Chimeras of Delta6-fatty acid and Delta8-sphingolipid desaturases

The Borago officinalis Delta6 fatty acid desaturase (Boofd6) shares 58% identity in its amino acid sequence with Boofd8, a Delta8 sphingolipid desaturase from the same plant species. In order to localise the distinct catalytic properties of Boofd6 and Boofd8 to individual regions within them, a set of chimeras of these two enzymes were constructed and expressed in yeast. Chimera 2 is different from the other chimeras and Boofd6 in that it did not have any detectable desaturase activity on 18 carbon fatty acids. However, it desaturated C16 palmitoleic and C14 myristoleic acid, and the conversion rate for the later one was more than three times higher than that of Boofd6. These results suggest that the predicted membrane helices 1 and 2 of Boofd6 are involved in forming the substrate-binding site. This site appears to place constraints on the chain length of fatty acid substrates, which is similar to hydrophobic substrate binding pockets.     

Isolation and characterization of the genes encoding delta(8)-sphingolipid desaturase from Saccharomyces kluyveri and Kluyveromyces lactis

Saccharomyces kluyveri IFO 1685 and Kluyveromyces lactis IFO 1090 synthesize cerebroside containing 9-methyl- trans-4, trans-8-sphingadienine as a sphingoid base. From the genome of the two strains, the regions encompassing Delta(8)-sphingolipid desaturase were amplified and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences of these regions revealed single open reading frames of 1707 bp for S. kluyveri and 1722 bp for K. lactis, encoding polypeptides of 568 and 573 amino acids with molecular weights of 66.5 and 67.1 kDa, respectively. Conversion of 4-hydroxysphinganine to 4-hydroxy- trans-8-sphingenine in the cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was observed by the expressed gene from K. lactis and not by that from S. kluyveri. These findings may be explained by the difference in substrate specificity for the sphingoid base moiety between Delta(8)-sphingolipid desaturases of S. kluyveri and K. lactis.     

Functional identification of a delta8-sphingolipid desaturase from Borago officinalis

The similarities between delta12- and delta5-fatty acyl desaturase sequences were used to construct degenerate primers for PCR experiments with cDNA transcribed from mRNA of developing borage seeds. Screening of a borage seed cDNA library with an amplified DNA fragment resulted in the isolation of a full-length cDNA corresponding to a deduced open-reading frame of 446 amino acids. The protein showed high similarity to plant delta8-sphingolipid desaturases as well as to the delta6-fatty acyl desaturase from Borago officinalis. The sequence is characterized by the presence of a N-terminal cytochrome b5 domain. Expression of this open-reading frame in Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in the formation of delta8-trans/cis-phytosphingenines not present in wild-type cells, as shown by HPLC analysis of sphingoid bases as their dinitrophenyl derivatives. GLC-MS analysis of the methylated di-O-trimethylsilyl ether derivatives confirmed the presence of delta8-stereoisomers of C18- and C20-phytosphingenine. Furthermore, Northern blotting showed that the gene encoding a stereo-unselective delta8-sphingolipid desaturase is primarily expressed in young borage leaves.     

Molecular characterization of nucleus-localized RNA-binding proteins from higher plants

We report the isolation and characterization of genes from the higher plants Arabidopsis, spinach and tobacco which code for nucleus-localized RNA-binding proteins. Common features of these polypeptides are glycine/arginine-rich regions with several RGG repeats at their N- and C-termini, which are sufficient for RNA binding in northwestern assays. All polypeptides analysed contain two basic bipartite nuclear localization signals and translational fusions harbouring these regions with the -glucuronidase gene direct the fusion proteins into the nucleus. Nuclear localization was confirmed by cellular fractionation with a polyclonal antiserum raised against the over-expressed tobacco protein NtRGG1p. Two or three copies of related RGG genes appear to be present in the analysed organisms and the expression of some of them is regulated: a tobacco gene is light-regulated and a spinach gene is preferentially expressed in roots. Possible biological functions of this class of RNA-binding proteins as well as structure/function relationships related to the modular structure are discussed.     

Prosomes (proteasomes) of higher plants

From different plant tissues such as tobacco (Nicotiana rustica), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and mung bean (Phaseolus radiatus), ring- or cylinder-shaped particles called prosomes were isolated by either sucrose gradient centrifugation or fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). These particles have a diameter of 12 to 14 nm and a length of 16 to 18 nm. They migrate under conditions of nondenaturing gel electrophoresis as one distinct band. Sedimentation coefficient and buoyant density in Cs2SO4 of the plant prosomes were determined by analytical ultracentrifugation to be approximately 23S and 1.23 g/cm3, respectively. The total molecular mass was estimated by gel filtration to be 650 kDa. Plant prosomes are composed of 12 to 15 proteins with molecular masses in the range of 24 to 35 kDa with isoelectric points of pH 5 to 7 as revealed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The protein patterns of prosomes from the three different plant species are very similar. Polyclonal antisera against potato prosomes reacted in Western blots with prosomal proteins of all three plant species. They also bind to some prosomal proteins of animal species. Antisera against animal prosomes react with some proteins of plant prosomes. As shown by lectin blotting, plant prosomes are glycosylated carrying glucosyl- or mannosyl, and N-acetylgalactosaminyl residues. Prosomal preparations contain non-stoichiometric amounts of small RNA of about 80 kDa. These results suggest that plant prosomes are structurally and functionally homologous to prosomes of other eukaryotic cells.     

