Heterodimeric Capping Protein from Arabidopsis Is a Membrane-Associated,Actin-Binding Protein

The actin cytoskeleton is a major regulator of cell morphogenesis and responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli. The organization and activities of the cytoskeleton are choreographed by hundreds of accessory proteins. Many actin-binding proteins are thought to be stimulus-response regulators that bind to signaling phospholipids and change their activity upon lipid binding. Whether these proteins associate with and/or are regulated by signaling lipids in plant cells remains poorly understood. Heterodimeric capping protein (CP) is a conserved and ubiquitous regulator of actin dynamics. It binds to the barbed end of filaments with high affinity and modulates filament assembly and disassembly reactions in vitro. Direct interaction of CP with phospholipids, including phosphatidic acid, results in uncapping of filament ends in vitro. Live-cell imaging and reverse-genetic analyses of cp mutants in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) recently provided compelling support for a model in which CP activity is negatively regulated by phosphatidic acid in vivo. Here, we used complementary biochemical, subcellular fractionation, and immunofluorescence microscopy approaches to elucidate CP-membrane association. We found that CP is moderately abundant in Arabidopsis tissues and present in a microsomal membrane fraction. Sucrose density gradient separation and immunoblotting with known compartment markers were used to demonstrate that CP is enriched on membrane-bound organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi. This association could facilitate cross talk between the actin cytoskeleton and a wide spectrum of essential cellular functions such as organelle motility and signal transduction.The cellular levels of membrane-associated lipids undergo dynamic changes in response to developmental and environmental stimuli. Different species of phospholipids target specific proteins and this often affects the activity and/or subcellular localization of these lipid-binding proteins. One such membrane lipid, phosphatidic acid (PA), serves as a second messenger and regulates multiple developmental processes in plants, including seedling development, root hair growth and pattern formation, pollen tube growth, leaf senescence, and fruit ripening. PA levels also change during various stress responses, including high salinity and dehydration, pathogen attack, and cold tolerance (Testerink and Munnik, 2005, 2011; Wang, 2005; Li et al., 2009). In mammalian cells, PA is critical for vesicle trafficking events, such as vesicle budding from the Golgi apparatus, vesicle transport, exocytosis, endocytosis, and vesicle fusion (Liscovitch et al., 2000; Freyberg et al., 2003; Jenkins and Frohman, 2005).The actin cytoskeleton and a plethora of actin-binding proteins (ABPs) are well-known targets and transducers of lipid signaling (Drøbak et al., 2004; Saarikangas et al., 2010; Pleskot et al., 2013). For example, several ABPs have the ability to bind phosphoinositide lipids, such as phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P₂]. The severing or actin filament depolymerizing proteins such as villin, cofilin, and profilin are inhibited when bound to PtdIns(4,5)P₂. One ABP appears to be strongly regulated by another phospholipid; human gelsolin binds to lysophosphatidic acid and its filament severing and barbed-end capping activities are inhibited by this biologically active lipid (Meerschaert et al., 1998). Gelsolin is not, however, regulated by PA (Meerschaert et al., 1998), nor are profilin (Lassing and Lindberg, 1985), α-actinin (Fraley et al., 2003), or chicken CapZ (Schafer et al., 1996).The heterodimeric capping protein (CP) from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) also binds to and its activity is inhibited by phospholipids, including both PtdIns(4,5)P₂ and PA (Huang et al., 2003, 2006). PA and phospholipase D activity have been implicated in the actin-dependent tip growth of root hairs and pollen tubes (Ohashi et al., 2003; Potocký et al., 2003; Samaj et al., 2004; Monteiro et al., 2005a; Pleskot et al., 2010). Exogenous application of PA causes an elevation of actin filament levels in suspension cells, pollen, and Arabidopsis epidermal cells (Lee et al., 2003; Potocký et al., 2003; Huang et al., 2006; Li et al., 2012; Pleskot et al., 2013). Capping protein (CP) binds to the barbed end of actin filaments with high (nanomolar) affinity, dissociates quite slowly, and prevents the addition of actin subunits at this end (Huang et al., 2003, 2006; Kim et al., 2007). In the presence of phospholipids, AtCP is not able to bind to the barbed end of actin filaments (Huang et al., 2003, 2006). Furthermore, capped filament ends are uncapped by the addition of PA, allowing actin assembly from a pool of profilin-actin (Huang et al., 2006). Collectively, these data lead to a simple model whereby CP, working in concert with profilin-actin, serves to maintain tight regulation of actin assembly at filament barbed ends (Huang et al., 2006; Blanchoin et al., 2010; Henty-Ridilla et al., 2013; Pleskot et al., 2013). Furthermore, the availability of CP for filament ends can be modulated by fluxes in signaling lipids. Genetic evidence for this model was recently obtained by analyzing the dynamic behavior of actin filament ends in living Arabidopsis epidermal cells after treatment with exogenous PA (Li et al., 2012). Specifically, changes in the architecture of cortical actin arrays and dynamics of individual actin filaments that are induced by PA treatment were found to be attenuated in cp mutant cells (Li et al., 2012; Pleskot et al., 2013).Structural characterization of chicken CapZ demonstrates that the α- and β-subunits of the heterodimer form a compact structure resembling a mushroom with pseudo-two-fold rotational symmetry (Yamashita et al., 2003). Actin- and phospholipid-binding sites are conserved on the C-terminal regions, sometimes referred to as tentacles, which comprise amphipathic α-helices (Cooper and Sept, 2008; Pleskot et al., 2012). Coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations recently revealed the mechanism of chicken and AtCP association with membranes (Pleskot et al., 2012). AtCP interacts specifically with lipid bilayers through interactions between PA and the amphipathic helix of the α-subunit tentacle. Extensive polar contacts between lipid headgroups and basic residues on CP (including K278, which is unique to plant CP), as well as partial embedding of nonpolar groups into the lipid bilayer, are observed (Pleskot et al., 2012). Moreover, a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein containing the C-terminal 38 amino acids from capping protein α subunit (CPA) is sufficient to bind PA-containing liposomes in vitro (Pleskot et al., 2012). Collectively, these findings lead us to predict that AtCP will behave like a membrane-associated protein in plant cells.Additional evidence from animal and microbial cells supports the association of CP with biological membranes. In Acanthamoeba castellanii, CP is localized primarily to the hyaline ectoplasm in a region of the cytoplasm just under the plasma membrane that contains a high concentration of actin filaments (Cooper et al., 1984). Localization of CP with regions rich in actin filaments and with membranes was supported by subcellular fractionation experiments, in which CP was associated with a crude membrane fraction that included plasma membrane (Cooper et al., 1984). Further evidence demonstrates that CP localizes to cortical actin patches at sites of new cell wall growth in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), including the site of bud emergence. By contrast, CP did not colocalize with actin cables in S. cerevisiae (Amatruda and Cooper, 1992). CP may localize to these sites by direct interactions with membrane lipids, through binding the ends of actin filaments, or by association with another protein different from actin. In support of this hypothesis, GFP-CP fusion proteins demonstrate that sites of actin assembling in living cells contain both CP and the actin-related protein2/3 (Arp2/3) complex, and CP is located in two types of structures: (1) motile regions of the cell periphery, which reflect movement of the edge of the lamella during extension and ruffling; and (2) dynamic spots within the lamella (Schafer et al., 1998). CP has been colocalized to the F-actin patches in fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe; Kovar et al., 2005), which promotes Arp2/3-dependent nucleation and branching and limits the extent of filament elongation (Akin and Mullins, 2008). These findings lend additional support for a model whereby CP cooperates with the Arp2/3 complex to regulate actin dynamics (Nakano and Mabuchi, 2006). Activities and localization of other plant ABPs are linked to membranes. Membrane association has been linked to the assembly status of the ARP2/3 complex, an actin filament nucleator, in Arabidopsis (Kotchoni et al., 2009). SPIKE1 (SPK1), a Rho of plants (Rop)-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) and peripheral membrane protein, maintains the homeostasis of the early secretory pathway and signal integration during morphogenesis through specialized domains in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER; Zhang et al., 2010). Furthermore, Nck-associated protein1 (NAP1), a component of the suppressor of cAMP receptor/WASP-family verprolin homology protein (SCAR/WAVE) complex, strongly associates with membranes and is particularly enriched in ER membranes (Zhang et al., 2013a). Finally, a superfamily of plant ABPs, called NETWORKED proteins, was recently discovered; these link the actin cytoskeleton to various cellular membranes (Deeks et al., 2012; Hawkins et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2014).In this work, we demonstrate that CP is a membrane-associated protein in Arabidopsis. To our knowledge, this is the first direct evidence for CP-membrane association in plants. This interaction likely targets CP to cellular compartments such as the ER and Golgi. This unique location may allow CP to remodel the actin cytoskeleton in the vicinity of endomembrane compartments and/or to respond rapidly to fluxes in signaling lipids.     

