Publikation
Guranowski, A.; Miersch, O.; Staswick, P. E.; Suza, W.; Wasternack, C.; Substrate specificity and products of side-reactions catalyzed by jasmonate:amino acid synthetase (JAR1) FEBS Lett. 581, 815-820, (2007) DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2007.01.049
Jasmonate:amino acid synthetase (JAR1) is involved in the function of jasmonic acid (JA) as a plant hormone. It catalyzes the synthesis of several JA‐amido conjugates, the most important of which appears to be JA‐Ile. Structurally, JAR1 is a member of the firefly luciferase superfamily that comprises enzymes that adenylate various organic acids. This study analyzed the substrate specificity of recombinant JAR1 and determined whether it catalyzes the synthesis of mono‐ and dinucleoside polyphosphates, which are side‐reaction products of many enzymes forming acyl ∼ adenylates. Among different oxylipins tested as mixed stereoisomers for substrate activity with JAR1, the highest rate of conversion to Ile‐conjugates was observed for (±)‐JA and 9,10‐dihydro‐JA, while the rate of conjugation with 12‐hydroxy‐JA and OPC‐4 (3‐oxo‐2‐(2Z ‐pentenyl)cyclopentane‐1‐butyric acid) was only about 1–2% that for (±)‐JA. Of the two stereoisomers of JA, (−)‐JA and (+)‐JA, rate of synthesis of the former was about 100‐fold faster than for (+)‐JA. Finally, we have demonstrated that (1) in the presence of ATP, Mg2+, (−)‐JA and tripolyphosphate the ligase produces adenosine 5′‐tetraphosphate (p4A); (2) addition of isoleucine to that mixture halts the p4A synthesis; (3) the enzyme produces neither diadenosine triphosphate (Ap3A) nor diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) and (4) Ap4A cannot substitute ATP as a source of adenylate in the complete reaction that yields JA‐Ile.
Publikation
Wasternack, C.; Stenzel, I.; Hause, B.; Hause, G.; Kutter, C.; Maucher, H.; Neumerkel, J.; Feussner, I.; Miersch, O.; The wound response in tomato – Role of jasmonic acid J. Plant Physiol. 163, 297-306, (2006) DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2005.10.014
Plants respond to mechanical wounding or herbivore attack with a complex scenario of sequential, antagonistic or synergistic action of different signals leading to defense gene expression. Tomato plants were used as a model system since the peptide systemin and the lipid-derived jasmonic acid (JA) were recognized as essential signals in wound-induced gene expression. In this review recent data are discussed with emphasis on wound-signaling in tomato. The following aspects are covered: (i) systemin signaling, (ii) JA biosynthesis and action, (iii) orchestration of various signals such as JA, H2O2, NO, and salicylate, (iv) local and systemic response, and (v) amplification in wound signaling. The common occurrence of JA biosynthesis and systemin generation in the vascular bundles suggest JA as the systemic signal. Grafting experiments with JA-deficient, JA-insensitive and systemin-insensitive mutants strongly support this assumption.
Publikation
Schüler, G.; Mithöfer, A.; Baldwin, I. T.; BERGER, S.; Ebel, J.; Santos, J. G.; Herrmann, G.; Hölscher, D.; Kramell, R.; Kutchan, T. M.; Maucher, H.; Schneider, B.; Stenzel, I.; Wasternack, C.; Boland, W.; Coronalon: a powerful tool in plant stress physiology FEBS Lett. 563, 17-22, (2004) DOI: 10.1016/S0014-5793(04)00239-X
Coronalon, a synthetic 6‐ethyl indanoyl isoleucine conjugate, has been designed as a highly active mimic of octadecanoid phytohormones that are involved in insect and disease resistance. The spectrum of biological activities that is affected by coronalon was investigated in nine different plant systems specifically responding to jasmonates and/or 12‐oxo‐phytodienoic acid. In all bioassays analyzed, coronalon demonstrated a general strong activity at low micromolar concentrations. The results obtained showed the induction of (i) defense‐related secondary metabolite accumulation in both cell cultures and plant tissues, (ii) specific abiotic and biotic stress‐related gene expression, and (iii) root growth retardation. The general activity of coronalon in the induction of plant stress responses together with its simple and efficient synthesis suggests that this compound might serve as a valuable tool in the examination of various aspects in plant stress physiology. Moreover, coronalon might become employed in agriculture to elicit plant resistance against various aggressors.
