植物细胞壁同聚半乳糖醛酸的代谢与功能

果胶是细胞壁多糖的重要组成成分,对植物正常的生长发育十分重要。作为初生细胞壁中果胶的一种主要组成成分,同聚半乳糖醛酸（homogalacturonan,HG）是由α-D-半乳糖醛酸单体经α-（1,4）-糖苷键连接起来的一种长链大分子物质。HG的合成和降解参与了细胞壁中的多糖代谢,影响了细胞壁的结构和功能。同时,HG精确的去甲酯化以及HG所参与的细胞壁关联激酶（WAKs）和促分裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPKs）相关的信号转导途径,在植物生长发育中也发挥着重要作用。该文主要从HG的合成、降解和循环利用以及HG的作用等方面对植物细胞壁中HG的研究进展进行了阐述。     

果胶甲酯酶抑制蛋白(PMEIs)的功能性研究进展

细胞壁是一种复杂的动态网络结构,在植物生长发育、胁迫应答和免疫抗性过程中起着重要的调控和防御作用。果胶(pectin)是细胞初生壁结构中多糖的主要成分之一;其中,同型半乳糖醛酸聚糖(HG)是果胶多糖组分中含量最丰富的线性聚合物。HG的甲基酯化程度变化会导致其酶解形成凝胶,从而影响果胶结构的稳定性。果胶甲酯酶抑制蛋白(PMEIs)通过翻译后机制调控果胶甲酯酶(PMEs)活性,微调果胶多糖甲酯化修饰平衡后,维持细胞壁的完整性和生物力学特性。研究发现,PMEI-PME互作调控果胶甲酯化修饰的稳态是决定细胞黏附、细胞壁硬度和弹性以及器官形态发生的关键因素,同时也是细胞壁应对逆境、释放抗性信号和免疫防御的分子模式。主要对PMEIs在调节植物器官发育过程和应对不同胁迫因子发挥的抗逆功能及调控机制等最新研究进展作出综述。鉴于PMEIs在木本植物中的体内生理活性和调控机制仍有待探索,可为后续填补该领域的研究空白提供理论依据和策略参考。     

真菌果胶酶的分子生物学研究进展

近10年来国外在果胶酶分子生物学研究上取得了重大进展,从11个属的真菌克隆了50个以上的基因并测序。对果胶酶基因的结构、功能、调控、录译后加工等方面进行了深入探讨。已克隆的果胶酶基因以多聚半乳糖醛酸酶(PG)基因和果胶裂解酶(PL)基因为主,也有果胶酯酶(PE)基因和鼠李半乳糖醛酸酶(RHG)基因,大多有内含子。前体蛋白一般有N信号肽和糖基化位点。果胶酶一般受果胶、低浓度的(01%)D半乳糖醛酸等诱导,而受较高浓度(1%)的半乳糖醛酸、抗体、某些抗菌素抑制。     

真菌果胶酶的分子生物学研究进展

近１０年来国外在果胶酶分子生物学研究上取得了重大进展,从１１个属的真菌克隆了５０个以上的基因并测序。对果胶酶基因的结构、功能、调控、录译后加工等方面进行了深入探讨。已克隆的果胶酶基因以多聚半乳糖醛酸酶（ＰＧ）基因和果胶裂解酶（ＰＬ）基因为主,也有果胶酯酶（ＰＥ）基因和鼠李半乳糖醛酸酶（ＲＨＧ）基因,大多有内含子。前体蛋白一般有Ｎ－信号肽和糖基化位点。果胶酶一般受果胶、低浓度的（０．１％）Ｄ－半乳糖醛酸等诱导,而受较高浓度（１％）的半乳糖醛酸、抗体、某些抗菌素抑制。     

