Characteristics of plastids responsible for starch synthesis in developing pea embryos

The nature of the starch-synthesising plastids in developing pea (Pisum sativum L.) embryos has been investigated. Chlorophyll and starch were distributed throughout the cotyledon during development. Chlorophyll content increased initially, then showed little change up to the point of drying out of the embryo. Starch content per embryo increased dramatically throughout development. The chlorophyll content per unit volume was highest on the outer edge of the cotyledon, while the starch content was highest on inner face. Nycodenz gradients, which fractionated mechanically-prepared plastids according to their starch content, failed to achieve any significant separation of plastids rich in starch and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase from those rich in chlorophyll and a Calvin-cycle marker enzyme, NADP-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. However, material that was not sufficiently dense to enter the gradients was enriched in activity of the Calvin-cycle marker enzyme relative to that of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Nomarski and epi-fluorescence microscopy showed that intact, isolated plastids, including those with very large starch grains, invariably contained chlorophyll in stromal structures peripheral to the starch grain. We suggest that the starch-storing plastids of developing pea embryos are derived directly from chloroplasts, and retain chloroplast-like characteristics throughout their development. Developing pea embryos also contain chloroplasts which store little or no starch. These are probably located primarily on the outer edge of the cotyledons where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis at some stages of development.     

Glycolytic enzymes in non-photosynthetic plastids of pea (Pisum sativum L.) roots

The presence of the glycolytic enzymes from hexokinase to pyruvate kinase in plastids of seedling pea (Pisum sativum L.) roots was investigated. The recoveries, latencies and specific activities of each enzyme in different fractions was compared with those of organelle marker enzymes. Tryptic-digestion experiments were performed on each enzyme to determine whether activities were bound within membranes. The results indicate that hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.2) and phosphoglyceromutase (EC 5.4.2.1) are absent from pea root plastids. The possible function of the remaining enzymes is considered.Abbreviations GADPH glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase - PFK phosphofructokinase - PFP pyrophosphate: fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase Bronwen A. Trimming gratefully acknowledges the award of a studentship from the Science and Engineering Research Council     

Metabolism of glucose 6-phosphate by plastids from developing pea embryos

The aim of this work was to investigate the metabolism of glucose 6-phosphate by plastids isolated from developing pea (Pisum sativum L.) embryos. Plastids metabolise exogenously supplied glucose 6-phosphate via the pathway of starch synthesis and the oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway. The flux through the latter pathway is greatly stimulated by the provision of glutamine and 2-oxoglutarate — the substrates of glutamate synthase — indicating that it is regulated by the demand for reductant within the plastid. Flux in the presence of glutamine and 2-oxoglutarate is about 20% of the maximum flux through the pathway of starch synthesis. There is no competition for glucose 6-phosphate between the two pathways at concentrations which are saturating for both. Isolated plastids do not convert glucose 6-phosphate to amino acids or fatty acids at significant rates under the conditins of our experiments.Abbreviations ADPG adenosine 5-diphosphoglucose We thank Mike Emes (Department of Cell and Structural Biology, University of Manchester, UK) for valuable advice during the course of this work, and for making unpublished information available to us. We also thank Mark Stitt (Botanisches Institut der Universität, Heidelberg, FRG) and our colleagues, particularly Kay Denyer and Lionel Hill, for their helpful and constructive criticism. This work was supported by funding from the European Community, under contract C11* 0417-UK (SMA).     

Chromatin-bound DNA-dependent RNA polymarase in developing pea cotyledons

The chromatin-bound DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity, and template availability to added homologous RNA polymerase, were determined for pea cotyledons which were allowed to develop in different environments. Both the maximum polymerase activity and the template availability were higher in cotyledons that were developing at the faster rate. The template availability was approximately constant within an environment throughout most of the development, but differed between environments. The extra DNA sythesised, that is that above the 2C level, during cytyledon development appeared to be more utilised for RNA synthesis in slowly developing cotyledons than in more rapidly developing ones.     