Fat metabolism in higher plants. Further characterization of wheat germ acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase.

Wheat germ acetyl CoA carboxylase was purified 600-fold over the crude homogenate. The purified enzyme gave rise to complex electrophoretic patterns in dissociating gels. As isolated, the activity of wheat germ acetyl CoA carboxylase exhibited profound dependence on the composition of the reaction mixture. In addition to the substrates MgATP, HCO₃, and acetyl CoA, the enzyme required both free Mg²⁺ and K⁺ for optimal activity. The effects of the two ions were additive. At pH 8.5, Mg²⁺ activated the carboxylase by adding to the enzyme prior to the other reactants in an equilibrium ordered reaction mechanism.     

Cloning and characterization of mitochondrial 5-formyltetrahydrofolate cycloligase from higher plants

5-Formyltetrahydrofolate cycloligase (5-FCL) catalyzes the conversion of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (5-CHO-H(4)PteGlu(n)) to 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate and is considered to be the main means whereby 5-CHO-H(4)PteGlu(n) is metabolized in mammals, yeast, and bacteria. 5-CHO-H(4)PteGlu(n) is known to occur in plants and to be highly abundant in leaf mitochondria. Genomics-based approaches identified Arabidopsis and tomato cDNAs encoding proteins homologous to 5-FCLs of other organisms but containing N-terminal extensions with the features of mitochondrial targeting peptides. These homologs were shown to have 5-FCL activity by characterizing recombinant enzymes produced in Escherichia coli and by functional complementation of a yeast fau1 mutation with the Arabidopsis 5-FCL cDNA. The recombinant Arabidopsis enzyme is active as a monomer, prefers the penta- to the monoglutamyl form of 5-CHO-H(4)PteGlu(n), and has kinetic properties broadly similar to those of 5-FCLs from other organisms. Enzyme assays and immunoblot analyses indicated that 5-FCL is located predominantly if not exclusively in plant mitochondria and that the mature, active enzyme lacks the putative targeting sequence. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) from plant mitochondria was shown to be inhibited by 5-CHO-H(4)PteGlu(n) as are SHMTs from other organisms. Since mitochondrial SHMT is crucial to photorespiration, 5-FCL may help prevent 5-CHO-H(4)PteGlu(n) from reaching levels that would inhibit this process. Consistent with this possibility, 5-FCL activity was far higher in leaf mitochondria than root mitochondria.     

Uricase from leaves: its purification and characterization from three different higher plants

Uricase (urate: oxygen oxidoreductase, EC␣1.7.3.3) from leaves of chickpea (Cicer arietimum L.), broad bean (Vicia faba major L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by a procedure which includes xanthine-agarose affinity chromatography as the main step. Purification factors of 74 000–83 000 and recoveries of 80–90% were achieved. Purified preparations had specific activities between 600 and 800 nkat · mg protein⁻¹ (turnover numbers between 4400 and 6400 min⁻¹). The three plant uricases were found by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to be tetramers of similar molecular mass (120–130 kDa) and to have identical or similar-sized subunits (32–34 kDa). They also had a similar optimum pH (9–9.5) and showed a hyperbolic kinetics with K _m values from 9–24 μM. All of them showed similar responses to putative activators/inhibitors. Oxonate, xanthine and, to a lesser extent, neocuproin inhibited uricase activity, whereas allantoin, ammonium, citrulline and glutamine did not. The three leaf uricases lacked catalase activity and were not activated by cadaverine. None of the three plant enzymes cross-reacted with anti-uricase monoclonal antibodies from soybean nodules or anti-uricase polyclonal antibodies from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii or rat liver. These results are consistent with the view that uricase in plants is probably a unique enzyme which is expressed at very low level in leaves. Received: 28 October 1996 / Accepted: 8 January 1997     

中国高等植物省级分布新记录(二)

报道了槭树科、漆树科、大戟科、清风藤科、无患子科、苦木科共 1 8种植物在我国 1 3个省区中的分布新记录。其中福建分布新记录的植物有山地五月茶 ,甘肃分布新记录的有鸡爪槭 ,广东、江苏和云南分布新记录的有湖北算盘子 ,广西分布新记录的有五尖槭和滇赤才 ,贵州分布新记录的有甜叶算盘子 ,河南分布新记录的有红叶野桐 ,湖南分布新记录的有狭序泡花树 ,江西分布新记录的有长柄槭、柳叶五月茶和黑面神 ,陕西分布新记录的有川滇无患子 ,四川分布新记录的有伞花木 ,西藏分布新记录的有五裂槭、中华槭、藤漆、小花清风藤和柔毛鸦胆子     

中国高等植物省级分布新记录（一）

报道了桦木科和樟科共20种植物在我国11个省区中的分布新记录,其中西藏分布新记录的有柱果琼楠、钝叶桂,更是山胡椒、假辣子、钝叶木姜子、黄心树,粗壮润楠和瑞丽润楠;云南分布新记录的有巫山新木姜子;广西分布新记录的有黄心树;甘肃分布新记录的有大叶木姜子;陕西分布新记录的有猴樟,山西分布新记录的有秦岭木姜子;河北分布新记录的有岳桦;浙江分布新记录的有桂北木姜子;福建分布新记录的有广西新木姜子;江西分布新记录的有尖叶木姜子、华南木姜子和凤凰润楠;湖南分布新记录的有披针叶榛和四川新木姜子。     

Characterization of randomly-obtained matrix attachment regions (MARs) from higher plants.

