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Turek I, Wong A, Domingo G, Vannini C, Bracale M, Irving H, Gehring C. Moonlighting Crypto-Enzymes and Domains as Ancient and Versatile Signaling Devices. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9535. [PMID: 39273482 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing numbers of reports have revealed novel catalytically active cryptic guanylate cyclases (GCs) and adenylate cyclases (ACs) operating within complex proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Here we review the structural and functional aspects of some of these cyclases and provide examples that illustrate their roles in the regulation of the intramolecular functions of complex proteins, such as the phytosulfokine receptor (PSKR), and reassess their contribution to signal generation and tuning. Another multidomain protein, Arabidopsis thaliana K+ uptake permease (AtKUP5), also harbors multiple catalytically active sites including an N-terminal AC and C-terminal phosphodiesterase (PDE) with an abscisic acid-binding site. We argue that this architecture may enable the fine-tuning and/or sensing of K+ flux and integrate hormone responses to cAMP homeostasis. We also discuss how searches with motifs based on conserved amino acids in catalytic centers led to the discovery of GCs and ACs and propose how this approach can be applied to discover hitherto masked active sites in bacterial, fungal, and animal proteomes. Finally, we show that motif searches are a promising approach to discover ancient biological functions such as hormone or gas binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Turek
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, East Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou 325060, China
- Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou 325060, China
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou 325060, China
| | - Guido Domingo
- Biotechnology and Life Science Department, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Candida Vannini
- Biotechnology and Life Science Department, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Marcella Bracale
- Biotechnology and Life Science Department, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Helen Irving
- La Trobe Institute of Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia
- Holsworth Initiative for Medical Research, Rural People, Department of Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3552, Australia
| | - Chris Gehring
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy
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2
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Li J, Yao S, Kim SC, Wang X. Lipid phosphorylation by a diacylglycerol kinase suppresses ABA biosynthesis to regulate plant stress responses. MOLECULAR PLANT 2024; 17:342-358. [PMID: 38243594 PMCID: PMC10869644 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Lipid phosphorylation by diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) that produces phosphatidic acid (PA) plays important roles in various biological processes, including stress responses, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that DGK5 and its lipid product PA suppress ABA biosynthesis by interacting with ABA-DEFICIENT 2 (ABA2), a key ABA biosynthesis enzyme, to negatively modulate plant response to abiotic stress tested in Arabidopsis thaliana. Loss of DGK5 function rendered plants less damaged, whereas overexpression (OE) of DGK5 enhanced plant damage to water and salt stress. The dgk5 mutant plants exhibited decreased total cellular and nuclear levels of PA with increased levels of diacylglycerol, whereas DGK5-OE plants displayed the opposite effect. Interestingly, we found that both DGK5 and PA bind to the ABA-synthesizing enzyme ABA2 and suppress its enzymatic activity. Consistently, the dgk5 mutant plants exhibited increased levels of ABA, while DGK5-OE plants showed reduced ABA levels. In addition, we showed that both DGK5 and ABA2 are detected in and outside the nuclei, and loss of DGK5 function decreased the nuclear association of ABA2. We found that both DGK5 activity and PA promote nuclear association of ABA2. Taken together, these results indicate that both DGK5 and PA interact with ABA2 to inhibit its enzymatic activity and promote its nuclear sequestration, thereby suppressing ABA production in response to abiotic stress. Our study reveals a sophisticated mechanism by which DGK5 and PA regulate plant stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianwu Li
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA
| | - Shuaibing Yao
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA
| | - Sang-Chul Kim
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA
| | - Xuemin Wang
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO 63132, USA.