Evidence that glucose 6-phosphate is imported as the substrate for starch synthesis by the plastids of developing pea embryos

The aim of this work was to determine in what form carbon destined for starch synthesis crosses the membranes of plastids in developing pea (Pisum sativum L.) embryos. Plastids were isolated mechanically and incubated in the presence of ATP with the following ¹⁴C-labelled substrates: glucose, fructose, glucose 6-phosphate, glucose 1-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate. Glucose 6-phosphate was the only substrate that supported physiologically relevant rates of starch synthesis. Incorporation of label from glucose 6-phosphate into starch was dependent upon the integrity of the plastids and the presence of ATP. The rate of incorporation approached saturation at a glucose 6-phosphate concentration of less than 1 mM. It is argued that glucose 6-phosphate is likely to enter the plastid as the source of carbon for starch synthesis in vivo.Abbreviations ADPG PPase ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase - DHAP dihydroxyacetone phosphate     

Effects of medium osmolarity on the release of amino acids from isolated cotyledons of developing pea seeds

The release of endogenous amino acids from isolated, immature pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Marzia) cotyledons was investigated in relation to their developmental stage and the osmolarity of the bathing medium. The water potential of the cotyledons was about-1.1 MPa from which it could be inferred that the osmolarity of their apoplastic fluids will be approximately 450 mosmol·l^?1. The time course of amino-acid release conformed to an exponential function. Rate constants of the release were in the range 0.3 to 0.9 · h ^?1. No indication was found for increased permeability of the plasmamembrane for amino acids at low medium osmolarity. Rate constants were even 1.5-fold lower in 0 mM mannitol than in medium with 400 mM mannitol. This effect could be ascribed to reduced protein synthesis in hypotonic media. In the presence of 400 mM mannitol the release was nearly proportional to the total amino-acid pool of the cotyledons and ranged from 12% to 8% for the various developmental stages. Amino-acid release was stimulated by incubation in a hypotonic medium (< 400 mM mannitol), up to fourfold in a medium without mannitol where as much as 45% of the cotyledonary amino-acid content could be released. The extra aminoacid release induced by the hypotonic condition declined during development and eventually vanished completely. Release of amino acids into a medium with 400 mM mannitol was more selective than into a medium without mannitol. For instance, arginine was one of the main constituents of the cotyledonary amino-acid pool (19%) as well as of the released amino-acid mixture when the medium contained no mannitol (10%), whereas it was virtually absent when the medium contained 400 mM mannitol. As an overall interpretation of these results, it is proposed that the hypotonic condition greatly enhances the permeability of the tonoplast (not that of the plasmalemma) for amino acids so that the otherwise well-sequestered amino acids in the vacuole become available for release into the bathing medium.     

Oxidation of acetate,acetyl CoA and acetylcarnitine by pea mitochondria

Acetylcarnitine was rapidly oxidised by pea mitochondria. (-)-carnitine was an essential addition for the oxidation of acetate or acetyl CoA. When acetate was sole substrate, ATP and Mg²⁺ were also essential additives for maximum oxidation. CoASH additions inhibited the oxidation of acetate, acetyl CoA and acetylcarnitine. It was shown that CoASH was acting as a competitive inhibitor of the carnitine stimulated O₂ uptake. It is suggested that acetylcarnitine and carnitine passed through the mitochondrial membrane barrier with ease but acetyl CoA and CoA did not. Carnitine may also buffer the extra- and intra-mitochondrial pools of CoA. The presence of carnitine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.7) on the pea mitochondria is inferred.     

Fatty-acid synthesis in chloroplasts from mustard (Sinapis alba L.) cotyledons: formation of acetyl coenzyme A by intraplastid glycolytic enzymes and a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

Chloroplasts from the cotyledons of mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seedlings were isolated on Percoll gradients, and showed a high degree of intactness (92%) and purity as judged by electron microscopy and marker-enzyme analysis (cytoplasmic contamination lower than 0.4% on a protein basis). The chloroplasts synthesized longchain fatty acids from both precursors [1-¹⁴C] acetate and [2-¹⁴C]pyruvate; maximum incorporation rates were 96 nmol·(mg Chl)^-1·h^-1 for acetate and 213 nmol·(mg Chl)^-1·h^-1 for pyruvate. Acetyl-CoA-producing enzymatic activities, namely acetyl-CoA synthetase (EC 6.2.1.1.) and a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, showed specific activities of 14.8 nmol·(mg protein)^-1·min^-1 and 18.2 nmol·(mg protein)^-1·min^-1, respectively. The glycolytic enzymes phosphoglyceromutase (EC 2.7.5.3) phosphopyruvate hydratase (EC 4.2.1.11) and pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) were all found to be components of these chloroplasts, thus indicating a possible pathway for intraplastid acetyl-CoA formation.Abbreviations ACS acetyl coenzyme A synthetase - Chl chlorophyll - DTE 1,4-dithioerythritol - PDHC pyruvate dehydrogenase complex - 3-PGA 3-phosphoglyceric acid     