ACTIN DEPOLYMERIZING FACTOR4 Regulates Actin Dynamics during Innate Immune Signaling in Arabidopsis

Conserved microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) are sensed by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) on cells of plants and animals. MAMP perception typically triggers rearrangements to actin cytoskeletal arrays during innate immune signaling. However, the signaling cascades linking PRR activation by MAMPs to cytoskeleton remodeling are not well characterized. Here, we developed a system to dissect, at high spatial and temporal resolution, the regulation of actin dynamics during innate immune signaling in plant cells. Within minutes of MAMP perception, we detected changes to single actin filament turnover in epidermal cells treated with bacterial and fungal MAMPs. These MAMP-induced alterations phenocopied an ACTIN DEPOLYMERIZING FACTOR4 (ADF4) knockout mutant. Moreover, actin arrays in the adf4 mutant were unresponsive to a bacterial MAMP, elf26, but responded normally to the fungal MAMP, chitin. Together, our data provide strong genetic and cytological evidence for the inhibition of ADF activity regulating actin remodeling during innate immune signaling. This work is the first to directly link an ADF/cofilin to the cytoskeletal rearrangements elicited directly after pathogen perception in plant or mammalian cells.     

Phosphatidic Acid Regulates Microtubule Organization by Interacting with MAP65-1 in Response to Salt Stress in Arabidopsis

Membrane lipids play fundamental structural and regulatory roles in cell metabolism and signaling. Here, we report that phosphatidic acid (PA), a product of phospholipase D (PLD), regulates MAP65-1, a microtubule-associated protein, in response to salt stress. Knockout of the PLDα1 gene resulted in greater NaCl-induced disorganization of microtubules, which could not be recovered during or after removal of the stress. Salt affected the association of MAP65-1 with microtubules, leading to microtubule disorganization in pldα1cells, which was alleviated by exogenous PA. PA bound to MAP65-1, increasing its activity in enhancing microtubule polymerization and bundling. Overexpression of MAP65-1 improved salt tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana cells. Mutations of eight amino acids in MAP65-1 led to the loss of its binding to PA, microtubule-bundling activity, and promotion of salt tolerance. The pldα1 map65-1 double mutant showed greater sensitivity to salt stress than did either single mutant. These results suggest that PLDα1-derived PA binds to MAP65-1, thus mediating microtubule stabilization and salt tolerance. The identification of MAP65-1 as a target of PA reveals a functional connection between membrane lipids and the cytoskeleton in environmental stress signaling.     

The Coronatine Toxin of Pseudomonas syringae Is a Multifunctional Suppressor of Arabidopsis Defense

The phytotoxin coronatine (COR) promotes various aspects of Pseudomonas syringae virulence, including invasion through stomata, growth in the apoplast, and induction of disease symptoms. COR is a structural mimic of active jasmonic acid (JA) conjugates. Known activities of COR are mediated through its binding to the F-box–containing JA coreceptor CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1. By analyzing the interaction of P. syringae mutants with Arabidopsis thaliana mutants, we demonstrate that, in the apoplastic space of Arabidopsis, COR is a multifunctional defense suppressor. COR and the critical P. syringae type III effector HopM1 target distinct signaling steps to suppress callose deposition. In addition to its well-documented ability to suppress salicylic acid (SA) signaling, COR suppresses an SA-independent pathway contributing to callose deposition by reducing accumulation of an indole glucosinolate upstream of the activity of the PEN2 myrosinase. COR also suppresses callose deposition and promotes bacterial growth in coi1 mutant plants, indicating that COR may have multiple targets inside plant cells.     

The Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase CPK28 Regulates Development by Inducing Growth Phase-Specific,Spatially Restricted Alterations in Jasmonic Acid Levels Independent of Defense Responses in Arabidopsis

Phytohormones play an important role in development and stress adaptations in plants, and several interacting hormonal pathways have been suggested to accomplish fine-tuning of stress responses at the expense of growth. This work describes the role played by the CALCIUM-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE CPK28 in balancing phytohormone-mediated development in Arabidopsis thaliana, specifically during generative growth. cpk28 mutants exhibit growth reduction solely as adult plants, coinciding with altered balance of the phytohormones jasmonic acid (JA) and gibberellic acid (GA). JA-dependent gene expression and the levels of several JA metabolites were elevated in a growth phase-dependent manner in cpk28, and accumulation of JA metabolites was confined locally to the central rosette tissue. No elevated resistance toward herbivores or necrotrophic pathogens was detected for cpk28 plants, either on the whole-plant level or specifically within the tissue displaying elevated JA levels. Abolishment of JA biosynthesis or JA signaling led to a full reversion of the cpk28 growth phenotype, while modification of GA signaling did not. Our data identify CPK28 as a growth phase-dependent key negative regulator of distinct processes: While in seedlings, CPK28 regulates reactive oxygen species-mediated defense signaling; in adult plants, CPK28 confers developmental processes by the tissue-specific balance of JA and GA without affecting JA-mediated defense responses.     

PHOSPHATIDIC ACID PHOSPHOHYDROLASE Regulates Phosphatidylcholine Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis by Phosphatidic Acid-Mediated Activation of CTP:PHOSPHOCHOLINE CYTIDYLYLTRANSFERASE Activity

Regulation of membrane lipid biosynthesis is critical for cell function. We previously reported that disruption of PHOSPHATIDIC ACID PHOSPHOHYDROLASE1 (PAH1) and PAH2 stimulates net phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis and proliferation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we show that this response is caused specifically by a reduction in the catalytic activity of the protein and positively correlates with an accumulation of its substrate, phosphatidic acid (PA). The accumulation of PC in pah1 pah2 is suppressed by disruption of CTP:PHOSPHOCHOLINE CYTIDYLYLTRANSFERASE1 (CCT1), which encodes a key enzyme in the nucleotide pathway for PC biosynthesis. The activity of recombinant CCT1 is stimulated by lipid vesicles containing PA. Truncation of CCT1, to remove the predicted C-terminal amphipathic lipid binding domain, produced a constitutively active enzyme. Overexpression of native CCT1 in Arabidopsis has no significant effect on PC biosynthesis or ER morphology, but overexpression of the truncated constitutively active version largely replicates the pah1 pah2 phenotype. Our data establish that membrane homeostasis is regulated by lipid composition in Arabidopsis and reveal a mechanism through which the abundance of PA, mediated by PAH activity, modulates CCT activity to govern PC content.     

Clathrin Light Chains Regulate Clathrin-Mediated Trafficking,Auxin Signaling,and Development in Arabidopsis

Plant clathrin-mediated membrane trafficking is involved in many developmental processes as well as in responses to environmental cues. Previous studies have shown that clathrin-mediated endocytosis of the plasma membrane (PM) auxin transporter PIN-FORMED1 is regulated by the extracellular auxin receptor AUXIN BINDING PROTEIN1 (ABP1). However, the mechanisms by which ABP1 and other factors regulate clathrin-mediated trafficking are poorly understood. Here, we applied a genetic strategy and time-resolved imaging to dissect the role of clathrin light chains (CLCs) and ABP1 in auxin regulation of clathrin-mediated trafficking in Arabidopsis thaliana. Auxin was found to differentially regulate the PM and trans-Golgi network/early endosome (TGN/EE) association of CLCs and heavy chains (CHCs) in an ABP1-dependent but TRANSPORT INHIBITOR RESPONSE1/AUXIN-BINDING F-BOX PROTEIN (TIR1/AFB)-independent manner. Loss of CLC2 and CLC3 affected CHC membrane association, decreased both internalization and intracellular trafficking of PM proteins, and impaired auxin-regulated endocytosis. Consistent with these results, basipetal auxin transport, auxin sensitivity and distribution, and root gravitropism were also found to be dramatically altered in clc2 clc3 double mutants, resulting in pleiotropic defects in plant development. These results suggest that CLCs are key regulators in clathrin-mediated trafficking downstream of ABP1-mediated signaling and thus play a critical role in membrane trafficking from the TGN/EE and PM during plant development.     

Polyamine Oxidase5 Regulates Arabidopsis Growth through Thermospermine Oxidase Activity