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3
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Jiang S, Abdalla HB, Bi C, Zhu Y, Tian X, Yang Y, Wong A. HNOXPred: a web tool for the prediction of gas-sensing H-NOX proteins from amino acid sequence. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:4643-4644. [PMID: 35993887 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY HNOXPred is a webserver for the prediction of gas-sensing heme-nitric oxide/oxygen (H-NOX) proteins from amino acid sequence. H-NOX proteins are gas-sensing hemoproteins found in diverse organisms ranging from bacteria to eukaryotes. Recently, gas-sensing complex multi-functional proteins containing only the conserved amino acids at the heme centers of H-NOX proteins, have been identified through a motif-based approach. Based on experimental data and H-NOX candidates reported in the literature, HNOXPred is created to automate and facilitate the identification of similar H-NOX centers across systems. The server features HNOXSCORES scaled from 0 to 1 that consider in its calculation, the physicochemical properties of amino acids constituting the heme center in H-NOX in addition to the conserved amino acids within the center. From user input amino acid sequence, the server returns positive hits and their calculated HNOXSCORES ordered from high to low confidence which are accompanied by interpretation guides and recommendations. The utility of this server is demonstrated using the human proteome as an example. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The HNOXPred server is available at https://www.hnoxpred.com. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Jiang
- Department of Computer Science, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Hemn Barzan Abdalla
- Department of Computer Science, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Chuyun Bi
- Department of Biology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- Department of Biology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Xuechen Tian
- Department of Biology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Yixin Yang
- Department of Biology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.,Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
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4
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Grenzi M, Bonza MC, Costa A. Signaling by plant glutamate receptor-like channels: What else! CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 68:102253. [PMID: 35780692 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant glutamate receptor-like channels (GLRs) are transmembrane proteins that allow the movement of several ions across membranes. In the model plant Arabidopsis, there are 20 GLR isoforms grouped in three clades and, since their discovery, it was hypothesized that GLRs were mainly involved in signaling processes. Indeed, in the last years, several pieces of evidence demonstrate different signaling roles played by GLRs, related to pollen development, sexual reproduction, chemotaxis, root development, regulation of stomatal aperture, and response to pathogens. Recently, GLRs have gained attention for their role in long-distance electric and calcium signaling. In this review, we resume the evidence about the role of GLRs in signaling processes. This role is mostly linked to the GLRs involvement in the regulation of ion fluxes across membranes and, in particular, of calcium, which represents a key second messenger in plant cell responses to both endogenous and exogenous stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Grenzi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Bonza
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Alex Costa
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via G. Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy; Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via G. Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy.
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5
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Zheng SQ, Fu ZW, Lu YT. ELO2 Participates in the Regulation of Osmotic Stress Response by Modulating Nitric Oxide Accumulation in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:924064. [PMID: 35909771 PMCID: PMC9326477 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.924064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The ELO family is involved in synthesizing very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and VLCFAs play a crucial role in plant development, protein transport, and disease resistance, but the physiological function of the plant ELO family is largely unknown. Further, while nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-like activity acts in various plant environmental responses by modulating nitric oxide (NO) accumulation, how the NOS-like activity is regulated in such different stress responses remains misty. Here, we report that the yeast mutant Δelo3 is defective in H2O2-triggered cell apoptosis with decreased NOS-like activity and NO accumulation, while its Arabidopsis homologous gene ELO2 (ELO HOMOLOG 2) could complement such defects in Δelo3. The expression of this gene is enhanced and required in plant osmotic stress response because the T-DNA insertion mutant elo2 is more sensitive to the stress than wild-type plants, and ELO2 expression could rescue the sensitivity phenotype of elo2. In addition, osmotic stress-promoted NOS-like activity and NO accumulation are significantly repressed in elo2, while exogenous application of NO donors can rescue this sensitivity of elo2 in terms of germination rate, fresh weight, chlorophyll content, and ion leakage. Furthermore, stress-responsive gene expression, proline accumulation, and catalase activity are also repressed in elo2 compared with the wild type under osmotic stress. In conclusion, our study identifies ELO2 as a pivotal factor involved in plant osmotic stress response and reveals its role in regulating NOS-like activity and NO accumulation.