Purification of plastids from higher-plant roots

A procedure is described for the purification of plastids from the roots of Pisum sativum L. The preparations obtained are appreciably free of contamination by other particles as judged by the distribution of organelle-specific marker enzymes and by electron microscopy. Latency of glutamate synthase (EC 2.6.1.53) within these preparations indicates that the plastids obtained are 90–95% intact, whilst the resistance of this enzyme, and glucose-6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.43) to tryptic digestion in unlysed organelles indicates that they are at least 70–85% intact and may be suitable for studies of metabolite transport.     

The supply of reducing power for nitrite reduction in plastids of seedling pea roots (Pisum sativum L.)

Plastids were separated from extracts of pea (Pisum sativum L.) roots by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. The incubation of roots of intact pea seedlings in solutions containing 10 mM KNO₃ resulted in increased plastid activity of nitrite reductase and to a lesser extent glutamine synthetase. There were also substantial increases in the activity of glucose-6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases. No other plastid-located enzymes of nitrate assimilation or carbohydrate oxidation showed evidence of increased activity in response to the induction of nitrate assimilation. Studies with [1-¹⁴C]-and [6-¹⁴C]glucose indicated that there was an increased flow of carbon through the plastid-located pentose-phosphate pathway concurrent with the induction of nitrate assimilation. It is suggested that there is a close interaction through the supply and demand for reductant between the pathway of nitrite assimilation and the pentose-phosphate pathway located in the plastid.     

Fatty-acid synthesis in plastids from maturing safflower and linseed cotyledons

Plastids isolated from maturing, nongreen safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cotyledons yielded unesterified fatty acids as the predominant product of fatty-acid synthesis from [1-¹⁴C]acetate. Exogenous reduced pyridine nucleotides were not required for this synthesis, but [1-¹⁴C]acetate incorporation was absolutely dependent on addition of ATP. Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) cotyledons are green during development and plastids isolated from them resembled leaf chloroplasts with developed grana. In contrast to the safflower plastids, those from linseed were able to carry out fatty-acid synthesis at low irradiances without the addition of either pyridine nucleotides or ATP. Intact linseed cotyledons were capable of net photosynthesis at rates up to 95 mol·mg^-1 chlorophyll·h^-1. However, the low-light environment inside the linseed capsule (approx. 15% of external) means that photosynthesis will not contribute appreciably to the carbon economy of the developing seed and its main role may be to supply cofactors for fatty-acid synthesis.Abbreviations ACP acyl carrier protein - DHAP dihydroxyacetone phosphate - PC phosphatidylcholine - PEP phosphoenolpyruvate - UFA unesterified fatty acids     

Origin and developmental changes of envelope proteins and translocator activities from plastids of Secale cereale L.

To determine the sites of synthesis of chloroplast-envelope proteins, we have analysed several enzyme and translocator functions ascribed to the envelope membranes, and investigated the envelope polypeptide composition of plastids isolated from 70S ribosome-deficient leaves of rye (Secale cereale L.) generated by growing the plants at a temperature of 32°C. Since the ribosomedeficient plastids are also achlorophyllous in light-grown leaves, not only were chloroplasts from mature, green leaves used for comparison, but also those from yellowing, aged leaves as well as etioplasts from dark-grown leaves raised at a temperature of 22° C. A majority of the plastidenvelope polypeptides appeared to be of cytoplasmic origin. The envelopes of ribosome-deficient plastids possessed ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) activity; this was not, however, dependent on divalent cations, in contrast to the Mn²⁺- or Mg²⁺-dependent ATPase which is associated with chloroplast envelopes. Adenylate kinase (EC 2.7.4.3) was present in the stromal fraction of ribosome-deficient plastids and the stromal form of this enzyme is, therefore, of cytoplasmic origin. In contrast to previous findings, adenylate kinase was not, however, specifically associated with the chloroplast-envelope membranes, either in rye or in spinach. Measurements of the uptake of l-[¹⁴C]-malate into ribosome-deficient plastids indicated the presence and cytoplasmic origin of the dicarboxylate translocator. Malate uptake into rye etioplasts was, however, low. The phosphate translocator was assayed by the uptake of 3-phospho-[¹⁴C]glycerate. While rapid 3-phosphoglycerate uptake was observed for rye chloroplasts and etioplasts, it was hardly detectable for ribosome-deficient, plastids and rather low for chloroplasts from aged leaves. A polypeptide of M _r approx. 30000 ascribed to the phosphate translocator was greatly reduced in the envelope patterns of ribosome-deficient plastids and of chloroplasts from aged leaves.     