The major plant polyamines (PAs) are the tetraamines spermine (Spm) and thermospermine (T-Spm), the triamine spermidine, and the diamine putrescine. PA homeostasis is governed by the balance between biosynthesis and catabolism; the latter is catalyzed by polyamine oxidase (PAO). Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) has five PAO genes, AtPAO1 to AtPAO5, and all encoded proteins have been biochemically characterized. All AtPAO enzymes function in the back-conversion of tetraamine to triamine and/or triamine to diamine, albeit with different PA specificities. Here, we demonstrate that AtPAO5 loss-of-function mutants (pao5) contain 2-fold higher T-Spm levels and exhibit delayed transition from vegetative to reproductive growth compared with that of wild-type plants. Although the wild type and pao5 are indistinguishable at the early seedling stage, externally supplied low-dose T-Spm, but not other PAs, inhibits aerial growth of pao5 mutants in a dose-dependent manner. Introduction of wild-type AtPAO5 into pao5 mutants rescues growth and reduces the T-Spm content, demonstrating that AtPAO5 is a T-Spm oxidase. Recombinant AtPAO5 catalyzes the conversion of T-Spm and Spm to triamine spermidine in vitro. AtPAO5 specificity for T-Spm in planta may be explained by coexpression with T-Spm synthase but not with Spm synthase. The pao5 mutant lacking T-Spm oxidation and the acl5 mutant lacking T-Spm synthesis both exhibit growth defects. This study indicates a crucial role for T-Spm in plant growth and development.Polyamines (PAs) are low-molecular mass aliphatic amines that are present in almost all living organisms. Cellular PA concentrations are governed primarily by the balance between biosynthesis and catabolism. In plants, the major PAs are the diamine putrescine (Put), the triamine spermidine (Spd), and the tetraamines spermine (Spm) and thermospermine (T-Spm; Kusano et al., 2008; Alcázar et al., 2010; Mattoo et al., 2010; Takahashi and Kakehi, 2010; Tiburcio et al., 2014). Put is synthesized from Orn by Orn decarboxylase and/or from Arg by three sequential reactions catalyzed by Arg decarboxylase (ADC), agmatine iminohydrolase, and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) does not contain an ORNITHINE DECARBOXYLASE gene (Hanfrey et al., 2001) and synthesizes Put from Arg via the ADC pathway. Put is further converted to Spd via an aminopropyltransferase reaction catalyzed by spermidine synthase (SPDS). In this reaction, an aminopropyl residue is transferred to Put from decarboxylated S-adenosyl-Met, which is synthesized by S-adenosyl-Met decarboxylase (SAMDC; Kusano et al., 2008). Spd is then converted to Spm or T-Spm, reactions catalyzed in Arabidopsis by spermine synthase (SPMS; encoded by SPMS) or thermospermine synthase (encoded by Acaulis5 [ACL5]), respectively (Hanzawa et al., 2000; Knott et al., 2007; Kakehi et al., 2008; Naka et al., 2010). A recent review reports that T-Spm is ubiquitously present in the plant kingdom (Takano et al., 2012).The PA catabolic pathway has been extensively studied in mammals. Spm and Spd acetylation by Spd/Spm-N¹-acetyltransferase (Enzyme Commission no. 2.3.1.57) precedes the catabolism of PAs and is a rate-limiting step in the catabolic pathway (Wallace et al., 2003). A mammalian polyamine oxidase (PAO), which requires FAD as a cofactor, oxidizes N¹-acetyl Spm and N¹-acetyl Spd at the carbon on the exo-side of the N⁴-nitrogen to produce Spd and Put, respectively (Wang et al., 2001; Vujcic et al., 2003; Wu et al., 2003; Cona et al., 2006). Mammalian spermine oxidases (SMOs) perform oxidation of the carbon on the exo-side of the N⁴-nitrogen to produce Spd, 3-aminopropanal, and hydrogen peroxide (Vujcic et al., 2002; Cervelli et al., 2003; Wang et al., 2003). Thus, mammalian PAOs and SMOs are classified as back-conversion (BC)-type PAOs.In plants, Spm, T-Spm, and Spd are catabolized by PAO. Plant PAOs derived from maize (Zea mays) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) catalyze terminal catabolism (TC)-type reactions (Tavladoraki et al., 1998). TC-type PAOs oxidize the carbon at the endo-side of the N⁴-nitrogen of Spm and Spd to produce N-(3-aminopropyl)-4-aminobutanal and 4-aminobutanal, respectively, plus 1,3-diaminopropane and hydrogen peroxide (Cona et al., 2006; Angelini et al., 2008, 2010). The Arabidopsis genome contains five PAO genes, designated as AtPAO1 to AtPAO5. Four recombinant AtPAOs, AtPAO1 to AtPAO4, have been homogenously purified and characterized (Tavladoraki et al., 2006; Kamada-Nobusada et al., 2008; Moschou et al., 2008; Takahashi et al., 2010; Fincato et al., 2011, 2012). AtPAO1 to AtPAO4 possess activities that convert Spm (or T-Spm) to Spd, called partial BC, or they convert Spm (or T-Spm) first to Spd and subsequently to Put, called full BC. Ahou et al. (2014) report that recombinant AtPAO5 also catalyzes a BC-type reaction. Therefore, all Arabidopsis PAOs are BC-type enzymes (Kamada-Nobusada et al., 2008; Moschou et al., 2008; Takahashi et al., 2010; Fincato et al., 2011, 2012; Ahou et al., 2014). Four of the seven PAOs in rice (Oryza sativa; OsPAO1, OsPAO3, OsPAO4, and OsPAO5) catalyze BC-type reactions (Ono et al., 2012; Liu et al., 2014a), whereas OsPAO7 catalyzes a TC-type reaction (Liu et al., 2014b). OsPAO2 and OsPAO6 remain to be characterized, but may catalyze TC-type reactions based on their structural similarity with OsPAO7. Therefore, plants possess both TC-type and BC-type PAOs.PAs are involved in plant growth and development. Recent molecular genetic analyses in Arabidopsis indicate that metabolic blocks at the ADC, SPDS, or SAMDC steps lead to embryo lethality (Imai et al., 2004; Urano et al., 2005; Ge et al., 2006). Potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants with suppressed SAMDC expression display abnormal phenotypes (Kumar et al., 1996). It was also reported that hydrogen peroxide derived from PA catabolism affects root development and xylem differentiation (Tisi et al., 2011). These studies indicate that flux through metabolic and catabolic PA pathways is required for growth and development. The Arabidopsis acl5 mutant, which lacks T-Spm synthase activity, displays excessive differentiation of xylem tissues and a dwarf phenotype, especially in stems (Hanzawa et al., 2000; Kakehi et al., 2008, 2010). An allelic ACL5 mutant (thickvein [tkv]) exhibits a similar phenotype as that of acl5 (Clay and Nelson, 2005). These results indicate that T-Spm plays an important role in Arabidopsis xylem differentiation (Vera-Sirera et al., 2010; Takano et al., 2012).Here, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis pao5 mutants contain 2-fold higher T-Spm levels and exhibit aerial tissue growth retardation approximately 50 d after sowing compared with that of wild-type plants. Growth inhibition of pao5 stems and leaves at an early stage of development is induced by growth on media containing low T-Spm concentrations. Complementation of pao5 with AtPAO5 rescues T-Spm-induced growth inhibition. We confirm that recombinant AtPAO5 catalyzes BC of T-Spm (or Spm) to Spd. Our data strongly suggest that endogenous T-Spm levels in Arabidopsis are fine tuned, and that AtPAO5 regulates T-Spm homeostasis through a T-Spm oxidation pathway.     

