster formation was not significantly sensitive to sterol depletion induced by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin. Finally, we measured the activities of various enzymes of polyphosphoinositide metabolism in DIMs and PM and showed that these activities are present in the DIM fraction but not enriched. The putative role of plant membrane rafts as signaling membrane domains or membrane-docking platforms 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.

Adsorbed anthranilic acid molecules cause charge reversal of nonionic micelles

The effect of anthranilic acid, an aromatic amino acid, on the structural characteristics of nonionic micelles of Triton X-100 at different pH values was investigated by light scattering and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements. The scattered light intensity decreases as pH is increased or decreased on either side of the isoelectric point (IEP = 3.4) of the amino acid. Analysis of the SANS data using a sticky hard-sphere model shows that the micelles are oblate ellipsoids with an axial ratio of approximately 2.3. No significant change could be observed in the size of the micelles with a change in the pH, while the stickiness parameter (tau), which is related to the interaction potential (u(0)) increases on either side of the IEP. As tau increases, u(o) becomes less negative, indicating a decrease in the attractive interaction between nonionic micelles. This can be explained in terms of the changes in the surface charge of the micelles resulting from a shift in the acid-base equilibrium of the adsorbed amino acid. The variation of the intermicellar interaction as calculated from the stickiness parameter is consistent with the picture of reversal of charge of amino acids with pH. This is further supported by the observed variation of the cloud point of the solutions at different pH values. The change in the interparticle interaction is also reflected in the diffusion coefficient of the micelles measured by dynamic light scattering.

Induction of abscisic acid-regulated gene expression by diacylglycerol pyrophosphate involves Ca2+ and anion currents in Arabidopsis suspension cells

Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) was recently shown to be a possible intermediate in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. In this study, reverse transcription-PCR of ABA up-regulated genes was used to evaluate the ability of DGPP to trigger gene expression in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) suspension cells. At5g06760, LTI30, RD29A, and RAB18 were stimulated by ABA and also specifically expressed in DGPP-treated cells. Use of the Ca2+ channel blockers fluspirilene and pimozide and the Ca2+ chelator EGTA showed that Ca2+ was required for ABA induction of DGPP formation. In addition, Ca2+ participated in DGPP induction of gene expression via stimulation of anion currents. Hence, a sequence of Ca2+, DGPP, and anion currents, constituting a core of early ABA-signaling events necessary for gene expression, is proposed.

Lipid metabolism in Cryptococcus neoformans

In recent years, lipids have been shown to act as signalling molecules not only in mammalian cells but also in many other eukaryotes. Whereas in mammalian cells lipids regulate cellular functions that play crucial roles in the regulation of pathobiological processes, such as cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, and inflammation, in the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans lipids play key roles in the regulation of pathogenic traits required for the development of cryptococcosis, an infectious disease particularly frequent in immunocompromised individuals. In this minireview we discuss recent advances in the understanding of lipid metabolism in this important human pathogen, highlighting the potential of fungal lipid enzymatic pathways as promising new drug targets.

Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate is a second messenger of abscisic acid signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells

In plants, the importance of phospholipid signaling in responses to environmental stresses is becoming well documented. The involvement of phospholipids in abscisic acid (ABA) responses is also established. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the stimulation of phospholipase D (PLD) activity and plasma membrane anion currents by ABA were both required for RAB18 expression in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cells. In this study, we show that the total lipids extracted from ABA-treated cells mimic ABA in activating plasmalemma anion currents and induction of RAB18 expression. Moreover, ABA evokes within 5 min a transient 1.7-fold increase in phosphatidic acid (PA) followed by a sevenfold increase in diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) at 20 min. PA activated plasmalemma anion currents but was incapable of triggering RAB18 expression. By contrast, DGPP mimicked ABA on anion currents and was also able to stimulate RAB18 expression. Here we show the role of DGPP as phospholipid second messenger in ABA signaling.

Proinflammatory macrophage-activating properties of the novel phospholipid diacylglycerol pyrophosphate

We have found that the novel phospholipid diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP), identified in bacteria, yeast, and plants, but not in mammalian cells, is able to potently activate macrophages for enhanced secretion of arachidonate metabolites, a key event in the immunoinflammatory response of leukocytes. Macrophage responses to DGPP are specific and are not mediated by its conversion into other putative lipid mediators such as phosphatidic acid, lysophosphatidic acid, or diacylglycerol. The responses to DGPP are compatible with a receptor-recognition event because they are blocked by suramin. Intracellular signaling initiated by DGPP includes phosphorylation and activation of the Group IV cytosolic phospholipase A2 and of the extracellular-signal regulated p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and p44 MAPK, and membrane translocation of the protein kinase C isoenzymes alpha, epsilon, delta. These results establish DGPP as a novel macrophage-activating factor and suggest a potential role for this compound in triggering homeostatic cellular responses.