The purification and characterisation of the two forms of soluble starch synthase from developing pea embryos

Soluble starch synthase was purified 10000-fold from developing embryos of pea (Pisum sativum L.). The activity was resolved into two forms which together account for most if not all of the soluble starchsynthase activity in the embryo. The two isoforms differ in their molecular weights but are similar in many other respects. Their kinetic properties are similar, neither isoform is active in the absence of primer, and both are unstable at high temperatures, the activity being abolished by a 20-min incubation at 45° C. Both isoforms are recognised by antibodies raised to the granule-bound starch synthase of pea. Isoform II, which has the same molecular weight (77 kDa) as the granulebound enzyme, is recognised more strongly than Isoform I.     

Changes in respiration of mitochondria isolated from cotyledons of ethylene-treated pea seedlings

Treatment of intact, germinating pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Homesteader) seedlings with ethylene enhanced the cyanide-resistant respiration of mitochondria isolated from the cotyledons. The level of enhancement depended on the concentration of ethylene. Thus, exposure to 0.9 l·l^-1 of ethylene in air for days 4–6 of germination had little effect on cyanide-resistant respiration, while exposure to 130 l·l^-1 increased it from 10 to 50 nmol O₂·min^-1·(mg protein)^-1. The length of exposure to ethylene also affected the degree of enhancement. According to some literature data, lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.11.12) activity can be mistaken for cyanide-resistant respiration, but in our preparations of purified pea mitochondria ethylene had no effect on lipoxygenase activity, nor did the gas disrupt the outer mitochondrial membrane. Bahr and Bonner plots of respiration in the presence of salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) indicated that ethylene did not affect respiration proceeding via the cytochrome pathway. Thus, increases in total respiration in mitochondria from cotyledons of ethylene-treated pea seedlings reflect increases in cyanide-resistant respiration.Abbreviations Cyt c cytochrome c - SHAM salicylhydroxamic acid     

Heterogeneity of sulphur content in the storage proteins of pea cotyledons

By means of crossed immunoelectrophoresis of the cotyledonary storage proteins of Pisum sativum L. it was shown that reduced accumulation of the legumin fraction, resulting from severe sulphur deficiency during growth, is accompanied by relative suppression of a quantitatively minor storage protein (Peak 3) shown previously by subunit analysis to be related to the vicilin series of holoproteins. The pattern of isotopic labelling of the storage proteins after injection of [³⁵S]methionine into the pedicel during seed development under normal nutritional conditions indicated that Peak-3 protein, like legumin, has a relatively high content of sulphur amino-acids. Like certain of the vicilin molecules carrying the determinants responsible for Peak-4, Peak-3 protein binds selectively to concanavalin A.     

Uptake of isopentenyl diphosphate by plastids isolated from Vitis vinifera L. cell suspensions