Salicylic Acid Regulates Arabidopsis Microbial Pattern Receptor Kinase Levels and Signaling

In Arabidopsis thaliana, responses to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) are mediated by cell surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and include the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, callose deposition in the cell wall, and the generation of the signal molecule salicylic acid (SA). SA acts in a positive feedback loop with ACCELERATED CELL DEATH6 (ACD6), a membrane protein that contributes to immunity. This work shows that PRRs associate with and are part of the ACD6/SA feedback loop. ACD6 positively regulates the abundance of several PRRs and affects the responsiveness of plants to two PAMPs. SA accumulation also causes increased levels of PRRs and potentiates the responsiveness of plants to PAMPs. Finally, SA induces PRR- and ACD6-dependent signaling to induce callose deposition independent of the presence of PAMPs. This PAMP-independent effect of SA causes a transient reduction of PRRs and ACD6-dependent reduced responsiveness to PAMPs. Thus, SA has a dynamic effect on the regulation and function of PRRs. Within a few hours, SA signaling promotes defenses and downregulates PRRs, whereas later (within 24 to 48 h) SA signaling upregulates PRRs, and plants are rendered more responsive to PAMPs. These results implicate multiple modes of signaling for PRRs in response to PAMPs and SA.     

Role of Aminoalcoholphosphotransferases 1 and 2 in Phospholipid Homeostasis in Arabidopsis

Aminoalcoholphosphotransferase (AAPT) catalyzes the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphotidylethanolamine (PE), which are the most prevalent membrane phospholipids in all eukaryotic cells. Here, we show that suppression of AAPTs results in extensive membrane phospholipid remodeling in Arabidopsis thaliana. Double knockout (KO) mutants that are hemizygous for either aapt1 or aapt2 display impaired pollen and seed development, leading to embryotic lethality of the double KO plants, whereas aapt1 or aapt2 single KO plants show no overt phenotypic alterations. The growth rate and seed yield of AAPT RNA interference (RNAi) plants are greatly reduced. Lipid profiling shows decreased total galactolipid and phospholipid content in aapt1-containing mutants, including aapt1, aapt1/aapt1 aapt2/AAPT2, aapt1/AAPT1 aapt2/aapt2, and AAPT RNAi plants. The level of PC in leaves was unchanged, whereas that of PE was reduced in all AAPT-deficient plants, except aapt2 KO. However, the acyl species of PC was altered, with increased levels of C34 species and decreased C36 species. Conversely, the levels of PE and phosphatidylinositol were decreased in C34 species. In seeds, all AAPT-deficient plants, including aapt2 KO, displayed a decrease in PE. The data show that AAPT1 and AAPT2 are essential to plant vegetative growth and reproduction and have overlapping functions but that AAPT1 contributes more than AAPT2 to PC production in vegetative tissues. The opposite changes in molecular species between PC and PE and unchanged PC level indicate the existence of additional pathways that maintain homeostatic levels of PC, which are crucial for the survival and proper development of plants.     

The Apoplastic Copper AMINE OXIDASE1 Mediates Jasmonic Acid-Induced Protoxylem Differentiation in Arabidopsis Roots