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6
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Wong A, Gehring C. New Horizons in Plant Cell Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5826. [PMID: 35628641 PMCID: PMC9147848 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Responding to environmental stimuli with appropriate molecular mechanisms is essential to all life forms and particularly so in sessile organisms such as plants [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Wenzhou 325060, China
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou 325060, China
- Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Wenzhou 325060, China
| | - Christoph Gehring
- Department of Chemistry, Biology & Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
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7
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Phosphatidic Acid in Plant Hormonal Signaling: From Target Proteins to Membrane Conformations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063227. [PMID: 35328648 PMCID: PMC8954910 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells sense a variety of extracellular signals balancing their metabolism and physiology according to changing growth conditions. Plasma membranes are the outermost informational barriers that render cells sensitive to regulatory inputs. Membranes are composed of different types of lipids that play not only structural but also informational roles. Hormones and other regulators are sensed by specific receptors leading to the activation of lipid metabolizing enzymes. These enzymes generate lipid second messengers. Among them, phosphatidic acid (PA) is a well-known intracellular messenger that regulates various cellular processes. This lipid affects the functional properties of cell membranes and binds to specific target proteins leading to either genomic (affecting transcriptome) or non-genomic responses. The subsequent biochemical, cellular and physiological reactions regulate plant growth, development and stress tolerance. In the present review, we focus on primary (genome-independent) signaling events triggered by rapid PA accumulation in plant cells and describe the functional role of PA in mediating response to hormones and hormone-like regulators. The contributions of individual lipid signaling enzymes to the formation of PA by specific stimuli are also discussed. We provide an overview of the current state of knowledge and future perspectives needed to decipher the mode of action of PA in the regulation of cell functions.
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8
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Scholz P, Pejchar P, Fernkorn M, Škrabálková E, Pleskot R, Blersch K, Munnik T, Potocký M, Ischebeck T. DIACYLGLYCEROL KINASE 5 regulates polar tip growth of tobacco pollen tubes. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:2185-2202. [PMID: 34931304 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pollen tubes require a tightly regulated pectin secretion machinery to sustain the cell wall plasticity required for polar tip growth. Involved in this regulation at the apical plasma membrane are proteins and signaling molecules, including phosphoinositides and phosphatidic acid (PA). However, the contribution of diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) is not clear. We transiently expressed tobacco DGKs in pollen tubes to identify a plasma membrane (PM)-localized isoform, and then to study its effect on pollen tube growth, pectin secretion and lipid signaling. In order to potentially downregulate DGK5 function, we overexpressed an inactive variant. Only one of eight DGKs displayed a confined localization at the apical PM. We could demonstrate its enzymatic activity and that a kinase-dead variant was inactive. Overexpression of either variant led to differential perturbations including misregulation of pectin secretion. One mode of regulation could be that DGK5-formed PA regulates phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinases, as overexpression of the inactive DGK5 variant not only led to a reduction of PA but also of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate levels and suppressed related growth phenotypes. We conclude that DGK5 is an additional player of polar tip growth that regulates pectin secretion probably in a common pathway with PI4P 5-kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Scholz
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
| | - Přemysl Pejchar
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16502, Czech Republic
| | - Max Fernkorn
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
| | - Eliška Škrabálková
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16502, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Charles University, Prague, 12844, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Pleskot
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16502, Czech Republic
| | - Katharina Blersch
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
- Green Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology (IBBP), University of Münster, Münster, 48143, Germany
| | - Teun Munnik
- Plant Cell Biology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1000 BE, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Potocký
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, 16502, Czech Republic
| | - Till Ischebeck
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences and Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, 37077, Germany
- Green Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology (IBBP), University of Münster, Münster, 48143, Germany
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9
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Al-Younis I, Moosa B, Kwiatkowski M, Jaworski K, Wong A, Gehring C. Functional Crypto-Adenylate Cyclases Operate in Complex Plant Proteins. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:711749. [PMID: 34456950 PMCID: PMC8387589 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.711749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Adenylyl cyclases (ACs) and their catalytic product cAMP are regulatory components of many plant responses. Here, we show that an amino acid search motif based on annotated adenylate cyclases (ACs) identifies 12 unique Arabidopsis thaliana candidate ACs, four of which have a role in the biosynthesis of the stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA). One of these, the 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED3 and At3g14440), was identified by sequence and structural analysis as a putative AC and then tested experimentally with two different methods. Given that the in vitro activity is low (fmoles cAMP pmol-1 protein min-1), but highly reproducible, we term the enzyme a crypto-AC. Our results are consistent with a role for ACs with low activities in multi-domain moonlighting proteins that have at least one other distinct molecular function, such as catalysis or ion channel activation. We propose that crypto-ACs be examined from the perspective that considers their low activities as an innate feature of regulatory ACs embedded within multi-domain moonlighting proteins. It is therefore conceivable that crypto-ACs form integral components of complex plant proteins participating in intra-molecular regulatory mechanisms, and in this case, potentially linking cAMP to ABA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inas Al-Younis
