Phosphorus is an essential nutrient taken up by organisms in the form of inorganic phosphate (Pi). Eukaryotes have evolved sophisticated Pi sensing and signalling cascades, enabling them to maintain cellular Pi concentrations. Pi homeostasis is regulated by inositol pyrophosphate signalling molecules (PP-InsPs), which are sensed by SPX-domain containing proteins. In plants, PP-InsP bound SPX receptors inactivate Myb coiled-coil (MYB-CC) Pi starvation response transcription factors (PHRs) by an unknown mechanism. Here we report that a InsP8 – SPX complex targets the plant-unique CC domain of PHRs. Crystal structures of the CC domain reveal an unusual four-stranded anti-parallel arrangement. Interface mutations in the CC domain yield monomeric PHR1, which is no longer able to bind DNA with high affinity. Mutation of conserved basic residues located at the surface of the CC domain disrupt interaction with the SPX receptor in vitro and in planta, resulting in constitutive Pi starvation responses. Together, our findings suggest that InsP8 regulates plant Pi homeostasis by controlling the oligomeric state and hence the promoter binding capability of PHRs via their SPX receptors.

Directed evolution requires the screening of enzyme libraries in biological matrices. Available assays are mostly substrate or enzyme specific. Chromatographic techniques like LC and GC overcome this limitation, but require long analysis times. The herein developed multiple injections in a single experimental run (MISER) using GC coupled to MS allows the injection of samples every 33 s resulting in 96-well microtiter plate analysis within 50 min. This technique is implementable in any GC-MS system with autosampling. Since the GC-MS is far less prone to ion suppression than LCMS, no chromatographic separation is required. This allows the utilisation of an internal standards and the detection of main and side-product. To prove the feasibility of the system in enzyme screening, two libraries were assessed: i) YfeX library in an E. coli whole cell system for the carbene-transfer reaction on indole revealing the novel axial ligand tryptophan, ii) a library of 616 chimeras of fungal unspecific peroxygenase (UPO) in S. cerevisiae supernatant for hydroxylation of tetralin resulting in novel constructs. The data quality and representation are automatically assessed by a new R-script.

In nature plants are constantly challenged by simultaneous abiotic and biotic stresses, and under conflicting stress scenarios prioritization of stress responses is required for plant survival. Calcium-dependent protein kinase CPK5 is a central hub in local and distal immune signaling, required upstream of hormone salicylic acid (SA)-dependent systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Here we show that CPK5 signaling-dependent immune responses are effectively blocked and pathogen resistance is reverted either upon treatment of plants with abscisic acid (ABA) or in genetic mutant backgrounds lacking PP2C phosphatase activities including abi1-2. Consistently, enhanced immune responses occur upon co-expression of CPK5 kinase with active variants of ABI1 phosphatase ABI1G180S and ABI1G181A. Biochemical studies and mass spectrometry-based phosphosite analysis reveal a direct ABI1 phosphatase-catalyzed de-phosphorylation of CPK5 at T98, a CPK5 auto-phosphorylation site. CPK5T98A, mimicking continuous de-phosphorylation through ABI1, correlates with an increase in kinase activity and CPK5 function in ROS production. CPK5T98D, mimicking a CPK5 auto-phosphorylated status under ABA-induced phosphatase inhibition, leads to inactivated CPK5 causative to an immediate stop of immune responses.Our work reveals an elegant mechanism for plant stress prioritization, where the ABA-dependent phosphatase ABI1, negative regulator of abiotic responses, functions as positive regulator of biotic stress responses, stabilizing CPK5-dependent immune responses in the absence of ABA. This mechanism allows continuous immune signaling during pathogen survey in environmentally non-challenging conditions. Under severe abiotic stress, immune signaling is discontinued via a direct biochemical intersection through a phosphatase/kinase pair recruiting two key regulatory enzymes of these antagonistic signaling pathways.

