Association of the Arabidopsis oleoyl Δ12-desaturase FAD2 with pre-cis-Golgi stacks at endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi-exit sites.

The unsaturation of phospholipids influences the function of membranes. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the oleoyl Δ12-desaturase FAD2 converts oleic (18:1Δ9 ) to linoleic acid (18:2Δ9,12 ) and influences phospholipid unsaturation in different cellular membranes. Despite its importance, the precise localization of Arabidopsis FAD2 has not been unambiguously described. As FAD2 is thought to modify phospholipid-associated fatty acids at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), from where unsaturates are distributed to other cellular sites, we hypothesized that FAD2 locates to ER subdomains enabling trafficking of lipid intermediates through the secretory pathway. Fluorescent FAD2 fusions used to test this hypothesis were first assessed for functionality by heterologous expression in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and in planta by Arabidopsis fad2 mutant rescue upon ectopic expression from an intrinsic FAD2 promoter fragment. Light sheet fluorescence, laser scanning confocal or spinning disc microscopy of roots, leaves, or mesophyll protoplasts showed the functional fluorescence-tagged FAD2 variants in flattened donut-shaped structures of ~0.5-1 µm diameter, in a pattern not resembling mere ER association. High-resolution imaging of coexpressed organellar markers showed fluorescence-tagged FAD2 in a ring-shaped pattern surrounding ER-proximal Golgi particles, colocalizing with pre-cis-Golgi markers. This localization required the unusual C-terminal retention signal of FAD2, and deletion or substitutions in this protein region resulted in relaxed distribution and diffuse association with the ER. The distinct association of FAD2 with pre-cis-Golgi stacks in Arabidopsis root and leaf tissue is consistent with a contribution of FAD2 to membrane lipid homeostasis through the secretory pathway, as verified by an increased plasma membrane liquid phase order in the fad2 mutant.

Inter-Organellar Effects of Defective ER-Localized Linolenic Acid Formation on Thylakoid Lipid Composition, Non-Photochemical Quenching of Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Xanthophyll Cycle Activity in the Arabidopsis fad3 Mutant.

Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) is the main lipid constituent of thylakoids and a structural component of photosystems and photosynthesis-related proteo-lipid complexes in green tissues. Previously reported changes in MGDG abundance upon stress treatments are hypothesized to reflect mobilization of MGDG-based polyunsaturated lipid intermediates to maintain extraplastidial membrane integrity. While exchange of lipid intermediates between compartmental membranes is well documented, physiological consequences of mobilizing an essential thylakoid lipid, such as MGDG, for an alternative purpose are not well understood. Arabidopsis seedlings exposed to mild (50 mM) salt treatment displayed significantly increased abundance of both MGDG and the extraplastidial lipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC). Interestingly, similar increases in MGDG and PC were observed in Arabidopsis fad3 mutant seedlings defective in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized linolenic acid formation, in which compensatory plastid-to-ER-directed mobilization of linolenic acid-containing intermediates takes place. The postulated (salt) or evident (fad3) plastid-ER exchange of intermediates concurred with altered thylakoid function according to parameters of photosynthetic performance. While salt treatment of wild-type seedlings inhibited photosynthetic parameters in a dose-dependent manner, interestingly, untreated fad3 mutants did not show overall reduced photosynthetic quantum yield. By contrast, we observed a reduction specifically of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) under high light, representing only part of observed salt effects. The decreased NPQ in the fad3 mutant was accompanied by reduced activity of the xanthophyll cycle, leading to a reduced concentration of the NPQ-effective pigment zeaxanthin. The findings suggest that altered ER-located fatty acid unsaturation and ensuing inter-organellar compensation impacts on the function of specific thylakoid enzymes, rather than globally affecting thylakoid function.

Structural analysis of an endogenous 4-megadalton succinyl-CoA-generating metabolon.

The oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHc) participates in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and, in a multi-step reaction, decarboxylates α-ketoglutarate, transfers succinyl to CoA, and reduces NAD+. Due to its pivotal role in metabolism, OGDHc enzymatic components have been studied in isolation; however, their interactions within the endogenous OGDHc remain elusive. Here, we discern the organization of a thermophilic, eukaryotic, native OGDHc in its active state. By combining biochemical, biophysical, and bioinformatic methods, we resolve its composition, 3D architecture, and molecular function at 3.35 Å resolution. We further report the high-resolution cryo-EM structure of the OGDHc core (E2o), which displays various structural adaptations. These include hydrogen bonding patterns confining interactions of OGDHc participating enzymes (E1o-E2o-E3), electrostatic tunneling that drives inter-subunit communication, and the presence of a flexible subunit (E3BPo), connecting E2o and E3. This multi-scale analysis of a succinyl-CoA-producing native cell extract provides a blueprint for structure-function studies of complex mixtures of medical and biotechnological value.

Functional Analysis of Phospholipid Signaling and Actin Dynamics: The Use of Apical Growing Tobacco Pollen Tubes in a Case Study.

Signaling molecules are crucial to perceive and translate intra- and extracellular cues. Phosphoinositides and the proteins responsible for their biosynthesis (e.g., lipid kinases) are known to influence the (re)organization of cytoskeletal elements, namely, through interaction with actin and actin-binding proteins. Here we describe methods to functionally characterize lipid kinases and their phosphoinositide metabolites in relation to actin dynamics. These methods include GFP-tagged protein expression followed by time-resolved live imaging and quantitative image analysis. When combined with biochemical and interaction studies, these methods can be used to correlate signaling with actin dynamics, microfilament assembly, and intracellular trafficking, linking structure and function.

The pollen-specific class VIII-myosin ATM2 from Arabidopsis thaliana associates with the plasma membrane through a polybasic region binding anionic phospholipids.

Pollen tubes display polarized tip-growth and are a model to study the coordination of vesicular trafficking and cytoskeletal control. The molecular details of how dynamic actin filaments associate with the plasma membrane are currently unclear. In Arabidopsis thaliana, plasma membrane attachment of actin filaments may be mediated by four myosins representing the plant-specific myosin-subclass VIII, which localize to the plasma membrane and display only minor motor-activity. Here we explore the mode of membrane attachment of the pollen-expressed class VIII-myosins ATM2 and VIII-B through interaction with anionic membrane phospholipids. A fluorescent mCherry-ATM2-fusion decorated plasma membrane-peripheral actin filaments when expressed in tobacco pollen tubes, consistent with a role of class VIII-myosins at the membrane-cytoskeleton interface. As recombinant proteins, class VIII-myosins are prone to aggregation and to proteolysis, creating a challenge for their biochemical characterization. We describe a purification scheme for guanidinium chloride (GdmCl)-denatured recombinant proteins, followed by a renaturation protocol to obtain pure, soluble protein fragments of ATM2 and VIII-B. The fragments represent the C-terminal tail and coiled-coil-regions and lack the N-terminal actin-binding regions, IQ or motor domains. Based on lipid-overlays and liposome-sedimentation assays, the fragments of ATM2 and VIII-B bind anionic phospholipids. Small polybasic regions at the extreme C-termini were sufficient for lipid-binding of the respective protein fragments. When expressed in tobacco pollen tubes, a fluorescence-tagged variant of ATM2 lacking its lipid-binding region displayed substantially reduced plasma membrane association. The data indicate that class VIII-myosins may facilitate actin-plasma membrane attachment through interaction with anionic phospholipids, mediated by polybasic C-terminal lipid-binding domains.

Direct Observation of "Elongated" Conformational States in α-Synuclein upon Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation.

α-Synuclein (α-syn) is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) that undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), fibrillation, and forms insoluble intracellular Lewy bodies in neurons, which are the hallmark of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Neurotoxicity precedes the formation of aggregates and might be related to α-syn LLPS. The molecular mechanisms underlying the early stages of LLPS are still elusive. To obtain structural insights into α-syn upon LLPS, we take advantage of cross-linking/mass spectrometry (XL-MS) and introduce an innovative approach, termed COMPASS (COMPetitive PAiring StatisticS). In this work, we show that the conformational ensemble of α-syn shifts from a "hairpin-like" structure towards more "elongated" conformational states upon LLPS. We obtain insights into the critical initial stages of LLPS and establish a novel mass spectrometry-based approach that will aid to solve open questions in LLPS structural biology.