Polyamines are involved in key developmental processes and stress responses. Copper amine oxidases oxidize the polyamine putrescine (Put), producing an aldehyde, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) amine oxidase gene At4g14940 (AtAO1) encodes an apoplastic copper amine oxidase expressed at the early stages of vascular tissue differentiation in roots. Here, its role in root development and xylem differentiation was explored by pharmacological and forward/reverse genetic approaches. Analysis of the AtAO1 expression pattern in roots by a promoter::green fluorescent protein-β-glucuronidase fusion revealed strong gene expression in the protoxylem at the transition, elongation, and maturation zones. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) induced AtAO1 gene expression in vascular tissues, especially at the transition and elongation zones. Early protoxylem differentiation was observed upon MeJA treatment along with Put level decrease and H₂O₂ accumulation in wild-type roots, whereas Atao1 loss-of-function mutants were unresponsive to the hormone. The H₂O₂ scavenger N,N¹-dimethylthiourea reversed the MeJA-induced early protoxylem differentiation in wild-type seedlings. Likewise, Put, which had no effect on Atao1 mutants, induced early protoxylem differentiation in the wild type, this event being counteracted by N,N¹-dimethylthiourea treatment. Consistently, AtAO1-overexpressing plants showed lower Put levels and early protoxylem differentiation concurrent with H₂O₂ accumulation in the root zone where the first protoxylem cells with fully developed secondary wall thickenings are found. These results show that the H₂O₂ produced via AtAO1-driven Put oxidation plays a role in MeJA signaling leading to early protoxylem differentiation in root.Root development is affected by several environmental stresses that may result in the inhibition of root growth and/or the modulation of differentiation pattern. It is not surprising, then, that a complex network of hormonal signals control root architecture under either physiological or stress growth conditions, since in changing environments plants take advantage of root developmental plasticity. Thus, it is reasonable that root growth and vascular development can be either conveniently coordinated or selectively modulated in growing roots depending on specific plant needs, in order to ensure the appropriate water absorption and nutrient uptake in heterogenous soils with varying resource availability.During root vascular development, pericycle/vascular meristematic stem cells differentiate into procambial cell lineages, including protoxylem and metaxylem, intervening procambium, phloem, and pericycle (Mähönen et al., 2006; Petricka et al., 2012). Coordinated events of secondary cell wall deposition and programmed cell death (PCD) characterize the last stage of both protoxylem and metaxylem vessel maturation (Ohashi-Ito and Fukuda, 2010). It is well known that, under physiological conditions, an array of auxin, cytokinin, and brassinosteroid signaling pathways participate in root tissue differentiation (Petricka et al., 2012; Mähönen et al., 2014). Specifically, it has been proposed that vascular patterning is finely regulated by a feedback loop between auxin and cytokinin signaling pathways occurring through mutual inhibition (Bishopp et al., 2011; Perilli et al., 2012; Petricka et al., 2012). Brassinosteroids have also been shown to induce root growth and promote xylem differentiation by driving the entry of xylem precursors into the final stage of tracheary element differentiation (Yamamoto et al., 1997). Recently, reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been described to play a key role in the transition from cell proliferation to tissue differentiation in the root (Tsukagoshi et al., 2010), independently from the auxin/cytokinin feedback loop mentioned above. Indeed, while superoxide anion is required to maintain cell proliferation in the meristem, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is required for tissue differentiation in the elongation/differentiation zone.However, less attention has been devoted to xylem differentiation under stress growth conditions, when resource availability and/or water supply may be restrictive, creating the need for a rearrangement of root architecture and vascular differentiation. In this regard, an alteration of the temporal pattern of xylem differentiation was observed in roots of soybean (Glycine max) plants upon saline stress, with a delay in primary xylem differentiation and a precocious formation of secondary xylem (Hilal et al., 1998). Moreover, significant anatomical changes were observed to occur in roots of Agave salmiana under water stress, among them a reduction of vessel number and an increase of xylem diameter and wall thickness (Peña-Valdivia and Sánchez-Urdaneta, 2009). The rearrangement of root vascular tissues has also been reported to occur as a defense reaction against pathogen invasion, such as the regeneration of xylem vessels observed in a Fusarium spp. wilt-resistant carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Novada’) upon fungal infection to compensate for local vascular dysfunction (Baayen, 1986) as well as the vascular tissue redifferentiation revealed in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants following nematode invasion in order to counteract mechanical pressure (Møller et al., 1998). Moreover, xylem regeneration around a wound has been described in maize (Zea mays) seedling stems (Aloni and Plotkin, 1985).Of note, previous studies reported that the stress signaling hormone jasmonic acid (JA), while inducing root growth inhibition (Ren et al., 2009), behaves as a promoter of early vascular tissue differentiation (Cenzano et al., 2003) and xylogenesis (Fattorini et al., 2009). The role of JA in vascular tissue differentiation was first revealed in stolons of potato (Solanum tuberosum) during the tuberization process. In particular, exogenous JA accelerated potato tuber formation via the induction of both cell expansion and early differentiation of protoxylem vessels with ring-shaped secondary wall thickenings, leading to increased movement of nutrients toward the stolon tip (Cenzano et al., 2003). Moreover, exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) was reported to enhance the formation of adventitious roots and the development of xylogenic nodules in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) thin layers under root-inductive hormonal conditions (Fattorini et al., 2009).The polyamines (PAs) putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm) are small aliphatic polycations ubiquitous in living organisms and essential for cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation (Tavladoraki et al., 2012). In plants, PAs have been involved in a multiplicity of developmental processes as well as stress responses and tolerance strategies, their intracellular and extracellular levels varying in response to different physiological and pathological conditions (Mattoo et al., 2010). A fine regulation of their metabolism and/or transport ensures the occurrence of the appropriate PA levels depending on the specific cell needs (Tavladoraki et al., 2012). Oxidative deamination of PAs is catalyzed by amine oxidases (AOs) in a multistep mechanism, with the release of the removed amine moiety and amino aldehydes in the oxidative phase and the production of H₂O₂ in the reoxidation step of the reduced enzyme (Tavladoraki et al., 2012). Although AOs are a heterogenous class of enzymes varying in subcellular localization, tissue expression pattern, substrate specificity, and mode of catalysis, they share roles in both the homeostasis of PAs and the production of H₂O₂, the latter representing a common product in the AO-driven oxidative catabolism of PAs (Cona et al., 2006; Tavladoraki et al., 2012). On the basis of the cofactor involved, AOs can be classified into two subclasses: the copper amine oxidases (CuAOs), showing high affinity for Put, and the FAD-dependent polyamine oxidases (PAOs), whose preferred substrates are Spd, Spm, and/or their acetyl derivatives (Cona et al., 2006; Tavladoraki et al., 2012). In Arabidopsis, five PAO genes (AtPAOs) and 10 CuAO genes (AtCuAOs) were identified by database search and in some cases characterized at the protein level (Fincato et al., 2011; Planas-Portell et al., 2013; Ahou et al., 2014; Kim et al., 2014). Among CuAO genes, At4g14940 (The Arabidopsis Information Resource [TAIR] accession no. 2129519), here designed as AtAO1 (formerly ATAO1; Møller and McPherson, 1998), encodes an extracellular protein found in apoplastic fluids of Arabidopsis rosettes, as demonstrated by mass spectrometry analysis (Boudart et al., 2005).H₂O₂ derived from the extracellular catabolism of PAs by cell wall-localized AOs has been shown to be involved in both developmental processes, such as the light-induced inhibition of mesocotyl growth (Cona et al., 2003) and the PCD occurring in differentiating tracheary elements (Tisi et al., 2011b), as well as defense responses during wound healing (Angelini et al., 2008), salt stress (Moschou et al., 2008), and pathogen attack (Moschou et al., 2009). In this regard, AOs have also been suggested to act as stress-responsive genes whose expression strongly increases in response to both pathogen infection and abiotic stresses (Moschou et al., 2008; Tavladoraki et al., 2012). During the plant response to stresses, a faster apoplastic oxidation of PAs has been supposed to occur, allowed by the concurrent increase of PA secretion and catabolism in the cell wall, and the PA-derived H₂O₂ has been demonstrated to trigger signal transduction pathways leading to the induction of defense gene expression, stress tolerance, or PCD (Moschou et al., 2008; Tisi et al., 2011a). Recently, the dual role of PAs as either signaling compounds or the source of the second messenger H₂O₂ has been highlighted, and it has been hypothesized that AOs may have a role in PA/H₂O₂ balance (Moschou et al., 2008; Tisi et al., 2011a, 2011b). In fact, the coordinated modulation of PA metabolism and secretion in the cell wall may represent a crucial mechanism in the control of the PA-H₂O₂ ratio, which has been suggested to be a significant player in fixing cell fate and behavior under stress conditions (Moschou et al., 2008; Tisi et al., 2011a).It is worth noting that the H₂O₂ derived from the apoplastic PA catabolism has been shown to be involved in JA-dependent wound signaling pathways, behaving as a mediator of cell wall-stiffening events during wound healing (Cona et al., 2006; Angelini et al., 2008). Moreover, it has been reported recently that PA-derived H₂O₂ inhibits root growth and promotes xylem differentiation, inducing both cell wall-stiffening events and developmental PCD (Tisi et al., 2011a, 2011b). Indeed, Spd treatment in maize or overexpression of maize PAO (ZmPAO) in the cell wall of tobacco plants induced early differentiation and precocious cell death of xylem precursors along with enhanced in vivo H₂O₂ production in xylem tissues of maize and tobacco root apex, respectively (Tisi et al., 2011a, 2011b). Owing to the high rate of apoplastic Spd catabolism supposed to occur upon Spd supply or PAO overexpression, it has been suggested that, in such unphysiological status, plants may experience stress-like conditions under which the AO-driven H₂O₂ production may have a role in promoting xylem differentiation (Tisi et al., 2011a).Taking into account that AtAO1 is expressed at the early stages of vascular tissue development in Arabidopsis roots (Møller et al., 1998; Møller and McPherson, 1998), we explored the possibility that the cell wall-localized AtAO1 could be involved in JA signaling, leading to the induction of root xylem differentiation by means of both pharmacological and forward/reverse genetic approaches. Our results show that Atao1 loss-of-function mutants (TAIR accession nos. 1005841762 and 4284859) are unresponsive to MeJA signaling leading to root protoxylem differentiation. Conversely, AtAO1 overexpression leads to early protoxylem differentiation along with enhanced H₂O₂ production in the root zone where the first protoxylem cells with fully developed secondary wall thickenings can be observed. Overall, our data show that H₂O₂ produced via AtAO1-driven Put oxidation behaves as a mediator in JA-induced root xylem differentiation.Moreover, the data presented here suggest that Put-derived H₂O₂ may play a role in xylem differentiation under stress growth conditions such as those signaled by MeJA or simulated by either Put treatment or AtAO1 overexpression.     