The calmodulin-binding transcription activator 3 (CAMTA3) is a repressor of immunity-related genes but an activator of cold-induced genes in plants. Post-transcriptional or -translational mechanisms have been proposed to control CAMTA3’s role in the crosstalk between immune and chilling responses. Here, we show that treatment with the bacterial flg22 elicitor, but not cold stress, induces a phospho-mobility shift of CAMTA3 proteins. Correspondingly, CAMTA3 is directly phosphorylated by two flg22-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), MPK3 and MPK6, which triggers CAMTA3 nuclear export and destabilization. SR1IP1, a substrate E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor required for pathogen-induced CAMTA3 degradation, is shown here to be likely plasma-membrane-localized and therefore cannot physically interact with the nuclear CAMTA3. Despite the flg22-inducible re-localization of CAMTA3 to the cytoplasm, we failed to detect CAMTA3-SR1IP1 complexes. Hence, the role of SR1IP1 for CAMTA3 degradation needs to be re-evaluated. Surprisingly, flg22 elicitation can still induce nuclear export and phospho-mobility shift of a phospho-null CAMTA3 that cannot be phosphorylated by MAPKs, suggesting the participation of additional flg22-responsive kinase(s). A constitutively-active calcium-dependent protein kinase, CPK5, can stimulate a phospho-mobility shift in CAMTA3 similar to that induced by flg22. Although CPK5 can interact with CAMTA3, it did not directly phosphorylate CAMTA3, suggesting the requirement of a still unidentified downstream kinase or additional components. Overall, at least two flg22-responsive kinase pathways target CAMTA3 to induce degradation that presumably serves to remove CAMTA3 from target promoters and de-repress expression of defence genes.

Molecular networking has become a key method used to visualize and annotate the chemical space in non-targeted mass spectrometry-based experiments. However, distinguishing isomeric compounds and quantitative interpretation are currently limited. Therefore, we created Feature-based Molecular Networking (FBMN) as a new analysis method in the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) infrastructure. FBMN leverages feature detection and alignment tools to enhance quantitative analyses and isomer distinction, including from ion-mobility spectrometry experiments, in molecular networks.

Cullin RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligases SCFTIR1/AFB1-5 and their ubiquitylation targets, AUX/IAAs, sense auxin concentrations in the nucleus. TIR1 binds a surface-exposed degron in AUX/IAAs promoting their ubiquitylation and rapid auxin-regulated proteasomal degradation. Here, we resolved TIR1·auxin·IAA7 and TIR1·auxin·IAA12 complex topology, and show that flexible intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in the degron′s vicinity, cooperatively position AUX/IAAs on TIR1. The AUX/IAA PB1 interaction domain also assists in non-native contacts, affecting AUX/IAA dynamic interaction states. Our results establish a role for IDRs in modulating auxin receptor assemblies. By securing AUX/IAAs on two opposite surfaces of TIR1, IDR diversity supports locally tailored positioning for targeted ubiquitylation and might provide conformational flexibility for adopting a multiplicity of functional states. We postulate IDRs in distinct members of the AUX/IAA family to be an adaptive signature for protein interaction and initiation region for proteasome recruitment.

Juveniles of the leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae synthesize iridoid via the mevalonate pathway to repel predators. The normal terpenoid biosynthesis is integrated into the dedicated defensive pathway by the ω-hydroxylation of geraniol to 8-hydroxygeraniol. Here we identify and characterize the geraniol 8-hydroxylase as a P450 monooxygenase using integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. In the fat body, 73 individual cytochrome P450s were identified. The double stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated knock down of CYP6BH5 led to a significant reduction of 8-hydroxygeraniol-glucoside in the hemolymph and, later, of the chrysomelidial in the defensive secretion. Heterologously expressed CYP6BH5 converted geraniol to 8-hydroxygeraniol. In addition to geraniol, CYP6BH5 also catalyzes other monoterpenols, such as nerol and citronellol, into the corresponding α, ω-dihydroxy compounds.

