Plant phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C: An insight

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) belongs to an important class of enzymes involved in signaling related to lipids. They hydrolyze a membrane-associated phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate, to produce inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. The role of PI-PLC and the mechanism behind its functioning is well studied in animal system; however, mechanism of plant PI-PLC functioning remains largely obscure. Here, we attempted to summarize the understanding regarding plant PI-PLC mechanism of regulation, localization, and domain association. Using sedimentation based phospholipid binding assay and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, it was demonstrated that C2 domain of plant PI-PLC alone is capable of targeting membranes. Moreover, change in surface hydrophobicity upon calcium stimulus is the key element in targeting plant PI-PLC from soluble fractions to membranes. This property of altering surface hydrophobicity plays a pivot role in regulation of PI-PLC activity.