拟南芥种皮粘液质形成及调控机制研究进展

植物细胞壁是地球上储量最丰富的可再生资源,是人类生产和生活中能源、纤维、建筑材料和造纸等原料的主要来源。植物细胞壁的形成机制一直是近年来的研究热点,研究植物细胞壁的形成机制不仅有助于更高效地将细胞壁转化为生物乙醇等可再生能源,也将促进纤维生物质在食品、药品和纺织等领域的更高效利用,对于新能源开发和人类生产生活均具有十分重要的意义。一些十字花科(如拟南芥,Arabidopsis thaliana)和车前科植物的种皮外层细胞在发育过程中会合成和分泌大量的粘液质多糖,其在种子遇水后膨胀并释放,形成透明胶状物质包裹种子周围。拟南芥种皮粘液质的主要成分为果胶质(主要为鼠李半乳糖醛酸聚糖I),同时还含有少量的纤维素和半纤维素成分。种皮粘液质作为一种特化的细胞壁,具有表型容易观察、分离提取简便、组成相对单一、缺失不影响植株生长发育等优点,已成为研究植物细胞壁(果胶)多糖合成、调控及细胞壁组分间互作的理想模式体系,近年来取得了较大的研究进展,本文主要介绍拟南芥种皮粘液质的形成、组成及其调控机制方面的研究进展。     

枇杷冷藏过程中果肉木质化与细胞壁物质变化的关系

“大红袍”和“解放钟”枇杷果实在 1℃下贮藏时 ,细胞壁物质代谢异常 ,果肉硬度持续升高而出汁率逐渐降低 ,果胶酯酶 (PE)和多聚半乳糖醛酸酶 (PG)活性和水溶性果胶含量下降 ,原果胶含量、苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)活性及木质素和纤维素含量不断增加。约经 3周贮藏后 ,果实出现果皮难剥、果肉质地变硬、粗糙少汁的异常劣变现象。在 12℃下贮藏的枇杷果实 ,细胞壁物质代谢正常 ,果肉硬度增加少 ,PE和PG活性及水溶性果胶含量较高 ,无原果胶增加现象 ,PAL活性呈下降趋势 ,木质素和纤维素含量变化不大 ,果实不出现木质化败坏。这些结果表明冷藏枇杷的木质化败坏可能是一种低温失调现象     

向日葵花盘水提物对硫色镰刀菌及其细胞壁降解酶活性抑制特性

通过抑菌及细胞壁降解酶活性试验,研究向日葵花盘(sunflower disc,SFD)水提物对引起马铃薯干腐病主要病原菌——硫色镰刀菌(Fusarium sulphureum)生长及其侵染不同马铃薯品种时分泌的多聚半乳糖醛酸酶(polygalacturonase,PG)、果胶甲基半乳糖醛酸酶(polymethyl-ga...     

草莓果实发育成熟过程中糖苷酶和纤维素酶活性及细胞壁组成变化

以丰香和红丰草莓为试材,对果实发育成熟过程中细胞壁水解酶活性和细胞壁成份变化进行了研究．结果表明：半乳糖苷酶和α-甘露糖苷酶活性随草莓果实成熟而提高,葡萄糖苷酶活性不随草莓果实成熟而提高．随着果实发育成熟,纤维素酶活性、果胶酶活性不断提高．果实中未检测到内切多聚半乳糖醛酸酶活性,外切多聚半乳糖醛酸酶活性变化不随果实成熟软化而提高．随果实发育成熟,细胞壁中可溶性果胶和半纤维素增加,而离子结合果胶和共价结合果胶及纤维素减少．     

果胶d-半乳糖醛酸生物转化制备黏酸研究进展

黏酸属于己糖二酸,可以由果胶的主要成分D-半乳糖醛酸氧化制备.黏酸结构、性质与葡萄糖二酸类似,可应用于重要平台化合物、聚合物、高分子材料的制备.与目前受到广泛关注的葡萄糖二酸合成相比,黏酸合成的研究工作尚处于起步阶段.果胶是一种廉价、丰富的可再生生物质资源,以果胶为原料生物转化制备黏酸具有重要的经济价值和环保意义.文中...     