Fungal small RNAs (sRNAs) hijack the plant RNA silencing pathway to manipulate host gene expression, named cross-kingdom RNA interference (ckRNAi). It is currently unknown how conserved and significant ckRNAi is for microbial virulence. Here, we found for the first time that sRNAs of a pathogen representing the oomycete kingdom invade the host plant’s Argonaute (AGO)/RNA-induced silencing complex. To demonstrate the functionality of the plant-invading oomycete Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis sRNAs (HpasRNAs), we designed a novel CRISPR endoribonuclease Csy4/GUS repressor reporter to visualize in situ pathogen-induced target suppression in Arabidopsis thaliana host plant. By using 5’ RACE-PCR we demonstrated HpasRNAs-directed cleavage of plant mRNAs. The significant role of HpasRNAs together with AtAGO1 in virulence was demonstrated by plant atago1 mutants and by transgenic Arabidopsis expressing a target mimic to block HpasRNAs, that both exhibited enhanced resistance. Individual HpasRNA plant targets contributed to host immunity, as Arabidopsis gene knockout or HpasRNA-resistant gene versions exhibited quantitative enhanced or reduced susceptibility, respectively. Together with previous reports, we found that ckRNAi is conserved among oomycete and fungal pathogens.

Introduction: Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) belongs to the family of serine proteases and is involved in the degradation of GLP-1 and GIP hormones, which enhance the production and release of insulin. Targeting DPP-4 inhibitors is increasingly being considered as promising paradigms to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and therefore DPP-4 inhibitors are being considered as promising antidiabetic drugs.Areas covered: This review provides an overview of published patents describing natural and synthetic DPP-4 inhibitors from January 2015 to December 2018.Expert opinion: A fair number of new synthetic and natural DPP-4 inhibitors have been reported in last four years which describe the progress in the development of various heterocyclic scaffolds or heterocyclic hybrid compounds. As a result of this, many marketed DPP-4 inhibitors that have been approved by the appropriate governing bodies during the past decade, have been introduced as inhibitors. Molecular hybridization is an emerging idea in medicinal chemistry and therefore hybrid compounds of DPP-4 inhibitors with other DPP-4 inhibitors or with antidiabetic drugs should be formulated for a comprehensive evaluation. More detailed pharmacovigilance of DPP-4 inhibitors is required because this will address the pancreas-related adverse events as well as their impact on cardiovascular outcomes via long-term studies.

Background: Cucurbitacins belong to a group of tetracyclic triterpenoids that display a wide range of biological effects. In the past, numerous cucurbitacins have been isolated from natural sources and many active compounds have been synthesized using the privileged scaffold in order to enhance its cytotoxic effects.Objective: This review covers patents on the therapeutic effects of natural cucurbitacins and their synthetic analogs published during the past decade. By far, the majority of patents published are related to cancer and Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) of these compounds are included to lend gravitas to this important class of natural products.Methods: The date about the published patents was downloaded via online open access patent databases.Results: Cucurbitacins display significant cytotoxic properties, in particular cucurbitacins B and D which possess very potent effects towards a number of cancer cells. Numerous cucurbitacins isolated from natural sources have been derivatized through chemical modification at the C(2)-OH and C(25)OH groups. Most importantly, an acyl ester of the C(25)-OH and, iso-propyl, n-propyl and ethyl ether groups of the C(2)-OH demonstrated the most increased cytotoxic activity.Conclusion: The significant cytotoxic effects of natural and semi-synthetic cucurbitacins make them attractive as new drug candidates. Moreover, cucurbitacins have the capability to form conjugates with other anticancer drugs which will synergistically enhance their anticancer effects. The authors believe that in order to get lead compounds, there should be a greater focus on the synthesis of homodimers, heterodimers, and halo derivatives of cucurbitacins. In the opinion of the authors the analysis of the published patents on the cucurbitacins indicates that these compounds can be developed into a regimen to treat a wide spectrum of cancers.