Regulators regulated: Different layers of control for plasma membrane phosphoinositides in plants.

The membranes of plant cells serve diverse physiological roles, which are defined largely by the localized and dynamic recruitment of proteins. Signaling lipids, such as phosphoinositides, can aid protein recruitment to the plasma membrane via specific recognition of their head groups and influence vesicular trafficking, cytoskeletal dynamics and other processes, with ramifications for plant tissue architecture and development. Phosphoinositide abundance is dynamically regulated. Recent advances indicate various levels of control during development or upon environmental triggers, including transcriptional or posttranslational regulation of enzymes balancing biogenesis and degradation, or the nano-organization of membranes into self-organizing physiologically distinct microenvironments. As patterns of interlinked mechanisms emerge, the horizons of what we do not understand become more and more defined.

Plasma membrane nano-organization specifies phosphoinositide effects on Rho-GTPases and actin dynamics in tobacco pollen tubes.

Pollen tube growth requires coordination of cytoskeletal dynamics and apical secretion. The regulatory phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) is enriched in the subapical plasma membrane of pollen tubes of Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and can influence both actin dynamics and secretion. How alternative PtdIns(4,5)P2 effects are specified is unclear. In tobacco pollen tubes, spinning disc microscopy (SD) reveals dual distribution of a fluorescent PtdIns(4,5)P2-reporter in dynamic plasma membrane nanodomains vs. apparent diffuse membrane labeling, consistent with spatially distinct coexisting pools of PtdIns(4,5)P2. Several PI4P 5-kinases (PIP5Ks) can generate PtdIns(4,5)P2 in pollen tubes. Despite localizing to one membrane region, the PIP5Ks AtPIP5K2-EYFP and NtPIP5K6-EYFP display distinctive overexpression effects on cell morphologies, respectively related to altered actin dynamics or membrane trafficking. When analyzed by SD, AtPIP5K2-EYFP associated with nanodomains, whereas NtPIP5K6-EYFP localized diffusely. Chimeric AtPIP5K2-EYFP and NtPIP5K6-EYFP variants with reciprocally swapped membrane-associating domains evoked reciprocally shifted effects on cell morphology upon overexpression. Overall, active PI4P 5-kinase variants stabilized actin when targeted to nanodomains, suggesting a role of nanodomain-associated PtdIns(4,5)P2 in actin regulation. This notion is further supported by interaction and proximity of nanodomain-associated AtPIP5K2 with the Rho-GTPase NtRac5, and by its functional interplay with elements of Rho of plants signaling. Plasma membrane nano-organization may thus aid the specification of PtdIns(4,5)P2 functions to coordinate cytoskeletal dynamics and secretion.

Analysis of Phosphoinositides from Complex Plant Samples by Solid-Phase Adsorption Chromatography and Subsequent Quantification via Thin-Layer and Gas Chromatography.

The determination of phosphoinositide molecular species in plant material is challenging because of their low abundance concurrent with a very high abundance of other membrane lipids, such as plastidial glycolipids. Phosphoinositides harbor an inositol headgroup which carries one or more phosphate groups at different positions of the inositol, linked to diacylglycerol via a phosphodiester. Thus, a further analytical challenge is to distinguish the different inositol-phosphate headgroups as well as the fatty acids of the diacylglycerol backbone. The method presented in this chapter expands on previous protocols for phosphoinositide analysis by employing chromatographic enrichment of phospholipids and their separation from other, more abundant lipid classes, before analysis. Lipids extracted from plant material are first separated by solid-phase adsorption chromatography into fractions containing neutral lipids, glycolipids, or phospholipids. Lipids from the phospholipid fraction are then separated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) according to their characteristic head groups, and the individual phosphatidylinositol-monophosphates and phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphates are isolated. Finally, the fatty acids associated with each isolated phosphatidylinositol-monophosphate or phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphate are analyzed in a quantitative fashion using gas chromatography (GC). The analysis of phosphoinositides by this combination of methods provides a cost-efficient and reliable alternative to lipidomics approaches requiring more extensive instrumentation.

