Metabolite profiling during graft union formation reveals the reprogramming of primary metabolism and the induction of stilbene synthesis at the graft interface in grapevine

BACKGROUND

Grafting with rootstocks is essential for the culture of many perennial fruit crops and is increasing being used in the production of annual fruits and vegetables. Our previous work based on microarrays showed that transcripts encoding enzymes of both primary and secondary metabolism were differentially expressed during graft union formation in both homo-grafts (a genotype grafted with itself) and hetero-grafts (two different genotypes grafted together). The aim of this study was to profile primary and secondary metabolites, and quantify the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and neutral invertase (NI) in the scion and rootstock tissues and the graft interface of homo and hetero-grafts of grapevine 1 month after grafting. Table-top grafting was done on over-wintering stems (canes) of grapevine and the graft interface tissues (containing some woody stem tissues and callus) were compared to the surrounding rootstock and scion tissues. The objective was to identify compounds involved in graft union formation and hetero-grafting responses.

RESULTS

A total of 54 compounds from primary and secondary metabolism (19 amino acids, five primary and 30 secondary compounds metabolites) and the activity of two enzymes were measured. The graft interface was associated with an increase in the accumulation of the branched-chain amino acids, basic amino acids, certain stilbene compounds and higher PAL and NI activity in comparison to the surrounding woody stem tissues. Some amino acids and stilbenes were identified as being accumulated differently between the graft interfaces of the scion/rootstock combinations in a manner which was unrelated to their concentrations in the surrounding woody stem tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed the modification of primary metabolism to support callus cell formation and the stimulation of stilbene synthesis at the graft interface, and how these processes are modified by hetero-grafting. Knowledge of the metabolites and/or enzymes required for successful graft union formation offer us the potential to identify markers that could be used by nurseries and researchers for selection and breeding purposes.

Is Change in Ovary Carbon Status a Cause or a Consequence of Maize Ovary Abortion in Water Deficit during Flowering?

Flower or grain abortion causes large yield losses under water deficit. In maize (Zea mays), it is often attributed to a carbon limitation via the disruption of sucrose cleavage by cell wall invertases in developing ovaries. We have tested this hypothesis versus another linked to the expansive growth of ovaries and silks. We have measured, in silks and ovaries of well-watered or moderately droughted plants, the transcript abundances of genes involved in either tissue expansion or sugar metabolism, together with the concentrations and amounts of sugars, and with the activities of major enzymes of carbon metabolism. Photosynthesis and indicators of sugar export, measured during water deprivation, suggested sugar export maintained by the leaf. The first molecular changes occurred in silks rather than in ovaries and involved genes affecting expansive growth rather than sugar metabolism. Changes in the concentrations and amounts of sugars and in the activities of enzymes of sugar metabolism occurred in apical ovaries that eventually aborted, but probably after the switch to abortion of these ovaries. Hence, we propose that, under moderate water deficits corresponding to most European drought scenarios, changes in carbon metabolism during flowering time are a consequence rather than a cause of the beginning of ovary abortion. A carbon-driven ovary abortion may occur later in the cycle in the case of carbon shortage or under very severe water deficits. These findings support the view that, until the end of silking, expansive growth of reproductive organs is the primary event leading to abortion, rather than a disruption of carbon metabolism.

Remarkable reproducibility of enzyme activity profiles in tomato fruits grown under contrasting environments provides a roadmap for studies of fruit metabolism

To assess the influence of the environment on fruit metabolism, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Moneymaker') plants were grown under contrasting conditions (optimal for commercial, water limited, or shaded production) and locations. Samples were harvested at nine stages of development, and 36 enzyme activities of central metabolism were measured as well as protein, starch, and major metabolites, such as hexoses, sucrose, organic acids, and amino acids. The most remarkable result was the high reproducibility of enzyme activities throughout development, irrespective of conditions or location. Hierarchical clustering of enzyme activities also revealed tight relationships between metabolic pathways and phases of development. Thus, cell division was characterized by high activities of fructokinase, glucokinase, pyruvate kinase, and tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes, indicating ATP production as a priority, whereas cell expansion was characterized by enzymes involved in the lower part of glycolysis, suggesting a metabolic reprogramming to anaplerosis. As expected, enzymes involved in the accumulation of sugars, citrate, and glutamate were strongly increased during ripening. However, a group of enzymes involved in ATP production, which is probably fueled by starch degradation, was also increased. Metabolites levels seemed more sensitive than enzymes to the environment, although such differences tended to decrease at ripening. The integration of enzyme and metabolite data obtained under contrasting growth conditions using principal component analysis suggests that, with the exceptions of alanine amino transferase and glutamate and malate dehydrogenase and malate, there are no links between single enzyme activities and metabolite time courses or levels.

Analysis of enzyme activities

The evaluation of enzyme activities, especially their capacities, represents an important step towards the modelling of biochemical pathways in living organisms. The implementation of microplate technology enables the determination of up to >50 enzymes in relatively large numbers of samples and in various biological materials. Most of these enzymes are involved in central metabolism and several pathways are entirely covered. Direct or indirect assays can be used, as well as highly sensitive assays, depending on the abundance of the enzymes under study. To exemplify such methods, protocols for UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (E.C. 2.7.7.9) operating in real time and for pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (E.C. 2.7.1.90) are presented.