Publikation
BERGER, S.; Weichert, H.; Porzel, A.; Wasternack, C.; Kühn, H.; Feussner, I.; Enzymatic and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation in leaf development BBA-Mol. Cell Biol. Lipids 1533, 266-276, (2001) DOI: 10.1016/S1388-1981(01)00161-5
Enzymatic and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation has been implicated in programmed cell death, which is a major process of leaf senescence. To test this hypothesis we developed a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for a simultaneous analysis of the major hydro(pero)xy polyenoic fatty acids. Quantities of lipid peroxidation products in leaves of different stages of development including natural senescence indicated a strong increase in the level of oxygenated polyenoic fatty acids (PUFAs) during the late stages of leaf senescence. Comprehensive structural elucidation of the oxygenation products by means of HPLC, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance suggested a non-enzymatic origin. However, in some cases a small share of specifically oxidized PUFAs was identified suggesting involvement of lipid peroxidizing enzymes. To inspect the possible role of enzymatic lipid peroxidation in leaf senescence, we analyzed the abundance of lipoxygenases (LOXs) in rosette leaves of Arabidopsis. LOXs and their product (9Z,11E,13S,15Z)-13-hydroperoxy-9,11,15-octadecatrienoic acid were exclusively detected in young green leaves. In contrast, in senescing leaves the specific LOX products were overlaid by large amounts of stereo-random lipid peroxidation products originating from non-enzymatic oxidation. These data indicate a limited contribution of LOXs to total lipid peroxidation, and a dominant role of non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation in late stages of leaf development.
Publikation
Kramell, R.; Miersch, O.; Schneider, G.; Wasternack, C.; Liquid chromatography of jasmonic acid amine conjugates Chromatographia 49, 42-46, (1999) DOI: 10.1007/BF02467185
Racemic jasmonic acid (3R,7R/3S,7S)-(±)-JA) was chemically conjugated with different biogenic amines originating from aliphatic and aromatic α-amino acids by decarboxylation. The resulting isomeric compounds were subjected to reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and to HPLC on the chiral stationary phases Chiralpak AS and Nucleodex β-PM. Under reversed-phase conditions, all the homologous amine derivatives tested could be separated from each other except the JA-conjugates containing 2-phenyl-ethylamine and 3-methylbutylamine. On both chiral supports the (3R,7R)-(−)-JA conjugates eluted earlier than those of the enantiomeric counterpart (3S,7S)-(+)-JA. On Chiralpak AS all the isomers studied could be separated to baseline with a mobile phase containingn-hexane and 2-propanol. The calculated resolution factors were between 1.80 and 4.17. The pairs of isomers were also chromatographed on the cyclodextrin stationary phase Nucleodex β-PM with methanol-triethylammonium acetate buffer as mobile phase. Under these conditions resolution factors were between 0.74 and 1.29. The individual isomers were chiroptically characterized by measurement of their circular dichroism.
Publikation
Hause, B.; Vörös, K.; Kogel, K.-H.; Besser, K.; Wasternack, C.; A Jasmonate-responsive Lipoxygenase of Barley Leaves is Induced by Plant Activators but not by Pathogens J. Plant Physiol. 154, 459-462, (1999) DOI: 10.1016/S0176-1617(99)80283-1
Using the recently isolated eDNA clone LOX2 : Hv : 1 which codes for the most abundant jasmonateinducible lipoxygenase (LOX) in barley leaves (Vörös et al., 1998), we analysed the capability of different activators of systemic activated resistance (SAR) to induce the expression of that LOX. Upon treatment of barley leaves with salicylate, 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid and benzo-(1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester, all these compounds were able to induce the expression of the LOX2 : Hv : 1 gene, whereas upon infection with the powdery mildew fungus (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei) mRNA accumulation was not detectable in compatible or in incompatible interactions. The induction of the LOX2 : Hv : 1 protein by SAR activators and the expression of different sets of genes induced by jasmonate and salicylate, respectively, are discussed in relation to defense responses against pathogenic fungi.
Publikation
Wasternack, C.; Ortel, B.; Miersch, O.; Kramell, R.; Beale, M.; Greulich, F.; Feussner, I.; Hause, B.; Krumm, T.; Boland, W.; Parthier, B.; Diversity in octadecanoid-induced gene expression of tomato J. Plant Physiol. 152, 345-352, (1998) DOI: 10.1016/S0176-1617(98)80149-1
In tomato plants wounding leads to up-regulation of various plant defense genes via jasmonates (Ryan, 1992; Bergey et al., 1996). Using this model system of jasmonic acid (JA) signalling, we analyzed activity of octadecanoids to express JA-responsive genes. Leaf treatments were performed with naturally occurring octadecanoids and their molecular mimics such as coronatine or indanone conjugates. JA responses were recorded in terms of up- or down-regulation of various genes by analyzing transcript accumulation, and at least partially in vitro translation products and polypeptide pattern of leaf extracts. The data suggest: (i) 12-Oxo-phytodienoic acid and other intermediates of the octadecanoid pathway has to be ß-oxidized to give a JA response, (ii) Octadecanoids which can not be ß-oxidized are inactive, (iii) JA, its methyl ester (JM), and its amino acid conjugates are most active signals in tomato leaves leading to up regulation of mainly wound-inducible genes and down-regulation of mainly <house-keeping> genes, (iv) Some compounds carrying a JA/JM- or JA amino acid conjugate-like structure induce/repress only a subset of genes suggesting diversity of JA signalling.
