David A. Korasick

Auxin biosynthesis and storage forms

The plant hormone auxin drives plant growth and morphogenesis. The levels and distribution of the active auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) are tightly controlled through synthesis, inactivation, and transport. Many auxin precursors and modified auxin forms, used to regulate auxin homeostasis, have been identified; however, very little is known about the integration of multiple auxin biosynthesis and inactivation pathways. This review discusses the many ways auxin levels are regulated through biosynthesis, storage forms, and inactivation, and the potential roles modified auxins play in regulating the bioactive pool of auxin to affect plant growth and development.

Molecular basis for AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR protein interaction and the control of auxin response repression

Significance Auxin is a critical plant hormone that regulates every aspect of plant growth and development. AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) transcription factors control auxin-regulated gene transcription, and their activity is regulated by AUXIN/INDOLE 3-ACETIC ACID repressor proteins. This work identifies that dimerization of the repressor with the transcription factor is insufficient to repress activity, suggesting that multimerization is the mechanism of repressing ARF transcriptional activity and further raising the possibility that multimerization in other systems may play roles in transcriptional repression. In plants, the AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) transcription factor family regulates gene expression in response to auxin. In the absence of auxin, ARF transcription factors are repressed by interaction with AUXIN/INDOLE 3-ACETIC ACID (Aux/IAA) proteins. Although the C termini of ARF and Aux/IAA proteins facilitate their homo- and heterooligomerization, the molecular basis for this interaction remained undefined. The crystal structure of the C-terminal interaction domain of Arabidopsis ARF7 reveals a Phox and Bem1p (PB1) domain that provides both positive and negative electrostatic interfaces for directional protein interaction. Mutation of interface residues in the ARF7 PB1 domain yields monomeric protein and abolishes interaction with both itself and IAA17. Expression of a stabilized Aux/IAA protein (i.e., IAA16) bearing PB1 mutations in Arabidopsis suggests a multimerization requirement for ARF protein repression, leading to a refined auxin-signaling model.

Unraveling the Complexity of Ubiquitin Signaling

Protein ubiquitination, the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to target proteins, has emerged as one of the most prevalent posttranslational modifications (PTMs), regulating nearly every cellular pathway. The diversity of signaling associated with this particular PTM stems from the myriad ways in which a target protein can be modified by ubiquitin, e.g., monoubiquitin, multi-monoubiquitin, and polyubiquitin linkages. In this Review, we focus on developments in both enzymatic and chemical methods that engender ubiquitin with new chemical and physical properties. Moreover, we highlight how these methods have enabled studies directed toward (i) characterizing enzymes responsible for reversing the ubiquitin modification, (ii) understanding the influence of ubiquitin on protein function and crosstalk with other PTMs, and (iii) uncovering the impact of polyubiquitin chain linkage and length on downstream signaling events.

Novel functions of STOMATAL CYTOKINESIS-DEFECTIVE 1 (SCD1) in innate immune responses against bacteria

Eukaryotes employ complex immune mechanisms for protection against microbial pathogens. Here, we identified SCD1 (Stomatal Cytokinesis-Defective 1), previously implicated in growth and development through its role in cytokinesis and polarized cell expansion (Falbel, T. G., Koch, L. M., Nadeau, J. A., Segui-Simarro, J. M., Sack, F. D., and Bednarek, S. Y. (2003) Development 130, 4011–4024) as a novel component of innate immunity. In Arabidopsis, SCD1 is a unique gene encoding for the only protein containing a complete DENN (Differentially Expressed in Normal and Neoplastic cells) domain. The DENN domain is a largely uncharacterized tripartite protein motif conserved among eukaryotic proteins. We show that conditional scd1-1 plants containing a point mutation in a conserved DENN residue affected a subset of signaling responses to some bacterial pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Consistent with increased transcript accumulation of Pathogen-related (PR) genes, scd1-1 plants were more resistant to Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato (Pst) DC3000 infection implicating SCD1 as a negative regulator of basal resistance against bacteria. scd1-1 plants were different from known mutants exhibiting constitutive expressor of PR (cpr)-like phenotypes, in that growth impairment of scd1-1 plants was genetically independent of constitutive immune response activation. For scd1-1, shift to elevated temperature or introduction of a mutant allele in Salicylic acid Induction-Deficient 2 (SID2) suppressed constitutive defense response activation. sid2-2 also repressed the resistance phenotype of scd1-1. Temperature shift and sid2-2, however, did not rescue conditional growth and sterility defects of scd1-1. These results implicate SCD1 in multiple cellular pathways, possibly by affecting different proteins. Overall, our studies identified a novel role for eukaryotic DENN proteins in immunity against bacteria.

