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Li T, Jia W, Peng S, Guo Y, Liu J, Zhang X, Li P, Zhang H, Xu R. Endogenous cAMP elevation in Brassica napus causes changes in phytohormone levels. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2024; 19:2310963. [PMID: 38314783 PMCID: PMC10854363 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2310963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
In higher plants, the regulatory roles of cAMP (cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate) signaling remain elusive until now. Cellular cAMP levels are generally much lower in higher plants than in animals and transiently elevated for triggering downstream signaling events. Moreover, plant adenylate cyclase (AC) activities are found in different moonlighting multifunctional proteins, which may pose additional complications in distinguishing a specific signaling role for cAMP. Here, we have developed rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) transgenic plants that overexpress an inducible plant-origin AC activity for generating high AC levels much like that in animal cells, which served the genetic model disturbing native cAMP signaling as a whole in plants. We found that overexpression of the soluble AC activity had significant impacts on the contents of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and stress phytohormones, i.e. jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA) in the transgenic plants. Acute induction of the AC activity caused IAA overaccumulation, and upregulation of TAA1 and CYP83B1 in the IAA biosynthesis pathways, but also simultaneously the hyper-induction of PR4 and KIN2 expression indicating activation of JA and ABA signaling pathways. We observed typical overgrowth phenotypes related to IAA excess in the transgenic plants, including significant increases in plant height, internode length, width of leaf blade, petiole length, root length, and fresh shoot biomass, as well as the precocious seed development, as compared to wild-type plants. In addition, we identified a set of 1465 cAMP-responsive genes (CRGs), which are most significantly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction pathway, and function mainly in relevance to hormonal, abiotic and biotic stress responses, as well as growth and development. Collectively, our results support that cAMP elevation impacts phytohormone homeostasis and signaling, and modulates plant growth and development. We proposed that cAMP signaling may be critical in configuring the coordinated regulation of growth and development in higher plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianming Li
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjing Jia
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Song Peng
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanhui Guo
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jinrui Liu
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Panyu Li
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hanfeng Zhang
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruqiang Xu
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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2
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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 PMCID: PMC11394779 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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Yamamoto C, Takahashi F, Suetsugu N, Yamada K, Yoshikawa S, Kohchi T, Kasahara M. The cAMP signaling module regulates sperm motility in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322211121. [PMID: 38593080 PMCID: PMC11032487 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322211121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) is a universal signaling molecule that acts as a second messenger in various organisms. It is well established that cAMP plays essential roles across the tree of life, although the function of cAMP in land plants has long been debated. We previously identified the enzyme with both adenylyl cyclase (AC) and cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity as the cAMP-synthesis/hydrolysis enzyme COMBINED AC with PDE (CAPE) in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. CAPE is conserved in streptophytes that reproduce with motile sperm; however, the precise function of CAPE is not yet known. In this study, we demonstrate that the loss of function of CAPE in M. polymorpha led to male infertility due to impaired sperm flagellar motility. We also found that two genes encoding the regulatory subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA-R) were also involved in sperm motility. Based on these findings, it is evident that CAPE and PKA-Rs act as a cAMP signaling module that regulates sperm motility in M. polymorpha. Therefore, our results have shed light on the function of cAMP signaling and sperm motility regulators in land plants. This study suggests that cAMP signaling plays a common role in plant and animal sperm motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiaki Yamamoto
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu525-8577, Japan
| | - Fumio Takahashi
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu525-8577, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Suetsugu
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo153-8902, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Yamada
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Fukui Prefectural University, Obama917-0003, Japan
| | - Shinya Yoshikawa
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, Fukui Prefectural University, Obama917-0003, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kohchi