Publikation
Ratajczak, R.; Feussner, I.; Hause, B.; Böhm, A.; Parthier, B.; Wasternack, C.; Alteration of V-type H+-ATPase during methyljasmonate-induced senescence in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Salome) J. Plant Physiol. 152, 199-206, (1998) DOI: 10.1016/S0176-1617(98)80133-8
In barley leaves, the application of (−)-jasmonic acid or its methyl ester (JAME) induces a senescencelike phenotype. This is accompanied by the synthesis of abundant proteins, so-called jasmonate-induced proteins (JlPs). Here, we show that modifications of vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) subunits are jasmo-nate inducible. Using immunofluorescence analysis, we demonstrate that V-ATPase of barley leaves is exclusively located at the tonoplast also upon JAME treatment. Total ATP-hydrolysis activity of microsomal fractions increased by a factor of 10 during 72 h of JAME-treatment, while Bafilomycin Ai-sensitive ATP-hydrolysis activity, which is usually referred to V-ATPase activity, increased by a factor of about 2 in tono-plast-enriched membrane fractions. Moreover, due to JAME treatment there was a pronounced increase in ATP-hydrolysis activity at pH 6.2. This activity was not affected by inhibitors of P-, F-, or V-ATPases. However, biochemical analysis of partially purified V-ATPase suggests, that this activity might be due at least in part to the V-ATPase. JAME-treatment seems to change biochemical properties of the V-ATPase, i.e. a shift of the pH optimum of activity to a more acidic pH and a decrease in Bafilomycin A1 sensitivity. This is accompanied by the appearance of several additional forms of V-ATPase subunits which might represent either different isoforms or post-translationally modified proteins. We suggest that these changes in properties of the V-ATPase, which is involved in house-keeping and stress responses, may be due to JAME-induced senescence to overcome concomitant changes of the vacuolar membrane.
Publikation
Churin, J.; Hause, B.; Feussner, I.; Maucher, H. P.; Feussner, K.; Börner, T.; Wasternack, C.; Cloning and expression of a new cDNA from monocotyledonous plants coding for a diadenosine 5′,5′′′-P1,P4-tetraphosphate hydrolase from barley (Hordeum vulgare) FEBS Lett. 431, 481-485, (1998) DOI: 10.1016/S0014-5793(98)00819-9
From a cDNA library generated from mRNA of white leaf tissues of the ribosome‐deficient mutant ‘albostrians' of barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Haisa) a cDNA was isolated carrying 54.2% identity to a recently published cDNA which codes for the diadenosine‐5′,5′′′‐P1,P4‐tetraphosphate (Ap4A) hydrolase of Lupinus angustifolius (Maksel et al. (1998) Biochem. J. 329, 313–319), and 69% identity to four partial peptide sequences of Ap4A hydrolase of tomato. Overexpression in Escherichia coli revealed a protein of about 19 kDa, which exhibited Ap4A hydrolase activity and cross‐reactivity with an antibody raised against a purified tomato Ap4A hydrolase (Feussner et al. (1996) Z. Naturforsch. 51c, 477–486). Expression studies showed an mRNA accumulation in all organs of a barley seedling. Possible functions of Ap4A hydrolase in plants will be discussed.
Publikation
Bohlmann, H.; Vignutelli, A.; Hilpert, B.; Miersch, O.; Wasternack, C.; Apel, K.; Wounding and chemicals induce expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana gene Thi2.1, encoding a fungal defense thionin, via the octadecanoid pathway FEBS Lett. 437, 281-286, (1998) DOI: 10.1016/S0014-5793(98)01251-4
In seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana the thionin gene Thi2.1 is inducible by methyl jasmonate, wounding, silver nitrate, coronatine, and sorbitol. We have used a biochemical and genetic approach to test the signal transduction of these different inducers. Both exogenously applied jasmonates and jasmonates produced endogenously upon stress induction, lead to GUS expression in a Thi2.1 promoter-uidA transgenic line. No GUS expression was observed in a coi1 mutant background which lacks jasmonate perception whereas methyl jasmonate and coronatine but not the other inducers were able to overcome the block in jasmonic acid production in a fad3-2 fad7-2 fad8 mutant background. Our results show conclusively that all these inducers regulate Thi2-1 gene expression via the octadecanoid pathway.