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basem Moosa
- Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mateusz Kwiatkowski
- Chair of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Jaworski
- Chair of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
| | - Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center of Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chris Gehring
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Chemistry, Biology & Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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10
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Duszyn M, Świeżawska-Boniecka B, Wong A, Jaworski K, Szmidt-Jaworska A. In Vitro Characterization of Guanylyl Cyclase BdPepR2 from Brachypodium distachyon Identified through a Motif-Based Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126243. [PMID: 34200573 PMCID: PMC8228174 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and guanylyl cyclases (GCs), which catalyze the formation of cGMP, were implicated in a growing number of plant processes, including plant growth and development and the responses to various stresses. To identify novel GCs in plants, an amino acid sequence of a catalytic motif with a conserved core was designed through bioinformatic analysis. In this report, we describe the performed analyses and consider the changes caused by the introduced modification within the GC catalytic motif, which eventually led to the description of a plasma membrane receptor of peptide signaling molecules—BdPepR2 in Brachypodium distachyon. Both in vitro GC activity studies and structural and docking analyses demonstrated that the protein could act as a GC and contains a highly conserved 14-aa GC catalytic center. However, we observed that in the case of BdPepR2, this catalytic center is altered where a methionine instead of the conserved lysine or arginine residues at position 14 of the motif, conferring higher catalytic activity than arginine and alanine, as confirmed through mutagenesis studies. This leads us to propose the expansion of the GC motif to cater for the identification of GCs in monocots. Additionally, we show that BdPepR2 also has in vitro kinase activity, which is modulated by cGMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Duszyn
- Chair of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska St. 1, PL 87-100 Torun, Poland; (B.Ś.-B.); (K.J.); (A.S.-J.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Brygida Świeżawska-Boniecka
- Chair of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska St. 1, PL 87-100 Torun, Poland; (B.Ś.-B.); (K.J.); (A.S.-J.)
| | - Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou 325060, China;
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Wenzhou-Kean University, Ouhai, Wenzhou 325060, China
| | - Krzysztof Jaworski
- Chair of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska St. 1, PL 87-100 Torun, Poland; (B.Ś.-B.); (K.J.); (A.S.-J.)
| | - Adriana Szmidt-Jaworska
- Chair of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska St. 1, PL 87-100 Torun, Poland; (B.Ś.-B.); (K.J.); (A.S.-J.)
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11
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Zhou W, Chi W, Shen W, Dou W, Wang J, Tian X, Gehring C, Wong A. Computational Identification of Functional Centers in Complex Proteins: A Step-by-Step Guide With Examples. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2021; 1:652286. [PMID: 36303732 PMCID: PMC9581015 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2021.652286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In proteins, functional centers consist of the key amino acids required to perform molecular functions such as catalysis, ligand-binding, hormone- and gas-sensing. These centers are often embedded within complex multi-domain proteins and can perform important cellular signaling functions that enable fine-tuning of temporal and spatial regulation of signaling molecules and networks. To discover hidden functional centers, we have developed a protocol that consists of the following sequential steps. The first is the assembly of a search motif based on the key amino acids in the functional center followed by querying proteomes of interest with the assembled motif. The second consists of a structural assessment of proteins that harbor the motif. This approach, that relies on the application of computational tools for the analysis of data in public repositories and the biological interpretation of the search results, has to-date uncovered several novel functional centers in complex proteins. Here, we use recent examples to describe a step-by-step guide that details the workflow of this approach and supplement with notes, recommendations and cautions to make this protocol robust and widely applicable for the discovery of hidden functional centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wei Chi
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wanting Shen
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wanying Dou
- Department of Computer Science, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Junyi Wang
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xuechen Tian
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Christoph Gehring
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center of Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Aloysius Wong
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12
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Świeżawska-Boniecka B, Duszyn M, Kwiatkowski M, Szmidt-Jaworska A, Jaworski K. Cross Talk Between Cyclic Nucleotides and Calcium Signaling Pathways in Plants-Achievements and Prospects. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:643560. [PMID: 33664763 PMCID: PMC7921789 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.643560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A variety of plant cellular activities are regulated through mechanisms controlling the level of signal molecules, such as cyclic nucleotides (cNMPs, e.g., cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate, cAMP, and cyclic guanosine 3':5'- monophosphate, cGMP) and calcium ions (Ca2+). The mechanism regulating cNMP levels affects their synthesis, degradation, efflux and cellular distribution. Many transporters and the spatiotemporal pattern of calcium signals, which are transduced by multiple, tunable and often strategically positioned Ca2+-sensing elements, play roles in calcium homeostasis. Earlier studies have demonstrated that while cNMPs and Ca2+ can act separately in independent transduction pathways, they can interact and function together. Regardless of the context, the balance between Ca2+ and cNMP is the most important consideration. This balance seems to be crucial for effectors, such as phosphodiesterases, cyclic nucleotide gated channels and cyclase activity. Currently, a wide range of molecular biology techniques enable thorough analyses of cellular cross talk. In recent years, data have indicated relationships between calcium ions and cyclic nucleotides in mechanisms regulating specific signaling pathways. The purpose of this study is to summarize the current knowledge on nucleotide-calcium cross talk in plants.