不同酯化度和分子量的果胶解酒效果的比较研究

为研究不同酯化度和分子量的果胶在解酒方面的效果差异,取ICR小鼠160只,按果胶种类进行分组,通过解酒和防醉酒实验观察不同分子量和酯化度果胶的解酒效果差异。结果发现解酒效果依次为:低酯低分子果胶中剂量组低酯低分子果胶低剂量组低酯高分子果胶高酯高分子果胶组海王金樽组半乳糖醛酸组=葡萄糖组生理盐水组;而防醉酒效果依次为:低酯高分子果胶中剂量组海王金樽组低酯高分子果胶低剂量组葡萄糖组=低酯低分子果胶高酯高分子果胶组=半乳糖醛酸组生理盐水组。实验结果表明果胶的解酒和抗醉酒效果与其酯化度和分子量相关,低酯高分子果胶具有更好的解酒和抗醉酒效果,且其抗醉酒效果呈现出量效关系。     

Biosynthesis of pectin

Pectin consists of a group of acidic polysaccharides that constitute a large part of the cell wall of plants. The pectic polysaccharides have a complex structure but can generally be divided into homogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan I, rhamnogalacturonan II (RGII) and xylogalacturonan (XGA). These polysaccharides appear to be present in all cells but their relative abundance and structural details differ between cell types and species. Pectin is synthesized in the Golgi vesicles and its complexity dictates that a large number of enzymes must be involved in the process. The biosynthetic enzymes required are glycosyltransferases and decorating enzymes including methyltransferases, acetyltransferases and feruloyltransferases. Biochemical methods successfully led to the recent identification of a pectin biosynthetic galacturonosyltransferase (GAUT1), and recent functional genomics and mutant studies have allowed the identification of several biosynthetic enzymes involved in making different parts of pectin. Strong evidence has been obtained for two xylosyltransferases (RGXT1 and RGXT2) with documented in vitro activity and apparently involved in making a side chain of RGII. Strong circumstantial evidence has been obtained for a putative glucuronosyltransferase (GUT1) involved in making RGII, a putative arabinosyltransferase (ARAD1) involved in making arabinan, and a putative xylosyltransferase (XGD1) involved in making XGA. In several other cases, enzymes have been identified as involved in making pectin but because of ambiguity in the cell wall compositions of mutants and lack of direct biochemical evidence their specific activities are more uncertain.     

Pectin: cell biology and prospects for functional analysis

Pectin is a major component of primary cell walls of all land plants and encompasses a range of galacturonic acid-rich polysaccharides. Three major pectic polysaccharides (homogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan-I and rhamnogalacturonan-II) are thought to occur in all primary cell walls. This review surveys what is known about the structure and function of these pectin domains. The high degree of structural complexity and heterogeneity of the pectic matrix is produced both during biosynthesis in the endomembrane system and as a result of the action of an array of wall-based pectin-modifying enzymes. Recent developments in analytical techniques and in the generation of anti-pectin probes have begun to place the structural complexity of pectin in cell biological and developmental contexts. The in muro de-methyl-esterification of homogalacturonan by pectin methyl esterases is emerging as a key process for the local modulation of matrix properties. Rhamnogalacturonan-I comprises a highly diverse population of spatially and developmentally regulated polymers, whereas rhamnogalacturonan-II appears to be a highly conserved and stable pectic domain. Current knowledge of biosynthetic enzymes, plant and microbial pectinases and the interactions of pectin with other cell wall components and the impact of molecular genetic approaches are reviewed in terms of the functional analysis of pectic polysaccharides in plant growth and development.     

Developmental changes in guard cell wall structure and pectin composition in the moss Funaria: implications for function and evolution of stomata

Background and Aims

In seed plants, the ability of guard cell walls to move is imparted by pectins. Arabinan rhamnogalacturonan I (RG1) pectins confer flexibility while unesterified homogalacturonan (HG) pectins impart rigidity. Recognized as the first extant plants with stomata, mosses are key to understanding guard cell function and evolution. Moss stomata open and close for only a short period during capsule expansion. This study examines the ultrastructure and pectin composition of guard cell walls during development in Funaria hygrometrica and relates these features to the limited movement of stomata.