Loss of Arabidopsis thaliana Dynamin-Related Protein 2B Reveals Separation of Innate Immune Signaling Pathways

Vesicular trafficking has emerged as an important means by which eukaryotes modulate responses to microbial pathogens, likely by contributing to the correct localization and levels of host components necessary for effective immunity. However, considering the complexity of membrane trafficking in plants, relatively few vesicular trafficking components with functions in plant immunity are known. Here we demonstrate that Arabidopsis thaliana Dynamin-Related Protein 2B (DRP2B), which has been previously implicated in constitutive clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), functions in responses to flg22 (the active peptide derivative of bacterial flagellin) and immunity against flagellated bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pto) DC3000. Consistent with a role of DRP2B in Pattern-Triggered Immunity (PTI), drp2b null mutant plants also showed increased susceptibility to Pto DC3000 hrcC −, which lacks a functional Type 3 Secretion System, thus is unable to deliver effectors into host cells to suppress PTI. Importantly, analysis of drp2b mutant plants revealed three distinct branches of the flg22-signaling network that differed in their requirement for RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOGUE D (RBOHD), the NADPH oxidase responsible for flg22-induced apoplastic reactive oxygen species production. Furthermore, in drp2b, normal MAPK signaling and increased immune responses via the RbohD/Ca2+-branch were not sufficient for promoting robust PR1 mRNA expression nor immunity against Pto DC3000 and Pto DC3000 hrcC−. Based on live-cell imaging studies, flg22-elicited internalization of the plant flagellin-receptor, FLAGELLIN SENSING 2 (FLS2), was found to be partially dependent on DRP2B, but not the closely related protein DRP2A, thus providing genetic evidence for a component, implicated in CME, in ligand-induced endocytosis of FLS2. Reduced trafficking of FLS2 in response to flg22 may contribute in part to the non-canonical combination of immune signaling defects observed in drp2b. In conclusion, this study adds DRP2B to the relatively short list of known vesicular trafficking proteins with roles in flg22-signaling and PTI in plants.

The Arabidopsis Dynamin-Related Protein2 Family Is Essential for Gametophyte Development

Both the DRP2 family of classical dynamins and the plant-specific DRP1s are thought to be required for clathrin-mediated trafficking. This study shows that the Arabidopsis DRP2 and DRP1 families have distinct developmental roles. DRP2 function was found to be necessary for cell cycle progression in the early stages of both the male and the female gametophyte development. Clathrin-mediated membrane trafficking is critical for multiple stages of plant growth and development. One key component of clathrin-mediated trafficking in animals is dynamin, a polymerizing GTPase that plays both regulatory and mechanical roles. Other eukaryotes use various dynamin-related proteins (DRP) in clathrin-mediated trafficking. Plants are unique in the apparent involvement of both a family of classical dynamins (DRP2) and a family of dynamin-related proteins (DRP1) in clathrin-mediated membrane trafficking. Our analysis of drp2 insertional mutants demonstrates that, similar to the DRP1 family, the DRP2 family is essential for Arabidopsis thaliana development. Gametophytes lacking both DRP2A and DRP2B were inviable, arresting prior to the first mitotic division in both male and female gametogenesis. Mutant pollen displayed a variety of defects, including branched or irregular cell plates, altered Golgi morphology and ectopic callose deposition. Ectopic callose deposition was also visible in the pollen-lethal drp1c-1 mutant and appears to be a specific feature of pollen-defective mutants with impaired membrane trafficking. However, drp2ab pollen arrested at earlier stages in development than drp1c-1 pollen and did not accumulate excess plasma membrane or display other gross defects in plasma membrane morphology. Therefore, the DRP2 family, but not DRP1C, is necessary for cell cycle progression during early gametophyte development. This suggests a possible role for DRP2-dependent clathrin-mediated trafficking in the transduction of developmental signals in the gametophyte.

Refining the nuclear auxin response pathway through structural biology

Auxin is a key regulator of plant growth and development. Classical molecular and genetic techniques employed over the past 20 years identified the major players in auxin-mediated gene expression and suggest a canonical auxin response pathway. In recent years, structural and biophysical studies clarified the molecular details of auxin perception, the recognition of DNA by auxin transcription factors, and the interaction of auxin transcription factors with repressor proteins. These studies refine the auxin signal transduction model and raise new questions that increase the complexity of auxin signaling.