- Division of Integrated Life Science, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto606-8502, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kasahara
- Department of Biotechnology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu525-8577, Japan
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Liu Z, Yuan Y, Wang L, Cao H, Wang C, Zhao X, Wang L, Liu M. Establishment and characterization of a new class of adenylate cyclases (class VII ACs) in plants. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18612. [PMID: 37593644 PMCID: PMC10427991 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenylate cyclase is the key enzyme in the synthesis of cAMP. Now, more and more plant genes which possessing AC function are being identified, but the classification of plant ACs has not yet been systematically studied and the relationship of plant ACs with other existing six classes ACs in animals and microorganisms is still unclear. In this study, we found that 7 of the 15 reported plant ACs with conserved CYTH-like_AC_Ⅳ-like domain were clustered into a group with high confidence (Group Ⅳ), while the other plant ACs were clustered into other three groups with no common domain. In addition, we also found that the Group Ⅳ plant ACs were grouped into an independent and specific class (Class VII), separated from the existing six classes of ACs. The Group Ⅳ plant ACs, compared to the existing six classes of ACs, own unique CYTH-like_AC_Ⅳ-like conserved domain and EXEXK signature motif, characteristic protein tertiary structures, specific subcellular localization and catalytic conditions. In view of the above, we regarded the Group Ⅳ plant ACs as the seventh class of AC (VII AC). This study does the systematic classification of plant ACs which could lay a foundation for further identification and study of the biological functions of the plant-specific VII ACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiguo Liu
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
- Jujube Industry Technology Research Institute of Hebei, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
| | - Ye Yuan
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
| | - Lixin Wang
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
| | - Haonan Cao
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
| | - Chenyu Wang
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
| | - Mengjun Liu
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
- Jujube Industry Technology Research Institute of Hebei, Baoding, Hebei, 071001, China
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Yuan Y, Liu Y, Chen S, Wang L, Wang L, Niu Y, Zhao X, Zhao Z, Liu Z, Liu M. A triphosphate tunnel metalloenzyme from pear (PbrTTM1) moonlights as an adenylate cyclase. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1183931. [PMID: 37426988 PMCID: PMC10324617 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1183931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Adenylyl cyclase (AC) is the vital enzyme for generating 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate, an important signaling molecule with profound nutritional and medicinal values. However, merely, a dozen of AC proteins have been reported in plants so far. Here, a protein annotated as triphosphate tunnel metalloenzyme (PbrTTM1) in pear, the important worldwide fruit plant, was firstly identified to possess AC activity with both in vivo and in vitro methods. It exhibited a relatively low AC activity but was capable of complementing AC functional deficiencies in the E. coli SP850 strain. Its protein conformation and potential catalytic mechanism were analyzed by means of biocomputing. The active site of PbrTTM1 is a closed tunnel constructed by nine antiparallel β-folds surrounded with seven helices. Inside the tunnel, the charged residues were possibly involved in the catalytic process by coordinating with divalent cation and ligand. The hydrolysis activity of PbrTTM1 was tested as well. Compared to the much higher capacity of hydrolyzing, the AC activity of PbrTTM1 tends to be a moonlight function. Through a comparison of protein structures in various plant TTMs, it is reasonable to speculate that many plant TTMs might possess AC activity as a form of moonlighting enzyme function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yuan
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Yuye Liu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Shuangjiang Chen
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Lili Wang
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Lixin Wang
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Yahong Niu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Zhihui Zhao
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Zhiguo Liu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
| | - Mengjun Liu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Hebei, China
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6
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Świeżawska-Boniecka B, Szmidt-Jaworska A. Phytohormones and cyclic nucleotides - Long-awaited couples? JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 286:154005. [PMID: 37186984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2023.154005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Brygida Świeżawska-Boniecka
- Nicolaus Copernicus University, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Lwowska St. 1, PL 87-100, Torun, Poland.
| | - Adriana Szmidt-Jaworska
- Nicolaus Copernicus University, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Lwowska St. 1, PL 87-100, Torun, Poland.
