Rice N-acetylserotonin deacetylase regulates melatonin levels in transgenic rice

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyungjin Lee ◽  
Ok Jin Hwang ◽  
Kyoungwhan Back

A reverse melatonin biosynthetic pathway was recently discovered in plants, by which N-acetylserotonin (NAS) is converted into serotonin by N-acetylserotonin deacetylase (ASDAC) rather than into melatonin by N-acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (ASMT). In this study, we generated transgenic rice plants in which ASDAC was either suppressed or overexpressed to determine whether ASDAC is functionally involved in melatonin biosynthesis. ASDAC-suppressed rice showed increased levels of NAS, 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT), and melatonin, whereas ASDAC-overexpressed rice exhibited less melatonin synthesis than observed in the wild type. This finding is strong evidence of the role of ASDAC in melatonin biosynthesis in rice. The increased levels of 5-MT, which is produced either by ASDAC from melatonin or by serotonin O-methyltransferase (SOMT) from serotonin in ASDAC-suppressed rice, was ascribed to enhanced SOMT enzyme activity rather than increased transcripts, such as ASMT or caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) encoding SOMT activity.     

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Hua Cui ◽  
Mi Young Byun ◽  
Hyeong Geun Oh ◽  
Sung Jin Kim ◽  
Jungeun Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Deschampsia antarctica is a Poaceae grass that has adapted to and colonized Antarctica. When D. antarctica plants were subjected to cold and dehydration stress both in the Antarctic field and in laboratory experiments, galactinol, a precursor of raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) and raffinose were highly accumulated, which was accompanied by upregulation of galactinol synthase (GolS). The Poaceae monocots have a small family of GolS genes, which are divided into two distinct groups called types I and II. Type II GolSs are highly expanded in cold-adapted monocot plants. Transgenic rice plants, in which type II D. antarctica GolS2 (DaGolS2) and rice GolS2 (OsGolS2) were constitutively expressed, were markedly tolerant to cold and drought stress as compared to the wild-type rice plants. The RFO contents and GolS enzyme activities were higher in the DaGolS2- and OsGolS2-overexpressing progeny than in the wild-type plants under both normal and stress conditions. DaGolS2 and OsGolS2 overexpressors contained reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) relative to the wild-type plants after cold and drought treatments. Overall, these results suggest that Poaceae type II GolS2s play a conserved role in D. antarctica and rice in response to drought and cold stress by inducing the accumulation of RFO and decreasing ROS levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 152
Author(s):  
Dorota Dabrowska ◽  
Justyna Mozejko-Ciesielska ◽  
Tomasz Pokój ◽  
Slawomir Ciesielski

Pseudomonas putida’s versatility and metabolic flexibility make it an ideal biotechnological platform for producing valuable chemicals, such as medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs), which are considered the next generation bioplastics. This bacterium responds to environmental stimuli by rearranging its metabolism to improve its fitness and increase its chances of survival in harsh environments. Mcl-PHAs play an important role in central metabolism, serving as a reservoir of carbon and energy. Due to the complexity of mcl-PHAs’ metabolism, the manner in which P. putida changes its transcriptome to favor mcl-PHA synthesis in response to environmental stimuli remains unclear. Therefore, our objective was to investigate how the P. putida KT2440 wild type and mutants adjust their transcriptomes to synthesize mcl-PHAs in response to nitrogen limitation when supplied with sodium gluconate as an external carbon source. We found that, under nitrogen limitation, mcl-PHA accumulation is significantly lower in the mutant deficient in the stringent response than in the wild type or the rpoN mutant. Transcriptome analysis revealed that, under N-limiting conditions, 24 genes were downregulated and 21 were upregulated that were common to all three strains. Additionally, potential regulators of these genes were identified: the global anaerobic regulator (Anr, consisting of FnrA, Fnrb, and FnrC), NorR, NasT, the sigma54-dependent transcriptional regulator, and the dual component NtrB/NtrC regulator all appear to play important roles in transcriptome rearrangement under N-limiting conditions. The role of these regulators in mcl-PHA synthesis is discussed.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 767
Author(s):  
Kamar Hamade ◽  
Ophélie Fliniaux ◽  
Jean-Xavier Fontaine ◽  
Roland Molinié ◽  
Elvis Otogo Nnang ◽  
...  

Lignans, phenolic plant secondary metabolites, are derived from the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway. Although, being investigated for their health benefits in terms of antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, the role of these molecules in plants remains incompletely elucidated; a potential role in stress response mechanisms has been, however, proposed. In this study, a non-targeted metabolomic analysis of the roots, stems, and leaves of wild-type and PLR1-RNAi transgenic flax, devoid of (+) secoisolariciresinol diglucoside ((+) SDG)—the main flaxseed lignan, was performed using 1H-NMR and LC-MS, in order to obtain further insight into the involvement of lignan in the response of plant to osmotic stress. Results showed that wild-type and lignan-deficient flax plants have different metabolic responses after being exposed to osmotic stress conditions, but they both showed the capacity to induce an adaptive response to osmotic stress. These findings suggest the indirect involvement of lignans in osmotic stress response.