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Wong A, Tian X, Yang Y, Gehring C. Identification of potential nitric oxide-sensing proteins using the H-NOX motif. MOLECULAR PLANT 2021; 14:195-197. [PMID: 33249236 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2020.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China.
| | - Xuechen Tian
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Yixin Yang
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Christoph Gehring
- Department of Chemistry, Biology & Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy
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Turek I, Irving H. Moonlighting Proteins Shine New Light on Molecular Signaling Niches. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1367. [PMID: 33573037 PMCID: PMC7866414 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants as sessile organisms face daily environmental challenges and have developed highly nuanced signaling systems to enable suitable growth, development, defense, or stalling responses. Moonlighting proteins have multiple tasks and contribute to cellular signaling cascades where they produce additional variables adding to the complexity or fuzziness of biological systems. Here we examine roles of moonlighting kinases that also generate 3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in plants. These proteins include receptor like kinases and lipid kinases. Their guanylate cyclase activity potentiates the development of localized cGMP-enriched nanodomains or niches surrounding the kinase and its interactome. These nanodomains contribute to allosteric regulation of kinase and other molecules in the immediate complex directly or indirectly modulating signal cascades. Effects include downregulation of kinase activity, modulation of other members of the protein complexes such as cyclic nucleotide gated channels and potential triggering of cGMP-dependent degradation cascades terminating signaling. The additional layers of information provided by the moonlighting kinases are discussed in terms of how they may be used to provide a layer of fuzziness to effectively modulate cellular signaling cascades.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Helen Irving
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia;
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Scholz P, Anstatt J, Krawczyk HE, Ischebeck T. Signalling Pinpointed to the Tip: The Complex Regulatory Network That Allows Pollen Tube Growth. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E1098. [PMID: 32859043 PMCID: PMC7569787 DOI: 10.3390/plants9091098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Plants display a complex life cycle, alternating between haploid and diploid generations. During fertilisation, the haploid sperm cells are delivered to the female gametophyte by pollen tubes, specialised structures elongating by tip growth, which is based on an equilibrium between cell wall-reinforcing processes and turgor-driven expansion. One important factor of this equilibrium is the rate of pectin secretion mediated and regulated by factors including the exocyst complex and small G proteins. Critically important are also non-proteinaceous molecules comprising protons, calcium ions, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and signalling lipids. Among the latter, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and the kinases involved in its formation have been assigned important functions. The negatively charged headgroup of this lipid serves as an interaction point at the apical plasma membrane for partners such as the exocyst complex, thereby polarising the cell and its secretion processes. Another important signalling lipid is phosphatidic acid (PA), that can either be formed by the combination of phospholipases C and diacylglycerol kinases or by phospholipases D. It further fine-tunes pollen tube growth, for example by regulating ROS formation. How the individual signalling cues are intertwined or how external guidance cues are integrated to facilitate directional growth remain open questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Scholz
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Justus-von-Liebig Weg 11, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany; (J.A.); (H.E.K.)
| | | | | | - Till Ischebeck
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences and Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB), University of Goettingen, Justus-von-Liebig Weg 11, D-37077 Goettingen, Germany; (J.A.); (H.E.K.)
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