The uptake of [1-¹⁴C]isopentenyl diphosphate by intact plastids purified from cell suspensions of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Muscat de Frontignan was investigated using vacuum-filtration and silicone-oil-filtering techniques. Transport across the plastid envelope which was stimulated by cations, such as Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺, was characterized by a K _m of approx. 0.5 mM and a V _max of 25 nmol·(mg protein)^-1·-h^-1. The data showed that isopentenyl diphosphate apparently accumulated in the plastid against a concentration gradient. The involvement of a protein carrier was suggested by the strong inhibition of the uptake by compounds which are known to block SH groups. Thus, the saturation kinetics together with the pH optimum (7.5–8), the temperature dependence (maximum incorporation at 37 °C) and the competitive inhibition by a structural analogue of the substrate (aminophenylethyl diphosphate) provided evidence for a mechanism of uptake by facilitated diffusion. The carrier identified may thus play a major role in supplying the plastid compartment with isopentenyl diphosphate for isoprenoid biosynthesis.Abbreviations APP aminophenylethyl diphosphate - DMAPP dimethylallyl diphosphate - GPP geranyl diphosphate - IPP isopentenyl diphosphate - NEM N-ethylmaleïmide - PCMB p-chloromercuribenzoate     

The role of glycosylation in storage-protein synthesis in developing pea seeds

Intact pea (Pisum sativum L.) cotyledons were incubated with [¹⁴C]glucosamine at several stages of seed development and the resultant radioactive proteins were analysed by gel electrophoresis combined with immunoaffinity chromatography and sucrose gradient fractionation. Glucosamine was incorporated into at least five vicilin polypeptides (approx. molecular weight 70,000; 50,000, two components; 14,000, two components). No incorporation was detected into the subunits of legumin. Tunicamycin at 50 g/ml largely inhibited glucosamine incorporation but had little effect on the incorporation of ¹⁴C-labelled amino acids into cotyledon proteins, including vicilin. The assembly of vicilin polypeptides into full-sized protein oligomers (7–9 S) was also unaffected by tunicamycin. Chromatography on concanavalin A confirmed that glycosylation of cotyledon proteins was inhibited by tunicamycin. It is concluded that glycosylation of most cotyledonary proteins involves lipid-linked sugar intermediates, but that glycosylation itself is not an essential step in the synthesis of vicilin polypeptides nor in their assembly into oligomers.Abbreviations IgG immunoglobulin G - M W_t approximate molecular weight based on electrophoretic mobility relative to that of protein standards - SDS-PAGE Na-dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Acetyl-CoA-carboxylase activity in normally developing wheat leaves

In order to investigate the role of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) in the regulation of fatty-acid biosynthesis in chloroplasts, the activities and relative amounts of the enzyme have been measured in the tissue of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaves undergoing development and cellular differentiation. The total activity in the first leaves of 5- to 7-d-old plants was similar but decreased to less than half in 9-d-old plants. The activity of ACC in the cells of the first leaf of 7-d-old plants doubled when cell age increased from 24 to 48 h, remained relatively constant for a further 24 h and then declined. The amount of ACC in cells increased 15-fold during the first 36 h of cell enlargement. Cells more than 36 h old contained about two-thirds the maximum amount of ACC found in younger cells. The most rapid phase of fatty-acyl accumulation in lipids was in cells aged between 60 and 84 h. Tenfold changes in the activity of ACC were observed when the assay conditions with respect to ATP, ADP, Mg²⁺ and pH were changed to correspond to the physiological conditions in chloroplasts during light/dark transitions. This observation and the magnitude of the changes in the optimum activity and amount of ACC in leaf cells undergoing development are consistent with a role for ACC in the regulation of the flow of carbon from acetyl CoA to fatty acids in chloroplasts.Abbreviation ACC acetyl CoA carboxylase     

Acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase in species of Triticum of different ploidy

The cellular amounts and cellular activities of acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC; EC 6.4.1.2.) were determined in the first leaves of diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid species of Triticum (wheat). Per leaf the ACC activities were very similar in T. monococcum (2 ), T. dicoccum (4 ) and T. aestivum (6 ). The ACC activity per chloroplast also showed little variation between species of different ploidy but since chloroplast number increases with ploidy, the ACC activities and ACC amounts per cell also increased with ploidy. These cellular increases in ACC amounts associated with increases in gene dosage were highly co-ordinated in the diploids T. monococcum and T. tauschii and their respective autotetraploids so the specific activity of ACC was highly conserved in these plants. The relevance of these findings to attempts to genetically manipulate lipid biosynthesis in chloroplasts is discussed.Abbreviation ACC acetyl CoA carboxylase We are very grateful to Dr. Kevin Pyke and Miss Jo Marrison for many helpful discussions and to Dr. Collin Law for the generous gift of seeds.