Science ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 341 (6150) ◽  
pp. 1103-1106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruben Vanholme ◽  
Igor Cesarino ◽  
Katarzyna Rataj ◽  
Yuguo Xiao ◽  
Lisa Sundin ◽  
...  

Lignin is a major component of plant secondary cell walls. Here we describe caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE) as an enzyme central to the lignin biosynthetic pathway. Arabidopsis thaliana cse mutants deposit less lignin than do wild-type plants, and the remaining lignin is enriched in p-hydroxyphenyl units. Phenolic metabolite profiling identified accumulation of the lignin pathway intermediate caffeoyl shikimate in cse mutants as compared to caffeoyl shikimate levels in the wild type, suggesting caffeoyl shikimate as a substrate for CSE. Accordingly, recombinant CSE hydrolyzed caffeoyl shikimate into caffeate. Associated with the changes in lignin, the conversion of cellulose to glucose in cse mutants increased up to fourfold as compared to that in the wild type upon saccharification without pretreatment. Collectively, these data necessitate the revision of currently accepted models of the lignin biosynthetic pathway.


2003 ◽  
Vol 197 (10) ◽  
pp. 1297-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Hegen ◽  
Linhong Sun ◽  
Naonori Uozumi ◽  
Kazuhiko Kume ◽  
Mary E. Goad ◽  
...  

Pathogenic mechanisms relevant to rheumatoid arthritis occur in the mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Cytosolic phospholipase A2α (cPLA2α) releases arachidonic acid from cell membranes to initiate the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. These inflammatory mediators have been implicated in the development of CIA. To test the hypothesis that cPLA2α plays a key role in the development of CIA, we backcrossed cPLA2α-deficient mice on the DBA/1LacJ background that is susceptible to CIA. The disease severity scores and the incidence of disease were markedly reduced in cPLA2α-deficient mice compared with wild-type littermates. At completion of the study, >90% of the wild-type mice had developed disease whereas none of the cPLA2α-deficient mice had more than one digit inflamed. Furthermore, visual disease scores correlated with severity of disease determined histologically. Pannus formation, articular fibrillation, and ankylosis were all dramatically reduced in the cPLA2α-deficient mice. Although the disease scores differed significantly between cPLA2α mutant and wild-type mice, anti-collagen antibody levels were similar in the wild-type mice and mutant littermates. These data demonstrate the critical role of cPLA2α in the pathogenesis of CIA.


Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 112 (4) ◽  
pp. 1063-1075
Author(s):  
M.C. Lienhard ◽  
R.F. Stocker

The development of the sensory neuron pattern in the antennal disc of Drosophila melanogaster was studied with a neuron-specific monoclonal antibody (22C10). In the wild type, the earliest neurons become visible 3 h after pupariation, much later than in other imaginal discs. They lie in the center of the disc and correspond to the neurons of the adult aristal sensillum. Their axons join the larval antennal nerve and seem to establish the first connection towards the brain. Later on, three clusters of neurons appear in the periphery of the disc. Two of them most likely give rise to the Johnston's organ in the second antennal segment. Neurons of the olfactory third antennal segment are formed only after eversion of the antennal disc (clusters t1-t3). The adult pattern of antennal neurons is established at about 27% of metamorphosis. In the mutant lozenge3 (lz3), which lacks basiconic antennal sensilla, cluster t3 fails to develop. This indicates that, in the wild type, a homogeneous group of basiconic sensilla is formed by cluster t3. The possible role of the lozenge gene in sensillar determination is discussed. The homeotic mutant spineless-aristapedia (ssa) transforms the arista into a leg-like tarsus. Unlike leg discs, neurons are missing in the larval antennal disc of ssa. However, the first neurons differentiate earlier than in normal antennal discs. Despite these changes, the pattern of afferents in the ectopic tarsus appears leg specific, whereas in the non-transformed antennal segments a normal antennal pattern is formed. This suggests that neither larval leg neurons nor early aristal neurons are essential for the outgrowth of subsequent afferents.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 6257-6263
Author(s):  
A Frankel ◽  
P Welsh ◽  
J Richardson ◽  
J D Robertus

The gene for ricin toxin A chain was modified by site-specific mutagenesis to change arginine 180 to alanine, glutamine, methionine, lysine, or histidine. Separately, glutamic acid 177 was changed to alanine and glutamic acid 208 was changed to aspartic acid. Both the wild-type and mutant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli and, when soluble, purified and tested quantitatively for enzyme activity. A positive charge at position 180 was found necessary for solubility of the protein and for enzyme activity. Similarly, a negative charge with a proper geometry in the vicinity of position 177 was critical for ricin toxin A chain catalysis. When glutamic acid 177 was converted to alanine, nearby glutamic acid 208 could largely substitute for it. This observation provided valuable structural information concerning the nature of second-site mutations.