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7
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The generation of the flower by self-organisation. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 177:42-54. [PMID: 36346254 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The essence of the Turing-Child theory (Schiffmann, 1991, 2017) is the direct and spontaneous conversion of chemical energy into simultaneous differentiation and morphogenesis, and all localised biological work and localised entropy-reducing processes. This is done via the identification of the Turing instability with cAMP and ATP being the Turing morphogens that mutually fulfil the five Turing inequalities. A flower model like the ABC model is derived from experiments with mutations. But what actually generates the model in real development? That is, how do genes of class A come to be expressed in the sepal and petal whorls, genes of class B in the petal and stamen whorls, and genes of class C in the stamen and carpel whorls. We suggest that the generation of the ABC model occurs via sequential compartmentalisation by Turing-Child eigenfunction patterns similar to the one occurring in Drosophila (Schiffmann, 2012). We also suggest a similar mechanism for the generation of the dorso-lateral-ventral polarity and bilateral symmetry. A mechanism for the generation of the regular location of the floral organs is also suggested. The symmetry and regularity of flowers, which are the source of their attraction and beauty, stem from the symmetry and regularity of the Turing-Child eigenfunctions. The central problem in developmental biology is the endless regress. This endless regress is halted by the Turing-Child pre-patterns and this is illustrated on a central example in flower generation. Both the shape and the chemistry - the steady-state rate of ATP synthesis and hydrolysis - of the Turing-Child pre-patterns are exactly what is required. Art and science meet in flower formation.
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Wong A, Bi C, Chi W, Hu N, Gehring C. Amino acid motifs for the identification of novel protein interactants. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 21:326-334. [PMID: 36582434 PMCID: PMC9791077 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological systems consist of multiple components of different physical and chemical properties that require complex and dynamic regulatory loops to function efficiently. The discovery of ever more novel interacting sites in complex proteins suggests that we are only beginning to understand how cellular and biological functions are integrated and tuned at the molecular and systems levels. Here we review recently discovered interacting sites which have been identified through rationally designed amino acid motifs diagnostic for specific molecular functions, including enzymatic activities and ligand-binding properties. We specifically discuss the nature of the latter using as examples, novel hormone recognition and gas sensing sites that occur in moonlighting protein complexes. Drawing evidence from the current literature, we discuss the potential implications at the cellular, tissue, and/or organismal levels of such non-catalytic interacting sites and provide several promising avenues for the expansion of amino acid motif searches to discover hitherto unknown protein interactants and interaction networks. We believe this knowledge will unearth unexpected functions in both new and well-characterized proteins, thus filling existing conceptual gaps or opening new avenues for applications either as drug targets or tools in pharmacology, cell biology and bio-catalysis. Beyond this, motif searches may also support the design of novel, effective and sustainable approaches to crop improvements and the development of new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aloysius Wong
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
- Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Chuyun Bi
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
- Wenzhou Municipal Key Lab for Applied Biomedical and Biopharmaceutical Informatics, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
- Zhejiang Bioinformatics International Science and Technology Cooperation Center, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Wei Chi
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Ningxin Hu
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, 88 Daxue Road, Ouhai, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province 325060, China
| | - Chris Gehring
- Department of Chemistry, Biology & Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia 06121, Italy
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Yuan Y, Liu Z, Wang L, Wang L, Chen S, Niu Y, Zhao X, Liu P, Liu M. Two triphosphate tunnel metalloenzymes from apple exhibit adenylyl cyclase activity. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:992488. [PMID: 36275530 PMCID: PMC9582125 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.992488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Adenylyl cyclase (AC) is the key catalytic enzyme for the synthesis of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Various ACs have been identified in microorganisms and mammals, but studies on plant ACs are still limited. No AC in woody plants has been reported until now. Based on the information on HpAC1, three enzymes were screened out from the woody fruit tree apple, and two of them (MdTTM1 and MdTTM2) were verified and confirmed to display AC activity. Interestingly, in the apple genome, these two genes were annotated as triphosphate tunnel metalloenzymes (TTMs) which were widely found in three superkingdoms of life with multiple substrate specificities and enzymatic activities, especially triphosphate hydrolase. In addition, the predicted structures of these two proteins were parallel, especially of the catalytic tunnel, including conserved domains, motifs, and folded structures. Their tertiary structures exhibited classic TTM properties, like the characteristic EXEXK motif and β-stranded anti-parallel tunnel capable of coordinating divalent cations. Moreover, MdTTM2 and HpAC1 displayed powerful hydrolase activity to triphosphate and restricted AC activity. All of these findings showed that MdTTMs had hydrolysis and AC activity, which could provide new solid evidence for AC distribution in woody plants as well as insights into the relationship between ACs and TTMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yuan
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Zhiguo Liu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Lili Wang
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Lixin Wang
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Shuangjiang Chen
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Yahong Niu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Ping Liu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
| | - Mengjun Liu
- College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
- Research Center of Chinese Jujube, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China
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cAMP Is a Promising Regulatory Molecule for Plant Adaptation to Heat Stress. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12060885. [PMID: 35743916 PMCID: PMC9225146 DOI: 10.3390/life12060885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
With gradual warming or increased frequency and magnitude of high temperature, heat stress adversely affects plant growth and eventually reduces plant productivity and quality. Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to sense and respond to heat stress which are crucial to avoiding cell damage and maintaining cellular homeostasis. Recently, 33″,55″-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) has been proved to be an important signaling molecule participating in plant adaptation to heat stress by affecting multi-level regulatory networks. Significant progress has been made on many fronts of cAMP research, particularly in understanding the downstream signaling events that culminate in the activation of stress-responsive genes, mRNA translation initiation, vesicle trafficking, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy, HSPs-assisted protein processing, and cellular ion homeostasis to prevent heat-related damage and to preserve cellular and metabolic functions. In this present review, we summarize recent works on the genetic and molecular mechanisms of cAMP in plant response to heat stress which could be useful in finding thermotolerant key genes to develop heat stress-resistant varieties and that have the potential for utilizing cAMP as a chemical regulator to improve plant thermotolerance. New directions for future studies on cAMP are discussed.
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Dynamic Expression, Differential Regulation and Functional Diversity of the CNGC Family Genes in Cotton. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042041. [PMID: 35216157 PMCID: PMC8878070 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNGCs) constitute a family of non-selective cation channels that are primarily permeable to Ca2+ and activated by the direct binding of cyclic nucleotides (i.e., cAMP and cGMP) to mediate cellular signaling, both in animals and plants. Until now, our understanding of CNGCs in cotton (Gossypium spp.) remains poorly addressed. In the present study, we have identified 40, 41, 20, 20, and 20 CNGC genes in G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. herbaceum, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii, respectively, and demonstrated characteristics of the phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, chromosomal localization, gene duplication, and synteny. Further investigation of CNGC genes in G. hirsutum, named GhCNGC1-40, indicated that they are not only extensively expressed in various tissues and at different developmental stages, but also display diverse expression patterns in response to hormones (abscisic acid, salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, ethylene), abiotic (salt stress) and biotic (Verticillium dahlia infection) stimuli, which conform with a variety of cis-acting regulatory elements residing in the promoter regions; moreover, a set of GhCNGCs are responsive to cAMP signaling during cotton fiber development. Protein–protein interactions supported the functional aspects of GhCNGCs in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Accordingly, the silencing of the homoeologous gene pair GhCNGC1&18 and GhCNGC12&31 impaired plant growth and development; however, GhCNGC1&18-silenced plants enhanced Verticillium wilt resistance and salt tolerance, whereas GhCNGC12&31-silenced plants had opposite effects. Together, these results unveiled the dynamic expression, differential regulation, and functional diversity of the CNGC family genes in cotton. The present work has laid the foundation for further studies and the utilization of CNGCs in cotton genetic improvement.