Matrix attachment regions (MARs) can be operationally defined as DNA fragments that bind to the nuclear matrix. We have created a library of randomly obtained MARs from tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum) by cloning DNA fragments that co-isolate with nuclear matrixes prepared by a method involving lithium diiodosalicylate. The interactions of several of the cloned MARs with nuclear matrixes were tested by an in vitro binding assay in which genomic DNA was used as competitor. Based on this assay, the MARs were classified as strong, medium, and weak binders. Examples of each of the binding classes were further studied by in vitro binding using self- and cross-competition. Estimates of dissociation constants for several MARs ranged from 6 to 11 nM and correlated inversely with binding strength. The number of binding sites per matrix for several MARs ranged from 4 x 10(5) to 9 x 10(5) and correlated directly with binding strength. We conclude that binding strength, as we have measured it, is a function of both numbers of binding sites and affinity for the sites. The tobacco MARs were sequenced and analyzed for overall AT content, for distribution of AT-rich regions, and for the abundance of several MAR-related motifs. Previously identified MAR motifs correlate to various degrees with binding strength. Notably, the Drosophila topoisomerase II motif does not correlate with binding strength of the tobacco MARs. A newly identified motif, the "90%AT Box," correlates better with binding strength than any of the previously identified motifs we investigated.     

Isocitrate lyase from higher plants

Work on isocitrate lyase, the first enzyme unique to the glyoxylate cycle, is reviewed.     

Functional characterization of desaturases involved in the formation of the terminal double bond of an unusual 16:3Delta(9,12,150) fatty acid isolated from Sorghum bicolor root hairs

Sorgoleone, produced in root hair cells of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), is likely responsible for much of the allelopathic properties of sorghum root exudates against broadleaf and grass weeds. Previous studies suggest that the biosynthetic pathway of this compound initiates with the synthesis of an unusual 16:3 fatty acid possessing a terminal double bond. The corresponding fatty acyl-CoA serves as a starter unit for polyketide synthases, resulting in the formation of 5-pentadecatrienyl resorcinol. This resorcinolic intermediate is then methylated by an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent O-methyltransferase and subsequently dihydroxylated, yielding the reduced (hydroquinone) form of sorgoleone. To characterize the corresponding enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of the 16:3 fatty acyl-CoA precursor, we identified and cloned three putative fatty acid desaturases, designated SbDES1, SbDES2, and SbDES3, from an expressed sequence tag (EST) data base prepared from isolated root hairs. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed that these three genes were preferentially expressed in sorghum root hairs where the 16:2 and 16:3 fatty acids were exclusively localized. Heterologous expression of the cDNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that recombinant SbDES2 converted palmitoleic acid (16:1Delta(9)) to hexadecadienoic acid (16:2Delta(9,12)), and that recombinant SbDES3 was capable of converting hexadecadienoic acid into hexadecatrienoic acid (16:3Delta(9,12,15)). Unlike other desaturases reported to date, the double bond introduced by SbDES3 occurred between carbons 15 and 16 resulting in a terminal double bond aliphatic chain. Collectively, the present results strongly suggest that these fatty acid desaturases represent key enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of the allelochemical sorgoleone.     

Cloning of higher plant omega-3 fatty acid desaturases.

Arabidopsis thaliana T-DNA transformants were screened for mutations affecting seed fatty acid composition. A mutant line was found with reduced levels of linolenic acid (18:3) due to a T-DNA insertion. Genomic DNA flanking the T-DNA insertion was used to obtain an Arabidopsis cDNA that encodes a polypeptide identified as a microsomal omega-3 fatty acid desaturase by its complementation of the mutation. Analysis of lipid content in transgenic tissues demonstrated that this enzyme is limiting for 18:3 production in Arabidopsis seeds and carrot hairy roots. This cDNA was used to isolate a related Arabidopsis cDNA, whose mRNA is accumulated to a much higher level in leaf tissue relative to root tissue. This related cDNA encodes a protein that is a homolog of the microsomal desaturase but has an N-terminal extension deduced to be a transit peptide, and its gene maps to a position consistent with that of the Arabidopsis fad D locus, which controls plastid omega-3 desaturation. These Arabidopsis cDNAs were used as hybridization probes to isolate cDNAs encoding homologous proteins from developing seeds of soybean and rapeseed. The high degree of sequence similarity between these sequences suggests that the omega-3 desaturases use a common enzyme mechanism.