Development ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (6) ◽  
pp. 1327-1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanori Takahashi ◽  
Noriko Osumi

Recent studies have shown that generation of different kinds of neurones is controlled by combinatorial actions of homeodomain (HD) proteins expressed in the neuronal progenitors. Pax6 is a HD protein that has previously been shown to be involved in the differentiation of the hindbrain somatic (SM) motoneurones and V1 interneurones in the hindbrain and/or spinal cord. To investigate in greater depth the role of Pax6 in generation of the ventral neurones, we first examined the expression patterns of HD protein genes and subtype-specific neuronal markers in the hindbrain of the Pax6 homozygous mutant rat. We found that Islet2 (SM neurone marker) and En1 (V1 interneurone marker) were transiently expressed in a small number of cells, indicating that Pax6 is not directly required for specification of these neurones. We also observed that domains of all other HD protein genes (Nkx2.2, Nkx6.1, Irx3, Dbx2 and Dbx1) were shifted and their boundaries became blurred. Thus, Pax6 is required for establishment of the progenitor domains of the ventral neurones. Next, we performed Pax6 overexpression experiments by electroporating rat embryos in whole embryo culture. Pax6 overexpression in the wild type decreased expression of Nkx2.2, but ectopically increased expression of Irx3, Dbx1 and Dbx2. Moreover, electroporation of Pax6 into the Pax6 mutant hindbrain rescued the development of Islet2-positive and En1-positive neurones. To know reasons for perturbed progenitor domain formation in Pax6 mutant, we examined expression patterns of Shh signalling molecules and states of cell death and cell proliferation. Shh was similarly expressed in the floor plate of the mutant hindbrain, while the expressions of Ptc1, Gli1 and Gli2 were altered only in the progenitor domains for the motoneurones. The position and number of TUNEL-positive cells were unchanged in the Pax6 mutant. Although the proportion of cells that were BrdU-positive slightly increased in the mutant, there was no relationship with specific progenitor domains. Taken together, we conclude that Pax6 regulates specification of the ventral neurone subtypes by establishing the correct progenitor domains.


1997 ◽  
Vol 326 (3) ◽  
pp. 861-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy P. O'CONNELL ◽  
Regina M. DAY ◽  
Ekaterina V. TORCHILIN ◽  
William W. BACHOVCHIN ◽  
J. Paul G. MALTHOUSE

By removing one of the hydrogen-bond donors in the oxyanion hole of subtilisin BPN, we have been able to determine how it affects the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme and the pKa of the oxyanion formed in a choloromethane inhibitor derivative. Variant 8397 of subtilisin BPN contains five mutations which enhance its stability. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to prepare the N155A mutant of this variant. The catalytic efficiencies of wild-type and variant 8397 are similar, but replacing Asn-155 with alanine reduces catalytic efficiency approx. 300-fold. All three forms of subtilisin were alkylated using benzyloxycarbonylglycylglycyl[2-13C]phenylalanylchloromethane and examined by 13C-NMR. A single signal due to the 13C-enriched carbon was detected in all the derivatives and it was assigned to the hemiketal carbon of a tetrahedral adduct formed between the hydroxy group of Ser-221 and the inhibitor. This signal had chemical shifts in the range 98.3–103.6 p.p.m., depending on the pH. The titration shift of 4.7–4.8 p.p.m. was assigned to oxyanion formation. The oxyanion pKa values in the wild-type and 8397 variants were 6.92 and 7.00 respectively. In the N155A mutant of the 8397 variant the oxyanion pKa increased to 8.09. We explain why such a small increase is observed and we conclude that it is the interaction between the oxyanion and the imidazolium cation of the active-site histidine that is the main factor responsible for lowering the oxyanion pKa.


1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert T. Furbank ◽  
Julie A. Chitty ◽  
Colin L.D. Jenkins ◽  
William C. Taylor ◽  
Stephen J. Trevanion ◽  
...  

The NADP-malic enzyme type C4 dicot Flaveria bidentis (L.) Kuntze was transformed with antisense and cosense gene constructs that resulted in specific decreases in single photosynthetic enzymes. The enzymes targeted were ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase [EC 4.1.1.39] (Rubisco), pyruvate, Pi dikinase [EC 2.7.9.1] (PPDK) and NADP malate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.82] (NADP-MDH). These enzymes were chosen as targets because they have low activity compared to photosynthetic rates (Rubisco), are subject to complex covalent regulation (NADP-MDH), or both (PPDK). T1 progeny of a number of lines of these transformants were examined for the effects of these gene constructs on enzyme levels and photosynthetic performance. Rubisco antisense transformants expressing between 15 and 100% of wild-type enzyme activity were obtained. Pyruvate, Pi dikinase antisense lines were obtained with 40–100% wild-type levels. NADP malate dehydrogenase sense constructs caused a co-suppression of enzyme activity with some lines containing less than 2% of wild- type activity. Under saturating illumination, the control coefficients for these enzymes were determined to be up to 0.7 for Rubisco, 0.2–0.3 for PPDK and effectively zero for NADP-MDH. The implications of these observations for the regulation of photosynthetic flux and metabolism in C4 plants and the role of regulation by covalent modification are discussed.


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