2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-d-glucose metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana

2-NBDG Uptake in Gossypium hirsutum in vitro ovules: exploring tissue-specific accumulation and its impact on hexokinase-mediated glycolysis regulation

Fluorescent glucose derivatives are valuable tools as glucose analogs in plant research to explore metabolic pathways, study enzyme activity, and investigate cellular processes related to glucose metabolism and sugar transport. They allow visualization and tracking of glucose uptake, its utilization, and distribution within plant cells and tissues. This study investigates the phenotypic and metabolic impact of the exogenously fed glucose derivative, 2-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-2-deoxyglucose) (2-NBDG) on the fibers of Gossypium hirsutum (Upland cotton) ovule in vitro cultures. The presence of 2-NBDG in the culture medium did not lead to macroscopic morphological alterations in ovule and fiber development or to the acquisition of fluorescence or yellow coloration. Confocal laser scanning microscope imaging and chromatographic analysis of cotton ovules' outer rim cross-sections showed that the 2-NBDG is transported from the extracellular space and accumulated inside some outer integument cells, epidermal cells, and fertilized epidermal cells (fibers), but is not incorporated into the cell walls. Untargeted metabolic profiling of the fibers revealed significant changes in the relative levels of metabolites involved in glycolysis and upregulation of alternative energy-related pathways. To provide biochemical and structural evidence for the observed downregulation of glycolysis pathways in the fibers containing 2-NBDG, kinetics analysis and docking simulations were performed on hexokinase from G. hirsutum (GhHxk). Notably, the catalytic activity of heterologously expressed recombinant active GhHxk exhibited a five-fold decrease in reaction rates compared to D-glucose. Furthermore, GhHxk exhibited a linear kinetic behavior in the presence of 2-NBDG instead of the Michaelis-Menten kinetics found for D-glucose. Docking simulations suggested that 2-NBDG interacts with a distinct binding site of GhHxk9, possibly inducing a conformational change. These results highlight the importance of considering fluorescent glucose derivatives as ready-to-use analogs for tracking glucose-related biological processes. However, a direct comparison between their mode of action and its extrapolation into biochemical considerations should go beyond microscopic inspection and include complementary analytical techniques.

Past and Future of Plant Stress Detection: An Overview From Remote Sensing to Positron Emission Tomography

Plant stress detection is considered one of the most critical areas for the improvement of crop yield in the compelling worldwide scenario, dictated by both the climate change and the geopolitical consequences of the Covid-19 epidemics. A complicated interconnection of biotic and abiotic stressors affect plant growth, including water, salt, temperature, light exposure, nutrients availability, agrochemicals, air and soil pollutants, pests and diseases. In facing this extended panorama, the technology choice is manifold. On the one hand, quantitative methods, such as metabolomics, provide very sensitive indicators of most of the stressors, with the drawback of a disruptive approach, which prevents follow up and dynamical studies. On the other hand qualitative methods, such as fluorescence, thermography and VIS/NIR reflectance, provide a non-disruptive view of the action of the stressors in plants, even across large fields, with the drawback of a poor accuracy. When looking at the spatial scale, the effect of stress may imply modifications from DNA level (nanometers) up to cell (micrometers), full plant (millimeters to meters), and entire field (kilometers). While quantitative techniques are sensitive to the smallest scales, only qualitative approaches can be used for the larger ones. Emerging technologies from nuclear and medical physics, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, are expected to bridge the gap of quantitative non-disruptive morphologic and functional measurements at larger scale. In this review we analyze the landscape of the different technologies nowadays available, showing the benefits of each approach in plant stress detection, with a particular focus on the gaps, which will be filled in the nearby future by the emerging nuclear physics approaches to agriculture.

Imaging of photoassimilates transport in plant tissues by positron emission tomography

The current findings show that positron emission tomography (PET), primarily developed for medical diagnostic imaging, can be applied in plant studies to analyze the transport and allocation of wide range of compounds labelled with positronemitting radioisotopes. This work is focused on PET analysis of the uptake and transport of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro[18F]-D-glucose (2-[18F]FDG), as a model of photoassimilates, in tissues of giant reed (Arundo donax L. var. versicolor) as a potential energy crop. The absorption of 2-[18F]FDG and its subsequent transport in plant tissues were evaluated in both acropetal and basipetal direction as well. Visualization and quantification of the uptake and transport of 2-[18F]FDG in plants immersed with the root system into a 2-[18F]FDG solution revealed a significant accumulation of 18F radioactivity in the roots. The transport rate in plants was increased in the order of plant exposure through: stem > mechanically damaged root system > intact root system. PET analysis in basipetal direction, when the plant was immersed into the 2-[18F]FDG solution with the cut area of the leaf of whole plant, showed minimal translocation of 2-[18F]FDG into the other plant parts. The PET results were verified by measuring the accumulated radioactivity of18F by direct gamma-spectrometry.