A phosphoinositide 5-phosphatase from Solanum tuberosum is activated by PAMP-treatment and may antagonize phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate at Phytophthora infestans infection sites.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants susceptible to late blight disease caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans display enhanced resistance upon infiltration with the pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP), Pep-13. Here, we characterize a potato gene similar to Arabidopsis 5-phosphatases which was identified in transcript arrays performed to identify Pep-13 regulated genes, and termed StIPP. Recombinant StIPP protein specifically dephosphorylated the D5-position of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2 ) in vitro. Other phosphoinositides or soluble inositolpolyphosphates were not converted. When transiently expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) pollen tubes, a StIPP-YFP fusion localized to the subapical plasma membrane and antagonized PtdIns(4,5)P2 -dependent effects on cell morphology, indicating in vivo functionality. Phytophthora infestans-infection of N. benthamiana leaf epidermis cells resulted in relocalization of StIPP-GFP from the plasma membrane to the extra-haustorial membrane (EHM). Colocalizion with the effector protein RFP-AvrBlb2 at infection sites is consistent with a role of StIPP in the plant-oomycete interaction. Correlation analysis of fluorescence distributions of StIPP-GFP and biosensors for PtdIns(4,5)P2 or phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P) indicate StIPP activity predominantly at the EHM. In Arabidopsis protoplasts, expression of StIPP resulted in the stabilization of the PAMP receptor, FLAGELLIN-SENSITIVE 2, indicating that StIPP may act as a PAMP-induced and localized antagonist of PtdIns(4,5)P2 -dependent processes during plant immunity.

Lipid kinases PIP5K7 and PIP5K9 are required for polyamine-triggered K+ efflux in Arabidopsis roots.

Polyamines, such as putrescine, spermidine and spermine (Spm), are low-molecular-weight polycationic molecules present in all living organisms. Despite their implication in plant cellular processes, little is known about their molecular mode of action. Here, we demonstrate that polyamines trigger a rapid increase in the regulatory membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2 ), and that this increase is required for polyamine effects on K+ efflux in Arabidopsis roots. Using in vivo 32 Pi -labelling of Arabidopsis seedlings, low physiological (µm) concentrations of Spm were found to promote a rapid PIP2 increase in roots that was time- and dose-dependent. Confocal imaging of a genetically encoded PIP2 biosensor revealed that this increase was triggered at the plasma membrane. Differential 32 Pi -labelling suggested that the increase in PIP2 was generated through activation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase (PIP5K) activity rather than inhibition of a phospholipase C or PIP2 5-phosphatase activity. Systematic analysis of transfer DNA insertion mutants identified PIP5K7 and PIP5K9 as the main candidates involved in the Spm-induced PIP2 response. Using non-invasive microelectrode ion flux estimation, we discovered that the Spm-triggered K+ efflux response was strongly reduced in pip5k7 pip5k9 seedlings. Together, our results provide biochemical and genetic evidence for a physiological role of PIP2 in polyamine-mediated signalling controlling K+ flux in plants.

SYNERGISTIC ON AUXIN AND CYTOKININ 1 positively regulates growth and attenuates soil pathogen resistance.

Plants as non-mobile organisms constantly integrate varying environmental signals to flexibly adapt their growth and development. Local fluctuations in water and nutrient availability, sudden changes in temperature or other abiotic and biotic stresses can trigger changes in the growth of plant organs. Multiple mutually interconnected hormonal signaling cascades act as essential endogenous translators of these exogenous signals in the adaptive responses of plants. Although the molecular backbones of hormone transduction pathways have been identified, the mechanisms underlying their interactions are largely unknown. Here, using genome wide transcriptome profiling we identify an auxin and cytokinin cross-talk component; SYNERGISTIC ON AUXIN AND CYTOKININ 1 (SYAC1), whose expression in roots is strictly dependent on both of these hormonal pathways. We show that SYAC1 is a regulator of secretory pathway, whose enhanced activity interferes with deposition of cell wall components and can fine-tune organ growth and sensitivity to soil pathogens.

Coordinated Localization and Antagonistic Function of NtPLC3 and PI4P 5-Kinases in the Subapical Plasma Membrane of Tobacco Pollen Tubes.

