The plastidic pentose phosphate translocator represents a link between the cytosolic and the plastidic pentose phosphate pathways in plants

Plastids are the site of the reductive and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathways, which both generate pentose phosphates as intermediates. A plastidic transporter from Arabidopsis has been identified that is able to transport, in exchange with inorganic phosphate or triose phosphates, xylulose 5-phosphate (Xul-5-P) and, to a lesser extent, also ribulose 5-phosphate, but does not accept ribose 5-phosphate or hexose phosphates as substrates. Under physiological conditions, Xul-5-P would be the preferred substrate. Therefore, the translocator was named Xul-5-P/phosphate translocator (XPT). The XPT shares only approximately 35% to 40% sequence identity with members of both the triose phosphate translocator and the phosphoenolpyruvate/phosphate translocator classes, but a higher identity of approximately 50% to glucose 6-phosphate/phosphate translocators. Therefore, it represents a fourth group of plastidic phosphate translocators. Database analysis revealed that plant cells contain, in addition to enzymes of the oxidative branch of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, ribose 5-phosphate isomerase and ribulose 5-phosphate epimerase in both the cytosol and the plastids, whereas the transketolase and transaldolase converting the produced pentose phosphates to triose phosphates and hexose phosphates are probably solely confined to plastids. It is assumed that the XPT function is to provide the plastidic pentose phosphate pathways with cytosolic carbon skeletons in the form of Xul-5-P, especially under conditions of a high demand for intermediates of the cycles.     

Theoretical and experimental evidence of the photonitration pathway of phenol and 4-chlorophenol: a mechanistic study of environmental significance

Light-induced nitration pathways of phenols are important processes for the transformation of pesticide-derived secondary pollutants into toxic derivatives in surface waters and for the formation of phytotoxic compounds in the atmosphere. Moreover, phenols can be used as ˙NO(2) probes in irradiated aqueous solutions. This paper shows that the nitration of 4-chlorophenol (4CP) into 2-nitro-4-chlorophenol (NCP) in the presence of irradiated nitrate and nitrite in aqueous solution involves the radical ˙NO(2). The experimental data allow exclusion of an alternative nitration pathway by ˙OH + ˙NO(2). Quantum mechanical calculations suggest that the nitration of both phenol and 4CP involves, as a first pathway, the abstraction of the phenolic hydrogen by ˙NO(2), which yields HNO(2) and the corresponding phenoxy radical. Reaction of phenoxyl with another ˙NO(2) follows to finally produce the corresponding nitrated phenol. Such a pathway also correctly predicts that 4CP undergoes nitration more easily than phenol, because the ring Cl atom increases the acidity of the phenolic hydrogen of 4CP. This favours the H-abstraction process to give the corresponding phenoxy radical. In contrast, an alternative nitration pathway that involves ˙NO(2) addition to the ring followed by H-abstraction by oxygen (or by ˙NO(2) or ˙OH) is energetically unfavoured and erroneously predicts faster nitration for phenol than for 4CP.     

NADP-malic enzyme and Hsp70: co-purification of both proteins and modification of NADP-malic enzyme properties by association with Hsp70

Different preparations of antibodies against 62 kDa NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) from purified maize leaves cross-react with a 72 kDa protein from diverse tissues in many species. A 72 kDa protein, suggested to be a non-photosynthetic NADP-ME, has been purified from several plant species. However, to date, a cDNA coding for this putative 72 kDa NADP-ME has not been isolated. The screening of maize and tobacco leaf expression libraries using antibodies against purified 62 kDa NADP-ME allowed the identification of a heat shock protein (Hsp70). In addition, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) studies indicate that along with NADP-ME, a 72 kDa protein, identified as an Hsp70 and reacting with the antibodies, is also purified from maize roots. On the other hand, the screening of a maize root cDNA library revealed the existence of a cDNA that encodes a mature 66 kDa NADP-ME. These results suggest that the 72 kDa protein is not actually an NADP-ME but in fact an Hsp70, at least in maize and tobacco. Probably, NADP-ME-Hsp70 association, taking place at least when preparing crude extracts, can lead to a co-purification of the proteins and can thus explain the cross-reaction of the antibodies. In the present work, we analyse and discuss a probable interaction of NADP-ME with Hsp70.     

Arabidopsis NAD-malic enzyme functions as a homodimer and heterodimer and has a major impact on nocturnal metabolism

Although the nonphotosynthetic NAD-malic enzyme (NAD-ME) was assumed to play a central role in the metabolite flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the knowledge on this enzyme is still limited. Here, we report on the identification and characterization of two genes encoding mitochondrial NAD-MEs from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), AtNAD-ME1 and AtNAD-ME2. The encoded proteins can be grouped into the two clades found in the plant NAD-ME phylogenetic tree. AtNAD-ME1 belongs to the clade that includes known alpha-subunits with molecular masses of approximately 65 kD, while AtNAD-ME2 clusters with the known beta-subunits with molecular masses of approximately 58 kD. The separated recombinant proteins showed NAD-ME activity, presented comparable kinetic properties, and are dimers in their active conformation. Native electrophoresis coupled to denaturing electrophoresis revealed that in vivo AtNAD-ME forms a dimer of nonidentical subunits in Arabidopsis. Further support for this conclusion was obtained by reconstitution of the active heterodimer in vitro. The characterization of loss-of-function mutants for both AtNAD-MEs indicated that both proteins also exhibit enzymatic activity in vivo. Neither the single nor the double mutants showed a growth or developmental phenotype, suggesting that NAD-ME activity is not essential for normal autotrophic development. Nevertheless, metabolic profiling of plants completely lacking NAD-ME activity revealed differential patterns of modifications in light and dark periods and indicates a major role for NAD-MEs during nocturnal metabolism.     

A comprehensive analysis of the NADP-malic enzyme gene family of Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome contains four genes encoding putative NADP-malic enzymes (MEs; AtNADP-ME1-ME4). NADP-ME4 is localized to plastids, whereas the other three isoforms do not possess any predicted organellar targeting sequence and are therefore expected to be cytosolic. The plant NADP-MEs can be classified into four groups: groups I and II comprising cytosolic and plastidic isoforms from dicots, respectively; group III containing isoforms from monocots; and group IV composed of both monocots and dicots, including AtNADP-ME1. AtNADP-MEs contained all conserved motifs common to plant NADP-MEs and the recombinant isozymes showed different kinetic and structural properties. NADP-ME2 exhibits the highest specific activity, while NADP-ME3 and NADP-ME4 present the highest catalytic efficiency for NADP and malate, respectively. NADP-ME4 exists in equilibrium of active dimers and tetramers, while the cytosolic counterparts are present as hexamers or octamers. Characterization of T-DNA insertion mutant and promoter activity studies indicates that NADP-ME2 is responsible for the major part of NADP-ME activity in mature tissues of Arabidopsis. Whereas NADP-ME2 and -ME4 are constitutively expressed, the expression of NADP-ME1 and NADP-ME3 is restricted by both developmental and cell-specific signals. These isoforms may play specific roles at particular developmental stages of the plant rather than being involved in primary metabolism.