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12
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Jiang D, Min Z, Leng J, Niu H, Chen Y, Liu D, Zhu C, Li M, Zhuang W, Ying H. Characterization of two halophilic adenylate cyclases from Thermobifida halotolerans and Haloactinopolyspora alba. Chin J Chem Eng 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2022.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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13
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Hayashida Y, Yamamoto C, Takahashi F, Shibata A, Kasahara M. Characterization of the cAMP phosphodiesterase domain in plant adenylyl cyclase/cAMP phosphodiesterase CAPE from the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2022; 135:137-144. [PMID: 34779957 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-021-01359-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) acts as a second messenger and is involved in the regulation of various physiological responses. Recently, we identified the cAMP-synthesis/hydrolysis enzyme CAPE, which contains the two catalytic domains adenylyl cyclase (AC) and cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) from the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Here we characterize the PDE domain of M. polymorpha CAPE (MpCAPE-PDE) using the purified protein expressed in E. coli. The Km and Vmax of MpCAPE-PDE were 30 µM and 5.8 nmol min-1 mg-1, respectively. Further, we investigated the effect of divalent cations on PDE activity and found that Ca2+ enhanced PDE activity, suggesting that Ca2+ may be involved in cAMP signaling through the regulation of PDE activity of CAPE. Among the PDE inhibitors tested, only dipyridamole moderately inhibited PDE activity by approximately 40% at high concentrations. Conversely, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) did not inhibit PDE activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Hayashida
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
| | - Chiaki Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
| | - Fumio Takahashi
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
| | - Aika Shibata
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kasahara
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan.
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14
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Kwiatkowski M, Wong A, Kozakiewicz-Piekarz A, Gehring C, Jaworski K. In Search of Monocot Phosphodiesterases: Identification of a Calmodulin Stimulated Phosphodiesterase from Brachypodium distachyon. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179654. [PMID: 34502563 PMCID: PMC8431786 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In plants, rapid and reversible biological responses to environmental cues may require complex cellular reprograming. This is enabled by signaling molecules such as the cyclic nucleotide monophosphates (cNMPs) cAMP and cGMP, as well as Ca2+. While the roles and synthesis of cAMP and cGMP in plants are increasingly well-characterized, the “off signal” afforded by cNMP-degrading enzymes, the phosphodiesterases (PDEs), is, however, poorly understood, particularly so in monocots. Here, we identified a candidate PDE from the monocot Brachypodium distachyon (BDPDE1) and showed that it can hydrolyze cNMPs to 5′NMPs but with a preference for cAMP over cGMP in vitro. Notably, the PDE activity was significantly enhanced by Ca2+ only in the presence of calmodulin (CaM), which interacts with BDPDE1, most likely at a predicted CaM-binding site. Finally, based on our biochemical, mutagenesis and structural analyses, we constructed a comprehensive amino acid consensus sequence extracted from the catalytic centers of annotated and/or experimentally validated PDEs across species to enable a broad application of this search motif for the identification of similar active sites in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Kwiatkowski
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska St. 1, 87-100 Torun, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-56-611-44-56; Fax: +48-56-61-14-772
| | - 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, Wenzhou 325060, China
| | - Anna Kozakiewicz-Piekarz
- Department of Biomedical and Polymer Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Gagarina St. 7, 87-100 Torun, Poland;
| | - Christoph Gehring
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Borgo XX giugno, 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Krzysztof Jaworski
- Department of Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska St. 1, 87-100 Torun, Poland;
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15
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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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16
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Xu R, Guo Y, Peng S, Liu J, Li P, Jia W, Zhao J. Molecular Targets and Biological Functions of cAMP Signaling in Arabidopsis. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050688. [PMID: 34063698 PMCID: PMC8147800 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a pivotal signaling molecule existing in almost all living organisms. However, the mechanism of cAMP signaling in plants remains very poorly understood. Here, we employ the engineered activity of soluble adenylate cyclase to induce cellular cAMP elevation in Arabidopsis thaliana plants and identify 427 cAMP-responsive genes (CRGs) through RNA-seq analysis. Induction of cellular cAMP elevation inhibits seed germination, disturbs phytohormone contents, promotes leaf senescence, impairs ethylene response, and compromises salt stress tolerance and pathogen resistance. A set of 62 transcription factors are among the CRGs, supporting a prominent role of cAMP in transcriptional regulation. The CRGs are significantly overrepresented in the pathways of plant hormone signal transduction, MAPK signaling, and diterpenoid biosynthesis, but they are also implicated in lipid, sugar, K+, nitrate signaling, and beyond. Our results provide a basic framework of cAMP signaling for the community to explore. The regulatory roles of cAMP signaling in plant plasticity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqiang Xu
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Y.G.); (S.P.); (J.L.); (P.L.); (W.J.); (J.Z.)