Methods

Developing stomata were examined and immunogold-labelled in transmission electron microscopy using monoclonal antibodies to five pectin epitopes: LM19 (unesterified HG), LM20 (esterified HG), LM5 (galactan RG1), LM6 (arabinan RG1) and LM13 (linear arabinan RG1). Labels for pectin type were quantitated and compared across walls and stages on replicated, independent samples.

Key Results

Walls were four times thinner before pore formation than in mature stomata. When stomata opened and closed, guard cell walls were thin and pectinaceous before the striated internal and thickest layer was deposited. Unesterified HG localized strongly in early layers but weakly in the thick internal layer. Labelling was weak for esterified HG, absent for galactan RG1 and strong for arabinan RG1. Linear arabinan RG1 is the only pectin that exclusively labelled guard cell walls. Pectin content decreased but the proportion of HG to arabinans changed only slightly.

Conclusions

This is the first study to demonstrate changes in pectin composition during stomatal development in any plant. Movement of Funaria stomata coincides with capsule expansion before layering of guard cell walls is complete. Changes in wall architecture coupled with a decrease in total pectin may be responsible for the inability of mature stomata to move. Specialization of guard cells in mosses involves the addition of linear arabinans.     

Tuning of Pectin Methylesterification: PECTIN METHYLESTERASE INHIBITOR 7 MODULATES THE PROCESSIVE ACTIVITY OF CO-EXPRESSED PECTIN METHYLESTERASE 3 IN A pH-DEPENDENT MANNER*

Pectin methylesterases (PMEs) catalyze the demethylesterification of homogalacturonan domains of pectin in plant cell walls and are regulated by endogenous pectin methylesterase inhibitors (PMEIs). In Arabidopsis dark-grown hypocotyls, one PME (AtPME3) and one PMEI (AtPMEI7) were identified as potential interacting proteins. Using RT-quantitative PCR analysis and gene promoter::GUS fusions, we first showed that AtPME3 and AtPMEI7 genes had overlapping patterns of expression in etiolated hypocotyls. The two proteins were identified in hypocotyl cell wall extracts by proteomics. To investigate the potential interaction between AtPME3 and AtPMEI7, both proteins were expressed in a heterologous system and purified by affinity chromatography. The activity of recombinant AtPME3 was characterized on homogalacturonans (HGs) with distinct degrees/patterns of methylesterification. AtPME3 showed the highest activity at pH 7.5 on HG substrates with a degree of methylesterification between 60 and 80% and a random distribution of methyl esters. On the best HG substrate, AtPME3 generates long non-methylesterified stretches and leaves short highly methylesterified zones, indicating that it acts as a processive enzyme. The recombinant AtPMEI7 and AtPME3 interaction reduces the level of demethylesterification of the HG substrate but does not inhibit the processivity of the enzyme. These data suggest that the AtPME3·AtPMEI7 complex is not covalently linked and could, depending on the pH, be alternately formed and dissociated. Docking analysis indicated that the inhibition of AtPME3 could occur via the interaction of AtPMEI7 with a PME ligand-binding cleft structure. All of these data indicate that AtPME3 and AtPMEI7 could be partners involved in the fine tuning of HG methylesterification during plant development.     