Activation of Symbiosis Signaling by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Legumes and Rice

Establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal interactions involves plant recognition of diffusible signals from the fungus, including lipochitooligosaccharides (LCOs) and chitooligosaccharides (COs). Nitrogen-fixing rhizobial bacteria that associate with leguminous plants also signal to their hosts via LCOs, the so-called Nod factors. Here, we have assessed the induction of symbiotic signaling by the arbuscular mycorrhizal (Myc) fungal-produced LCOs and COs in legumes and rice (Oryza sativa). We show that Myc-LCOs and tetra-acetyl chitotetraose (CO4) activate the common symbiosis signaling pathway, with resultant calcium oscillations in root epidermal cells of Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus. The nature of the calcium oscillations is similar for LCOs produced by rhizobial bacteria and by mycorrhizal fungi; however, Myc-LCOs activate distinct gene expression. Calcium oscillations were activated in rice atrichoblasts by CO4, but not the Myc-LCOs, whereas a mix of CO4 and Myc-LCOs activated calcium oscillations in rice trichoblasts. In contrast, stimulation of lateral root emergence occurred following treatment with Myc-LCOs, but not CO4, in M. truncatula, whereas both Myc-LCOs and CO4 were active in rice. Our work indicates that legumes and non-legumes differ in their perception of Myc-LCO and CO signals, suggesting that different plant species respond to different components in the mix of signals produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.     

Constitutively Active Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Versions Reveal Functions of Arabidopsis MPK4 in Pathogen Defense Signaling

Plant mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are involved in important processes, including stress signaling and development. In a functional yeast screen, we identified mutations that render Arabidopsis thaliana MAPKs constitutively active (CA). Importantly, CA-MAPKs maintain their specificity toward known activators and substrates. As a proof-of-concept, Arabidopsis MAPK4 (MPK4) function in plant immunity was investigated. In agreement with the phenotype of mpk4 mutants, CA-MPK4 plants were compromised in pathogen-induced salicylic acid accumulation and disease resistance. MPK4 activity was found to negatively regulate pathogen-associated molecular pattern-induced reactive oxygen species production but had no impact on callose deposition, indicating that CA-MPK4 allows discriminating between processes regulated by MPK4 activity from processes indirectly affected by mpk4 mutation. Finally, MPK4 activity was also found to compromise effector-triggered immunity conditioned by the Toll Interleukin-1 Receptor–nucleotide binding (NB)–Leu-rich repeat (LRR) receptors RPS4 and RPP4 but not by the coiled coil–NB-LRR receptors RPM1 and RPS2. Overall, these data reveal important insights on how MPK4 regulates plant defenses and establishes that CA-MAPKs offer a powerful tool to analyze the function of plant MAPK pathways.     

Coexpressing Escherichia coli Cyclopropane Synthase with Sterculia foetida Lysophosphatidic Acid Acyltransferase Enhances Cyclopropane Fatty Acid Accumulation