Defining a Two-pronged Structural Model for PB1 (Phox/Bem1p) Domain Interaction in Plant Auxin Responses

Background: Phox/Bem1p domains are universal domains that organize cellular signaling scaffolds. Results: Biophysical analyses reveal driving forces and core residues involved in PB1 interaction. Conclusion: Electrostatic interactions focused around two complementary prongs. Significance: These results provide the first in-depth analysis of the factors driving self-interaction of a type I/II PB1 domain. Phox/Bem1p (PB1) domains are universal structural modules that use surfaces of different charge for protein-protein association. In plants, PB1-mediated interactions of auxin response factors (ARF) and auxin/indole 3-acetic acid inducible proteins regulate transcriptional events modulated by the phytohormone auxin. Here we investigate the thermodynamic and structural basis for Arabidopsis thaliana ARF7 PB1 domain self-interaction. Isothermal titration calorimetry and NMR experiments indicate that key residues on both the basic and acidic faces of the PB1 domain contribute to and organize coordinately to stabilize protein-protein interactions. Calorimetric analysis of ARF7PB1 site-directed mutants defines a two-pronged electrostatic interaction. The canonical PB1 interaction between a lysine and a cluster of acidic residues provides one prong with an arginine and a second cluster of acidic residues defining the other prong. Evolutionary conservation of this core recognition feature and other co-varying interface sequences allows for versatile PB1-mediated interactions in auxin signaling.

Structure and characterization of a class 3B proline utilization A: ligand-induced dimerization and importance of the C-terminal domain for catalysis

The bifunctional flavoenzyme proline utilization A (PutA) catalyzes the two-step oxidation of proline to glutamate using separate proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) and l-glutamate-γ-semialdehyde dehydrogenase active sites. Because PutAs catalyze sequential reactions, they are good systems for studying how metabolic enzymes communicate via substrate channeling. Although mechanistically similar, PutAs vary widely in domain architecture, oligomeric state, and quaternary structure, and these variations represent different structural solutions to the problem of sequestering a reactive metabolite. Here, we studied PutA from Corynebacterium freiburgense (CfPutA), which belongs to the uncharacterized 3B class of PutAs. A 2.7 Å resolution crystal structure showed the canonical arrangement of PRODH, l-glutamate-γ-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, and C-terminal domains, including an extended interdomain tunnel associated with substrate channeling. The structure unexpectedly revealed a novel open conformation of the PRODH active site, which is interpreted to represent the non-activated conformation, an elusive form of PutA that exhibits suboptimal channeling. Nevertheless, CfPutA exhibited normal substrate-channeling activity, indicating that it isomerizes into the active state under assay conditions. Sedimentation-velocity experiments provided insight into the isomerization process, showing that CfPutA dimerizes in the presence of a proline analog and NAD+. These results are consistent with the morpheein model of enzyme hysteresis, in which substrate binding induces conformational changes that promote assembly of a high-activity oligomer. Finally, we used domain deletion analysis to investigate the function of the C-terminal domain. Although this domain contains neither catalytic residues nor substrate sites, its removal impaired both catalytic activities, suggesting that it may be essential for active-site integrity.

Biophysical investigation of type A PutAs reveals a conserved core oligomeric structure

Many enzymes form homooligomers, yet the functional significance of self‐association is seldom obvious. Herein, we examine the connection between oligomerization and catalytic function for proline utilization A (PutA) enzymes. PutAs are bifunctional enzymes that catalyze both reactions of proline catabolism. Type A PutAs are the smallest members of the family, possessing a minimal domain architecture consisting of N‐terminal proline dehydrogenase and C‐terminal l‐glutamate‐γ‐semialdehyde dehydrogenase modules. Type A PutAs form domain‐swapped dimers, and in one case (Bradyrhizobium japonicum PutA), two of the dimers assemble into a ring‐shaped tetramer. Whereas the dimer has a clear role in substrate channeling, the functional significance of the tetramer is unknown. To address this question, we performed structural studies of four‐type A PutAs from two clades of the PutA tree. The crystal structure of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus PutA covalently inactivated by N‐propargylglycine revealed a fold and substrate‐channeling tunnel similar to other PutAs. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and analytical ultracentrifugation indicated that Bdellovibrio PutA is dimeric in solution, in contrast to the prediction from crystal packing of a stable tetrameric assembly. SAXS studies of two other type A PutAs from separate clades also suggested that the dimer predominates in solution. To assess whether the tetramer of B. japonicum PutA is necessary for catalytic function, a hot spot disruption mutant that cleanly produces dimeric protein was generated. The dimeric variant exhibited kinetic parameters similar to the wild‐type enzyme. These results implicate the domain‐swapped dimer as the core structural and functional unit of type A PutAs.