CGR2 and CGR3 have critical overlapping roles in pectin methylesterification and plant growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

Pectins are critical polysaccharides of the cell wall that are involved in key aspects of a plant's life, including cell‐wall stiffness, cell‐to‐cell adhesion, and mechanical strength. Pectins undergo methylesterification, which affects their cellular roles. Pectin methyltransferases are believed to methylesterify pectins in the Golgi, but little is known about their identity. To date, there is only circumstantial evidence to support a role for QUASIMODO2 (QUA2)‐like proteins and an unrelated plant‐specific protein, cotton Golgi‐related 3 (CGR3), in pectin methylesterification. To add to the knowledge of pectin biosynthesis, here we characterized a close homolog of CGR3, named CGR2, and evaluated the effect of loss‐of‐function mutants and over‐expression lines of CGR2 and CGR3 in planta. Our results show that, similar to CGR3, CGR2 is a Golgi protein whose enzyme active site is located in the Golgi lumen where pectin methylesterification occurs. Through phenotypical analyses, we also established that simultaneous loss of CGR2 and CGR3 causes severe defects in plant growth and development, supporting critical but overlapping functional roles of these proteins. Qualitative and quantitative cell‐wall analytical assays of the double knockout mutant demonstrated reduced levels of pectin methylesterification, coupled with decreased microsomal pectin methyltransferase activity. Conversely, CGR2 and CGR3 over‐expression lines have markedly opposite phenotypes to the double knockout mutant, with increased cell‐wall methylesterification levels and microsomal pectin methyltransferase activity. Based on these findings, we propose that CGR2 and CGR3 are critical proteins in plant growth and development that act redundantly in pectin methylesterification in the Golgi apparatus.     

Pectic arabinan side chains are essential for pollen cell wall integrity during pollen development

Pectin is a complex polysaccharide and an integral part of the primary plant cell wall and middle lamella, contributing to cell wall mechanical strength and cell adhesion. To understand the structure–function relationships of pectin in the cell wall, a set of transgenic potato lines with altered pectin composition was analysed. The expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in pectin acetylation, degradation of the rhamnogalacturonan backbone and type and length of neutral side chains, arabinan and galactan in particular, has been altered. Upon crossing of different transgenic lines, some transgenes were not transmitted to the next generation when these lines were used as a pollen donor, suggesting male sterility. Viability of mature pollen was severely decreased in potato lines with reduced pectic arabinan, but not in lines with altered galactan side chains. Anthers and pollen of different developmental stages were microscopically examined to study the phenotype in more detail. Scanning electron microscopy of flowers showed collapsed pollen grains in mature anthers and in earlier stages cytoplasmic protrusions at the site of the of kin pore, eventually leading to bursting of the pollen grain and leaking of the cytoplasm. This phenomenon is only observed after the microspores are released and the tapetum starts to degenerate. Timing of the phenotype indicates a role for pectic arabinan side chains during remodelling of the cell wall when the pollen grain is maturing and dehydrating.     

High‐throughput screening of Erwinia chrysanthemi pectin methylesterase variants using carbohydrate microarrays

Pectin methylesterases (PMEs) catalyse the removal of methyl esters from the homogalacturonan (HG) backbone domain of pectin, a ubiquitous polysaccharide in plant cell walls. The degree of methyl esterification (DE) impacts upon the functional properties of HG within cell walls and plants produce numerous PMEs that act upon HG in muro. Many microbial plant pathogens also produce PMEs, the activity of which renders HG more susceptible to cleavage by pectin lyase and polygalacturonase enzymes and hence aids cell wall degradation. We have developed a novel microarray‐based approach to investigate the activity of a series of variant enzymes based on the PME from the important pathogen Erwinia chrysanthemi. A library of 99 E. chrysanthemi PME mutants was created in which seven amino acids were altered by various different substitutions. Each mutant PME was incubated with a highly methyl esterified lime pectin substrate and, after digestion the enzyme/substrate mixtures were printed as microarrays. The loss of activity that resulted from certain mutations was detected by probing arrays with a mAb (JIM7) that preferentially binds to HG with a relatively high DE. Active PMEs therefore resulted in diminished JIM7 binding to the lime pectin substrate, whereas inactive PMEs did not. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of our approach for rapidly testing the effects on PME activity of substituting a wide variety of amino acids at different positions.