Cyclopropane fatty acids (CPAs) are desirable as renewable chemical feedstocks for the production of paints, plastics, and lubricants. Toward our goal of creating a CPA-accumulating crop, we expressed nine higher plant cyclopropane synthase (CPS) enzymes in the seeds of fad2fae1 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and observed accumulation of less than 1% CPA. Surprisingly, expression of the Escherichia coli CPS gene resulted in the accumulation of up to 9.1% CPA in the seed. Coexpression of a Sterculia foetida lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (SfLPAT) increases CPA accumulation up to 35% in individual T1 seeds. However, seeds with more than 9% CPA exhibit wrinkled seed morphology and reduced size and oil accumulation. Seeds with more than 11% CPA exhibit strongly decreased seed germination and establishment, and no seeds with CPA more than 15% germinated. That previous reports suggest that plant CPS prefers the stereospecific numbering (sn)-1 position whereas E. coli CPS acts on sn-2 of phospholipids prompted us to investigate the preferred positions of CPS on phosphatidylcholine (PC) and triacylglycerol. Unexpectedly, in planta, E. coli CPS acts primarily on the sn-1 position of PC; coexpression of SfLPAT results in the incorporation of CPA at the sn-2 position of lysophosphatidic acid. This enables a cycle that enriches CPA at both sn-1 and sn-2 positions of PC and results in increased accumulation of CPA. These data provide proof of principle that CPA can accumulate to high levels in transgenic seeds and sets the stage for the identification of factors that will facilitate the movement of CPA from PC into triacylglycerol to produce viable seeds with additional CPA accumulation.Modified fatty acids (mFAs; sometimes referred to as unusual fatty acids) obtained from plants play important roles in industrial applications as lubricants, protective coatings, plastics, inks, cosmetics, etc. The hundreds of potential industrial uses of mFAs have led to considerable interest in exploring their production in transgenic crop plants. mFAs are produced by a limited number of species, and the transfer of genes encoding mFA-producing enzymes from source plants to heterologous hosts has generally resulted in only modest accumulation, usually less than 20% of the desired mFA in transgenic seed (Napier, 2007) compared with levels found in the natural source. For example, ricinoleic acid accounts for more than 90% of the fatty acid of castor bean (Ricinus communis) seeds, and tung (Aleuites fordii) seeds accumulate more than 80% α-eleostearic acid (Thelen and Ohlrogge, 2002; Drexler et al., 2003). In order to elevate the content of mFAs in the engineered plants to that found in the native plant, it is necessary to (1) optimize the synthesis of mFA (Mekhedov et al., 2001), (2) minimize its degradation (Eccleston and Ohlrogge, 1998), and (3) optimize its incorporation into triacylglycerol (TAG; Bafor et al., 1990; Bates and Browse, 2011; van Erp et al., 2011).Cyclic fatty acids (CFAs) are desirable for numerous industrial applications. The strained bond angles of the carbocyclic ring contribute to their unique chemistry and physical properties, and hydrogenation of CFAs results in ring opening to produce methyl-branched fatty acids. Branched chain fatty acids are ideally suited for the oleochemical industry as feedstocks for the production of lubricants, plastics, paints, dyes, and coatings (Carlsson et al., 2011). Cyclopropane fatty acids (CPAs) have been found in certain gymnosperms, Malvales, Litchi spp., and other Sapindales species. They accumulate to as much as 40% in seeds of Litchi chinensis (Vickery, 1980; Gaydou et al., 1993). Sterculia foetida accumulates the desaturated CFA (i.e. cyclopropene fatty acid) to more than 60% of its seed oil (Bohannon and Kleiman, 1978; Pasha and Ahmad, 1992). The first step in its synthesis is the formation of the CPA by the cyclopropane synthase (CPS) enzyme, which transfers a methyl group to C9 of the oleoyl-phospholipid followed by cyclization to form the cyclopropane ring (Grogan and Cronan, 1997; Bao et al., 2002, 2003). None of the known natural sources of CPA are suitable for its commercial production. Therefore, it would be desirable to create an oilseed crop plant that accumulates high levels of CPA by heterologously expressing CPS in seeds. However, to date, heterologous expression of plant cyclopropane synthase genes has led to only approximately 1.0% CPA in the transgenic seeds (Yu et al., 2011).Two pathways for the biosynthesis of TAG exist in plants (Bates and Browse, 2012; Fig. 1). The de novo biosynthesis from glycerol-3-phosphate and acyl-CoA occurs via the Kennedy pathway and includes three acyltransferases: glycerol-2-phosphate acyltransferase, acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAT), and acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT; Kennedy, 1961). Alternatively, acyl-CoAs can be redirected from phosphatidylcholine (PC) via the action of a phospholipase C, choline phosphotransferase, phosphatidylcholine:diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase (PDCT; Hu et al., 2012; Lu et al., 2009), or phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT; Dahlqvist et al., 2000). An acyl group can be released from PC to generate lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) by the back reaction of acyl-CoA:LPC acyltransferase (Stymne and Stobart, 1984; Wang et al., 2012) or a phospholipase A/acyl-CoA synthase (Chen et al., 2011).Open in a separate windowFigure 1.Schematic representation of the plant TAG biosynthesis network. Acyl editing can provide PC-modified fatty acids for de novo diacylglycerol/TAG synthesis. ACS, acyl-CoA synthase; CPT, CDP-choline:diacylglycerol choline phosphotransferase; G3P, glycerol-3-phosphate; GPAT, acyl-CoA:glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase; LPC acyltransferase, acyl-CoA:LPC acyltransferase; mFAS, modified fatty acid synthase (in this work, mFAS is CPS); PAP, phosphatidic acid phosphatase; PLA, phospholipase A; PLC, phospholipase C.LPAT is a pivotal enzyme controlling the metabolic flow of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) into different phosphatidic acids (PAs) in diverse tissues. Membrane-associated LPAT activities, identified in bacteria, yeast, plant, and animal cells, catalyze the transfer of acyl groups from acyl-CoA to LPA to synthesize PA. In plants and other organisms, LPAT activities have been identified in the endoplasmic reticulum (Kim et al., 2005), plasma membrane (Bursten et al., 1991), and mitochondria (Zborowski and Wojtczak, 1969). In higher plants, endoplasmic reticulum-localized LPAT plays an essential role transferring fatty acid from CoA esters to the sn-2 position of LPA in the synthesis of PA, a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of membrane phospholipids and storage lipids in developing seeds (Maisonneuve et al., 2010). LPAT from developing seeds of flax (Linum usitatissimum), rape (Brassica napus), and castor bean preferentially incorporate oleoyl-CoA, weakly incorporate cyclopropane acyl-CoA, and were unable to incorporate methyl-branched acyl-CoA when presented with an equimolar mix of these potential substrates (Nlandu Mputu et al., 2009). Thus, LPAT activity from agronomic plants constitutes a potential bottleneck for the incorporation of branched chain acyl-CoA into PA. In this work, we investigate the utility of an LPAT from a cyclopropanoid-syntheizing plant, S. foetida, with respect to its ability to enhance CPA accumulation. In our efforts to enhance CPA accumulation in transgenic plants, we screened CPS genes from diverse sources and identified Escherichia coli CPS (EcCPS) as an effective enzyme for the production of CPA in plants. However, EcCPS is reported to prefer the sn-2 position of E. coli phospholipid (Hildebrand and Law, 1964), and the data presented here show that its expression primarily leads to the accumulation of CPA at the stereospecific numbering (sn)-1 position. Moreover, coexpression of S. foetida lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (SfLPAT) results in the incorporation of CPA at the sn-2 position of LPA. Thus, coexpression of EcCPS and SfLPAT enables a cycle that enriches the accumulation of CPA at both sn-1 and sn-2 positions of PC and increases the accumulation of CPA. This work underscores the utility of coexpressing an acyltransferase from mFA-accumulating species with mFA-synthesizing enzymes to help mitigate bottlenecks in mFA TAG synthesis.