Polar tip growth of pollen tubes is regulated by the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2), which localizes in a well-defined region of the subapical plasma membrane. How the PtdIns(4,5)P2 region is maintained is currently unclear. In principle, the formation of PtdIns(4,5)P2 by PI4P 5-kinases can be counteracted by phospholipase C (PLC), which hydrolyzes PtdIns(4,5)P2. Here, we show that fluorescence-tagged tobacco NtPLC3 displays a subapical plasma membrane distribution which frames that of fluorescence-tagged PI4P 5-kinases, suggesting that NtPLC3 may modulate PtdIns(4,5)P2-mediated processes in pollen tubes. The expression of a dominant negative NtPLC3 variant resulted in pollen tube tip swelling, consistent with a delimiting effect on PtdIns(4,5)P2 production. When pollen tube morphologies were assessed as a quantitative read-out for PtdIns(4,5)P2 function, NtPLC3 reverted the effects of a coexpressed PI4P 5-kinase, demonstrating that NtPLC3-mediated breakdown of PtdIns(4,5)P2 antagonizes the effects of PtdIns(4,5)P2 overproduction in vivo. When analyzed by spinning disc microscopy, fluorescence-tagged NtPLC3 displayed discontinuous membrane distribution omitting punctate areas of the membrane, suggesting that NtPLC3 is involved in the spatial restriction of plasma membrane domains also at the nanodomain scale. Together, the data indicate that NtPLC3 may contribute to the spatial restriction of PtdIns(4,5)P2 in the subapical plasma membrane of pollen tubes.

A PAMP-triggered MAPK cascade inhibits phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate production by PIP5K6 in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The phosphoinositide kinase PIP5K6 has recently been identified as a target for the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) MPK6. Phosphorylation of PIP5K6 inhibited the production of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2 ), impacting membrane trafficking and cell expansion in pollen tubes. Here, we analyzed whether MPK6 regulated PIP5K6 in vegetative Arabidopsis cells in response to the pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) flg22. Promoter-ß-glucuronidase analyses and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction data show PIP5K6 expressed throughout Arabidopsis tissues. Upon flg22 treatment of transgenic protoplasts, the PIP5K6 protein was phosphorylated, and this modification was reduced for a PIP5K6 variant lacking MPK6-targeted residues, or in protoplasts from mpk6 mutants. Upon flg22 treatment of Arabidopsis plants, phosphoinositide levels mildly decreased and a fluorescent reporter for PtdIns(4,5)P2 displayed reduced plasma membrane association, contrasting with phosphoinositide increases reported for abiotic stress responses. Flg22 treatment and chemical induction of the upstream MAPK kinase, MKK5, decreased phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase activity in mesophyll protoplasts, indicating that the flg22-activated MAPK cascade limited PtdIns(4,5)P2 production. PIP5K6 expression or PIP5K6 protein abundance changed only marginally upon flg22 treatment, consistent with post-translational control of PIP5K6 activity. PtdIns(4,5)P2 -dependent endocytosis of FM 4-64, PIN2 and the NADPH-oxidase RbohD were reduced upon flg22 treatment or MKK5 induction. Reduced RbohD-endocytosis was correlated with enhanced ROS production. We conclude that MPK6-mediated phosphorylation of PIP5K6 limits the production of a functional PtdIns(4,5)P2 pool upon PAMP perception.

A dual role for cell plate-associated PI4Kß in endocytosis and phragmoplast dynamics during plant somatic cytokinesis.

Plant cytokinesis involves membrane trafficking and cytoskeletal rearrangements. Here, we report that the phosphoinositide kinases PI4Kß1 and PI4Kß2 integrate these processes in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) roots. Cytokinetic defects of an Arabidopsis pi4kß1 pi4kß2 double mutant are accompanied by defects in membrane trafficking. Specifically, we show that trafficking of the proteins KNOLLE and PIN2 at the cell plate, clathrin recruitment, and endocytosis is impaired in pi4kß1 pi4kß2 double mutants, accompanied by unfused vesicles at the nascent cell plate and around cell wall stubs. Interestingly, pi4kß1 pi4kß2 plants also display ectopic overstabilization of phragmoplast microtubules, which guide membrane trafficking at the cell plate. The overstabilization of phragmoplasts in the double mutant coincides with mislocalization of the microtubule-associated protein 65-3 (MAP65-3), which cross-links microtubules and is a downstream target for inhibition by the MAP kinase MPK4. Based on similar cytokinetic defects of the pi4kß1 pi4kß2 and mpk4-2 mutants and genetic and physical interaction of PI4Kß1 and MPK4, we propose that PI4Kß and MPK4 influence localization and activity of MAP65-3, respectively, acting synergistically to control phragmoplast dynamics.

