Co-purification of Pea and Bean Leaf Soluble Auxin-binding Proteins with Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase

Regulatory functions of soluble auxin-binding proteins

Since the effects of auxin on plant tissues are complex, the mode of action of auxin at the molecular level may not depend on a single mechanism. There may be a mechanism by which the interaction of auxin with receptors localized in the cytoplasmic membranes activates certain enzymes which are necessary to generate the putative second messengers. On the other hand, soluble auxin-binding proteins have been isolated from a variety of plant tissues. Some of these proteins have a high affinity for auxins and the binding is auxin specific, reversible, and saturable, characteristics which suggest that these proteins may be auxin receptors. Although these criteria are often used to distinguish real receptors from nonfunctional binding proteins, it is necessary to clarify the biological function of the binding proteins to classify them as putative receptors. The reported results on the function of soluble auxin-binding proteins demonstrate that, in the transcription system composed of isolated nuclei, auxin interacts with soluble auxin-binding proteins and stimulates the expression of specific genes. Thus, one of the mechanisms of action of auxin may involve a direct interaction with a soluble receptor protein, such that the resultant auxin-receptor complex, possibly together with other protein factors, can subsequently recognize the promoter region of specific gene(s) and interact with RNA polymerase II to cause a transcription of the gene(s).

Hormone-binding studies and the misuse of precipitation assays

Many methods are available for determining binding of small-molecular ligands to macromolecules. In studies on plant hormone binding, precipitation of putative hormone-protein complexes with ammonium sulphate is often used as the sole method of assay. Several such reports on auxin binding have been re-examined, using additional assay procedures. The results show that apparent binding activity measured by ammonium sulphate precipitation may be undetectable by independent, less ambiguous methods. It is concluded that hormone-binding studies that rely solely on the precipitation assay can be grossly misleading, and that this assay, if used at all, should always be validated against a procedure less likely to generate artefacts. An example of such validation for a plant protein is shown.

A soluble auxin-binding protein from cultured tobacco tissues stimulates RNA synthesis in vitro

When the soluble auxin receptor from tobacco callus was isolated according to H. Oostrom et al. (1975, FEBS Lett. 59, 194-197; 1980, Planta 149, 44-47) a high polyphenol contamination in the receptor preparation was observed. We developed a new isolation procedure, which drastically reduced this contamination. The receptor, which was partially purified on Sephadex G-200, exhibited the same time- and temperature-dependent binding kinetics as described before (Oostrom et al. 1975, 1980). The Ka for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 25°C was about 1.6·10(8) M(-1) and the number of binding sites varied from 0 to 2·10(-13) M mg(-1) protein. Addition of partially purified receptor preparations to isolated tobaccocallus nuclei resulted in an IAA-dependent stimulation of transcription, which was not observed with similar preparations that did not contain detectable amounts of specific IAA-binding sites. The average stimulation in the presence of 1 μM IAA was 42%; it was achieved by an increase in RNA-polymerase-II activity. The stimulation was not dependent upon the presence of 1 μM IAA during the isolation of the nuclei.

Demonstration of auxin binding to strawberry fruit membranes

Presence of specific auxin-binding sites in strawberry fruit (Fragaria ananassa Duch. cv. Ozark Beauty) membranes has been demonstrated. These 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)-binding sites in the 80,000g to 120,000g fraction of the strawberry fruit membrane were pronase sensitive with an estimated equilibrium dissociation constant for NAA of 1.1 x 10(-6) molar. The minimum concentration of NAA required to stimulate strawberry fruit growth was at least one order of magnitude higher than the minimum concentration of NAA required to stimulate corn coleoptile elongation. This was consistent with the higher equilibrium dissociation constant (lower affinity) for auxin binding to strawberry fruit membranes than to corn coleoptiles. Twelve auxin analogs, ranging from very strong to weak auxins, were tested for abilities to stimulate in situ strawberry fruit growth and to bind (displace or compete with NAA) to strawberry fruit membranes. The observed positive correlation (r = 0.74) between the in vitro binding to the 80,000 to 120,000 membrane fraction and the in situ biological activity of these analogs indicated that the NAA-binding sites in strawberry fruit membranes may represent physiologically relevant auxin receptors.

Modulation of the number of membrane-bound auxin-binding sites during the growth of batch-cultured tobacco cells

We studied the modulation of the number of membrane-bound naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)-binding sites during the growth cycle of tobacco cells in batch culture. Both cell number and specific NAA-binding increased exponentially, but at different rates and for different periods. This caused a characteristic modulation of the number of binding sites per cell during the growth cycle: During the first day of the lag phase this number decreased; in the exponential phase it rose markedly, and in the stationary phase it was constant.

Azido auxins: synthesis and biological activity of fluorescent photoaffinity labeling agents

Three auxin analogs, 4-, 5-, and 6-azido-3-indoleacetic acid (4-N(3)-IAA, 5-N(3)-IAA, and 6-N(3)-IAA) have been synthesized for use as fluorescent photoaffinity labeling agents. The pK(a) values of these compounds (4-N(3)-IAA, 4.67; 5-N(3)-IAA, 4.65; 6-N(3)-IAA, 4.66; all +/- 0.04) are experimentally indistinguishable from the pK(a) of 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA, 4.69 +/- 0.04). The auxin activity of these IAA derivatives has been determined in several systems. In soybean, pea, and corn straight growth assays, all three analogs induce growth comparable to that caused by IAA. In the tobacco pith assay, all three analogs elicit a maximum increase in fresh weight at least 40 to 50% of that caused by IAA. Optimal growth is attained in the tobacco pith assay at slightly higher concentrations of 4-N(3)-IAA and 6-N(3)-IAA (30 micromolar) than required for IAA (10 micromolar); however, maximal growth is achieved at a slightly lower concentration of 5-N(3)-IAA (3 micromolar). The N(3)-IAAs, like IAA, are transported basipetally through tobacco pith tissue.

Ligand Specificity of Bean Leaf Soluble Auxin-binding Protein

The soluble bean leaf auxin-binding protein (ABP) has a high affinity for a range of auxins including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), alpha-napthaleneacetic acid, phenylacetic acid, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and structurally related auxins. A large number of nonauxin compounds that are nevertheless structurally related to auxins do not displace IAA from bean ABP. Bean ABP has a high affinity for auxin transport inhibitors and antiauxins. The specificity of pea ABP for representative auxins is similar to that found for bean ABP. The bean ABP auxin binding site is similar to the corn endoplasmic reticulum auxin-binding sites in specificity for auxins and sensitivity to thiol reagents and azide. Qualitative similarities between the ligand specificity of bean ABP and the specificity of auxin-induced bean leaf hyponasty provide further evidence, albeit circumstantial, that ABP (ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase) can bind auxins in vivo. The high incidence of ABP in bean leaves and the high affinity of this protein for auxins and auxin transport inhibitors suggest possible functions for ABP in auxin transport and/or auxin sequestration.