HPLC and TLC methods for analysis of [18F]FDG and its metabolites from biological samples

The most used positron emission tomography (PET) tracer, 2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([¹⁸F]FDG), is a glucose analogue that is used to measure tissue glucose consumption. Traditionally, the Sokoloff model is the basis for [¹⁸F]FDG modeling. According to this model, [¹⁸F]FDG is expected to be trapped in a cell in the form of [¹⁸F]FDG-6-phosphate ([¹⁸F]FDG-6-P). However, several studies have shown that in tissues, [¹⁸F]FDG metabolism goes beyond [¹⁸F]FDG-6-P. Our aim was to develop radioHPLC and radioTLC methods for analysis of [¹⁸F]FDG metabolites from tissue samples. The radioHPLC method uses a sensitive on-line scintillation detector to detect radioactivity, and the radioTLC method employs digital autoradiography to detect the radioactivity distribution on a TLC plate. The HPLC and TLC methods were developed using enzymatically in vitro-produced metabolites of [¹⁸F]FDG as reference standards. For this purpose, three [¹⁸F]FDG metabolites were synthesized: [¹⁸F]FDG-6-P, [¹⁸F]FD-PGL, and [¹⁸F]FDG-1,6-P2. The two methods were evaluated by analyzing the [¹⁸F]FDG metabolic profile from rodent ex vivo tissue homogenates. The HPLC method with an on-line scintillation detector had a wide linearity in a range of 5Bq-5kBq (LOD 46Bq, LOQ 139Bq) and a good resolution (Rs ≥1.9), and separated [¹⁸F]FDG and its metabolites clearly. The TLC method combined with digital autoradiography had a high sensitivity in a wide range of radioactivity (0.1Bq-2kBq, LOD 0.24Bq, LOQ 0.31Bq), and multiple samples could be analyzed simultaneously. As our test and the method validation with ex vivo samples showed, both methods are useful, and at best they complement each other in analysis of [¹⁸F]FDG and its radioactive metabolites from biological samples.

Imaging and analysis of thin structures using positron emission tomography: Thin phantoms and in vivo tobacco leaves study

In this work, a novel approach utilizing the designed phantoms imitating the plant tissues was applied for the evaluation of the relationships between the parameters of the prepared phantoms and/or quantitative variables obtained within the PET analysis. The microPET system developed for animal objects and approaches used made it possible to obtain the quantitative data in the form of (18)F radioactivity as well as the glucose (in µg) accumulated in leaf tissues within the dynamic in vivo study.

Applications of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) in Plant Imaging: Past, Present, and Future

The aim of this review article is to explore and establish the current status of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) applications in plant imaging. In the present article, we review the previous literature on its experimental merits to formulate a consistent and inclusive picture of FDG applications in plant-imaging research. 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose is a [(18)F]fluorine-labeled glucose analog in which C-2 hydroxyl group has been replaced by a positron-emitting [(18)F] radioisotope. As FDG is a positron-emitting radiotracer, it could be used in in vivo imaging studies. FDG mimics glucose chemically and structurally. Its uptake and distribution are found to be similar to those of glucose in animal models. FDG is commonly used as a radiotracer for glucose in medical diagnostics and in vivo animal imaging studies but rarely in plant imaging. Tsuji et al. (2002) first reported FDG uptake and distribution in tomato plants. Later, Hattori et al. (2008) described FDG translocation in intact sorghum plants and suggested that it could be used as a tracer for photoassimilate translocation in plants. These findings raised interest among other plant scientists, which has resulted in a recent surge of articles involving the use of FDG as a tracer in plants. There have been seven studies describing FDG-imaging applications in plants. These studies describe FDG applications ranging from monitoring radiotracer translocation to analyzing solute transport, root uptake, photoassimilate tracing, carbon allocation, and glycoside biosynthesis. Fatangare et al. (2015) recently characterized FDG metabolism in plants; such knowledge is crucial to understanding and validating the application of FDG in plant imaging research. Recent FDG studies significantly advance our understanding of FDG translocation and metabolism in plants but also raise new questions. Here, we take a look at all the previous results to form a comprehensive picture of FDG translocation, metabolism, and applications in plants. In conclusion, we summarize current knowledge, discuss possible implications and limitations of previous studies, point to open questions in the field, and comment on the outlook for FDG applications in plant imaging.