A role for diacylglycerol kinase 4 in signalling crosstalk during Arabidopsis pollen tube growth.

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) play a major role in the production of phosphatidic acid (PtdOH) and were implicated in endomembrane trafficking and signalling cascades. In plants, the role of DGKs is less clear, as PtdOH seems to arise mostly from phospholipase D activity. Here, we investigated the function of the Arabidopsis gene encoding DGK4, which is highly expressed in pollen. In vitro, pollen tubes from homozygous dgk4 plants showed normal morphology, but reduced growth rate and altered stiffness and adhesion properties (revealed by atomic force microscopy). In vivo, dgk4 pollen was able to fertilize wild-type ovules, but self-pollination in dgk4 plants led to fewer seeds and shorter siliques. Phenotypic analysis revealed that the dgk4 mutation affects not only the male germ line but also the vegetative tissue. DGK4-green fluorescent protein fusion imaging revealed a cytosolic localization with a slightly higher signal in the subapical or apical region. dgk4 pollen tubes were found to exhibit perturbations in membrane recycling, and lipid analysis revealed a minor increase of PtdOH concomitant with decreased phosphatidylcholine, compared with wild-type. In vitro, DGK4 was found to exhibit kinase and guanylyl cyclase activity. Quantitative PCR data revealed downregulation of genes related to actin dynamics and phosphoinositide metabolism in mutant pollen, but upregulation of the DGK6 isoform. Altogether, these results are discussed considering a role of DGK4 in signalling cross-talk.

Anillin facilitates septin assembly to prevent pathological outfoldings of central nervous system myelin.

Myelin serves as an axonal insulator that facilitates rapid nerve conduction along axons. By transmission electron microscopy, a healthy myelin sheath comprises compacted membrane layers spiraling around the cross-sectioned axon. Previously we identified the assembly of septin filaments in the innermost non-compacted myelin layer as one of the latest steps of myelin maturation in the central nervous system (CNS) (Patzig et al., 2016). Here we show that loss of the cytoskeletal adaptor protein anillin (ANLN) from oligodendrocytes disrupts myelin septin assembly, thereby causing the emergence of pathological myelin outfoldings. Since myelin outfoldings are a poorly understood hallmark of myelin disease and brain aging we assessed axon/myelin-units in Anln-mutant mice by focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM); myelin outfoldings were three-dimensionally reconstructed as large sheets of multiple compact membrane layers. We suggest that anillin-dependent assembly of septin filaments scaffolds mature myelin sheaths, facilitating rapid nerve conduction in the healthy CNS.

The Tonoplastic Inositol Transporter INT1 From Arabidopsis thaliana Impacts Cell Elongation in a Sucrose-Dependent Way.

The tonoplastic inositol transporter INT1 is the only known transport protein in Arabidopsis that facilitates myo-inositol import from the vacuole into the cytoplasm. Impairment of the release of vacuolar inositol by knockout of INT1 results in a severe inhibition of cell elongation in roots as well as in etiolated hypocotyls. Importantly, a more strongly reduced cell elongation was observed when sucrose was supplied in the growth medium, and this sucrose-dependent effect can be complemented by the addition of exogenous myo-inositol. Comparing int1 mutants (defective in transport) with mutants defective in myo-inositol biosynthesis (mips1 mutants) revealed that the sucrose-induced inhibition in cell elongation does not just depend on inositol depletion. Secondary effects as observed for altered availability of inositol in biosynthesis mutants, as disturbed membrane turnover, alterations in PIN protein localization or alterations in inositol-derived signaling molecules could be ruled out to be responsible for impairing the cell elongation in int1 mutants. Although the molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated, our data implicate a crucial role of INT1-transported myo-inositol in regulating cell elongation in a sucrose-dependent manner and underline recent reports of regulatory roles for sucrose and other carbohydrate intermediates as metabolic semaphores.