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

We provide evidence that phosphatidic acid (PtdOH) formed during signaling in plants is metabolized by a novel pathway. In much of this study, 32Pi-labeled Chlamydomonas cells were used, and signaling was activated by adding the G-protein activator mastoparan. Within seconds of activation, large amounts of [32P]PtdOH were formed, with peak production at about 4 min, when the level was 5-25-fold higher than the control. As the level of [32P]PtdOH subsequently decreased, an unknown phospholipid (PLX) increased in radiolabeling; before activation it was barely detectable. The chromatographic properties of PLX resembled those of lyso-PtdOH and CMP.PtdOH but on close inspection were found to be different. PLX was shown to be diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP), the product of a newly discovered enzyme, phosphatidate kinase, whose in vitro activity was described recently (Wissing, J. B., and Behrbohm, H. (1993) Plant Physiol. 102, 1243-1249). The identity of DGPP was established by co-chromatrography with a standard and by degradation analysis as follows: [32P]DGPP was deacylated, and the product (glycerolpyrophosphate, GroPP) was hydrolyzed by mild acid treatment or pyrophosphatase to produce GroP and Pi as the only radioactive products. Since DGPP is the pyrophosphate derivative of PtdOH and is formed as the concentration of PtdOH decreases, we assumed that PtdOH was converted in vivo to DGPP. This was confirmed by showing that during a short labeling protocol while the specific radioactivity of DGPP was increasing, the specific radioactivity of the 32Pi derived from DGPP as above was higher than that of [32P]GroP. DGPP was also formed in suspension cultures of tomato and potato cells, and its synthesis was activated by mastoparan. Moreover, it was also found in intact tissues of a number of higher plants, for example, carnation flower petals, vetch roots, leaves of fig-leaved goosefoot, and common persicaria and microspores of rape seed. Our results suggest that DGPP is a common but minor plant lipid that increases in concentration when signaling is activated. Possible functions of DGPP in phospholpase C and D signaling cascades are discussed.

Purification and characterization of diacylglycerol pyrophosphate phosphatase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) phosphatase is a novel membrane-associated enzyme that catalyzes the dephosphorylation of the beta phosphate of DGPP to yield phosphatidate and Pi. DGPP phosphatase was purified 33,333-fold from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a procedure that included Triton X-100 solubilization of microsomal membranes followed by chromatography with DE53, Affi-Gel Blue, hydroxylapatite, and Mono Q. The procedure resulted in the isolation of an apparent homogeneous protein with a subunit molecular mass of 34 kDa. DGPP phosphatase activity was associated with the 34-kDa protein. DGPP phosphatase had a broad pH optimum between 6.0 and 8.5 and was dependent on Triton X-100 for maximum activity. The enzyme was inhibited by divalent cations, NaF, and pyrophosphate and was relatively insensitive to thioreactive agents. The turnover number (molecular activity) for the enzyme was 5.8 x 10(3) min-1 at pH 6.5 and 30 degrees C. DGPP phosphatase exhibited typical saturation kinetics with respect to DGPP (Km = 0.55 mol %). The Km value for DGPP was 3-fold greater than its cellular concentration (0.18 mol %). DGPP phosphatase also catalyzed the dephosphorylation of phosphatidate, but this dephosphorylation was subsequent to the dephosphorylation of the beta phosphate of DGPP. The dependence of activity on phosphatidate (Km = 2.2 mol %) was cooperative (Hill number = 2.0). DGPP was the preferred substrate for the enzyme with a specificity constant (Vmax/Km) 10-fold greater than that for phosphatidate. In addition, DGPP potently inhibited (Ki = 0.35 mol %) the dephosphorylation of phosphatidate by a competitive mechanism whereas phosphatidate did not inhibit the dephosphorylation of DGPP. DGPP was neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of pure phosphatidate phosphatase from S. cerevisiae. DGPP was synthesized from phosphatidate via the phosphatidate kinase reaction.