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-0371-6778-5095
| | - Yanhui Guo
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Y.G.); (S.P.); (J.L.); (P.L.); (W.J.); (J.Z.)
| | - Song Peng
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Y.G.); (S.P.); (J.L.); (P.L.); (W.J.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jinrui Liu
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Y.G.); (S.P.); (J.L.); (P.L.); (W.J.); (J.Z.)
| | - Panyu Li
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Y.G.); (S.P.); (J.L.); (P.L.); (W.J.); (J.Z.)
| | - Wenjing Jia
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Y.G.); (S.P.); (J.L.); (P.L.); (W.J.); (J.Z.)
| | - Junheng Zhao
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (Y.G.); (S.P.); (J.L.); (P.L.); (W.J.); (J.Z.)
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17
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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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18
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Sun J, Ning Y, Wang L, Wilkins KA, Davies JM. Damage Signaling by Extracellular Nucleotides: A Role for Cyclic Nucleotides in Elevating Cytosolic Free Calcium? FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:788514. [PMID: 34925428 PMCID: PMC8675005 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.788514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular ATP (eATP) is now held to be a constitutive damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) that is released by wounding, herbivory or pathogen attack. The concentration of eATP must be tightly regulated as either depletion or overload leads to cell death. In Arabidopsis thaliana, sensing of eATP is by two plasma membrane legume-like lectin serine-threonine receptor kinases (P2K1 and P2K2), although other receptors are postulated. The transcriptional response to eATP is dominated by wound- and defense-response genes. Wounding and pathogen attack can involve the cyclic nucleotides cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP) which, in common with eATP, can increase cytosolic-free Ca2+ as a second messenger. This perspective on DAMP signaling by eATP considers the possibility that the eATP pathway involves production of cyclic nucleotides to promote opening of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels and so elevates cytosolic-free Ca2+. In silico analysis of P2K1 and P2K2 reveals putative adenylyl and guanylyl kinase sequences that are the hallmarks of "moonlighting" receptors capable of cAMP and cGMP production. Further, an Arabidopsis loss of function cngc mutant was found to have an impaired increase in cytosolic-free Ca2+ in response to eATP. A link between eATP, cyclic nucleotides, and Ca2+ signaling therefore appears credible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Sun
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Institute of Integrative Plant Biology, School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Youzheng Ning
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Limin Wang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Katie A. Wilkins
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Julia M. Davies
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Julia M. Davies,
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19
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Blanco E, Fortunato S, Viggiano L, de Pinto MC. Cyclic AMP: A Polyhedral Signalling Molecule in Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4862. [PMID: 32660128 PMCID: PMC7402341 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The cyclic nucleotide cAMP (3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate) is nowadays recognised as an important signalling molecule in plants, involved in many molecular processes, including sensing and response to biotic and abiotic environmental stresses. The validation of a functional cAMP-dependent signalling system in higher plants has spurred a great scientific interest on the polyhedral role of cAMP, as it actively participates in plant adaptation to external stimuli, in addition to the regulation of physiological processes. The complex architecture of cAMP-dependent pathways is far from being fully understood, because the actors of these pathways and their downstream target proteins remain largely unidentified. Recently, a genetic strategy was effectively used to lower cAMP cytosolic levels and hence shed light on the consequences of cAMP deficiency in plant cells. This review aims to provide an integrated overview of the current state of knowledge on cAMP's role in plant growth and response to environmental stress. Current knowledge of the molecular components and the mechanisms of cAMP signalling events is summarised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Blanco
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Fortunato
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.F.); (L.V.)
| | - Luigi Viggiano
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.F.); (L.V.)
| | - Maria Concetta de Pinto
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy; (S.F.); (L.V.)
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