Edwin R. Lampugnani

Regulation of tissue-specific expression of SPATULA, a bHLH gene involved in carpel development, seedling germination, and lateral organ growth in Arabidopsis

SPATULA is a bHLH transcription factor that promotes growth of tissues arising from the carpel margins, including the septum and transmitting tract. It is also involved in repressing germination of newly harvested seeds, and in inhibiting cotyledon, leaf, and petal expansion. Using a reporter gene construct, its expression profile was fully defined. Consistent with its known functions, SPT was expressed in developing carpel margin tissues, and in the hypocotyls and cotyledons of germinating seedlings, and in developing leaves and petals. It was also strongly expressed in tissues where no functions have been identified to date, including the dehiscence zone of fruits, developing anthers, embryos, and in the epidermal initials and new stele of root tips. The promoter region of SPT was dissected by truncation and deletion, and two main regions occupied by tissue-specific enhancers were identified. These were correlated with eight regions conserved between promoter regions of Arabidopsis, Brassica oleracea, and Brassica rapa. When transformed into Arabidopsis, the B. oleracea promoter drove expression in reproductive tissues mostly comparable to the equivalent Arabidopsis promoter. There is genetic evidence that SPT function in the gynoecium is associated with the perception of auxin. However, site-directed mutagenesis of three putative auxin-response elements had no detectable effect on SPT expression patterns. Even so, disruption of a putative E-box variant adjacent to one of these resulted in a loss of valve dehiscence zone expression. This expression was also specifically lost in mutants of another bHLH gene INDEHISCENT, indicating that IND may directly regulate SPT expression through this variant E-box.

PETAL LOSS is a boundary gene that inhibits growth between developing sepals in Arabidopsis thaliana

Flower primordia are partitioned by boundaries during their early development. Such boundaries occur between whorls of organs, and also between organs within whorls. PETAL LOSS (PTL) is a trihelix transcription factor gene that is expressed in boundaries between sepal primordia in the outer whorl. Over-expression of PTL results in growth suppression suggesting that PTL normally inhibits growth between newly arising sepals. We have tested this by examining the consequences of loss of PTL function using confocal imaging. The size of the inter-sepal zone in stage 4 buds expands radially by 35-40% in ptl-1 mutants as a consequence of additional cell proliferation. There is no change in the size of PTL-expressing cells. PTL expression does not overlap with the sites of petal initiation identified using the DR5 auxin response reporter. The latter are closer to the centre of the flower. Thus the consequence of loss of PTL function on petal initiation is indirect, perhaps through interference with a mobile petal-initiation signal or movement of the PTL protein. CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC) genes are also involved in defining inter-sepal boundaries. However, genetic studies combining ptl with loss of cuc1 function, and gain of CUC function in extra early petals-1 (miR164c) mutants, have revealed that CUC and PTL act differently. CUC suppresses growth of sepal tissues from the boundary region whereas PTL acts to keep the size of the boundary in check.

Auxin controls petal initiation in Arabidopsis

Floral organs are usually arranged in concentric whorls of sepals, petals, stamens and carpels. How founder cells of these organs are specified is unknown. In Arabidopsis, the PETAL LOSS (PTL) transcription factor functions in the sepal whorl, where it restricts the size of the inter-sepal zone. Genetic evidence suggests that PTL acts to support a petal initiation signal active in the adjacent whorl. Here we aimed to characterise the signal by identifying enhancers that disrupt initiation of the remaining petals in ptl mutants. One such enhancer encodes the auxin influx protein AUX1. We have established that auxin is a direct and mobile petal initiation signal by promoting its biosynthesis in the inter-sepal zone in ptl mutant plants and restoring nearby petal initiation. Consistent with this, loss of PTL function disrupts DR5 expression, an auxin-inducible indicator of petal-initiation sites. The signalling network was extended by demonstrating that: (1) loss of RABBIT EARS (RBE) function apparently disrupts the same auxin influx process as PTL; (2) the action of AUX1 is supported by AXR4, its upstream partner in auxin influx; (3) polar auxin transport, which is controlled by PINOID (PID) and PIN-FORMED1 (PIN1), functions downstream of PTL; and (4) the action of pmd-1d, a dominant modifier of the ptl mutant phenotype, is dependent on auxin transport. Thus, loss of PTL function disrupts auxin dynamics, allowing the role of auxin in promoting petal initiation to be revealed.

Determining the Subcellular Location of Synthesis and Assembly of the Cell Wall Polysaccharide (1,3; 1,4)-β-d-Glucan in Grasses

Despite the paradigm that noncellulosic cell wall polysaccharides are synthesized in the Golgi, compelling evidence suggests that (1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucans are assembled at the plasma membrane. The current dogma for cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis is that cellulose (and callose) is synthesized at the plasma membrane (PM), whereas matrix phase polysaccharides are assembled in the Golgi apparatus. We provide evidence that (1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucan (mixed-linkage glucan [MLG]) does not conform to this paradigm. We show in various grass (Poaceae) species that MLG-specific antibody labeling is present in the wall but absent over Golgi, suggesting it is assembled at the PM. Antibodies to the MLG synthases, cellulose synthase-like F6 (CSLF6) and CSLH1, located CSLF6 to the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, secretory vesicles, and the PM and CSLH1 to the same locations apart from the PM. This pattern was recreated upon expression of VENUS-tagged barley (Hordeum vulgare) CSLF6 and CSLH1 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and, consistent with our biochemical analyses of native grass tissues, shown to be catalytically active with CSLF6 and CSLH1 in PM-enriched and PM-depleted membrane fractions, respectively. These data support a PM location for the synthesis of MLG by CSLF6, the predominant enzymatically active isoform. A model is proposed to guide future experimental approaches to dissect the molecular mechanism(s) of MLG assembly.

Asparagus IRX9, IRX10, and IRX14A Are Components of an Active Xylan Backbone Synthase Complex that Forms in the Golgi Apparatus

Xylan biosynthesis in the Golgi apparatus is affected by IRX9, IRX10, and IRX14A in Asparagus. Heteroxylans are abundant components of plant cell walls and provide important raw materials for the food, pharmaceutical, and biofuel industries. A number of studies in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) have suggested that the IRREGULAR XYLEM9 (IRX9), IRX10, and IRX14 proteins, as well as their homologs, are involved in xylan synthesis via a Golgi-localized complex termed the xylan synthase complex (XSC). However, both the biochemical and cell biological research lags the genetic and molecular evidence. In this study, we characterized garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) stem xylan biosynthesis genes (AoIRX9, AoIRX9L, AoIRX10, AoIRX14A, and AoIRX14B) by heterologous expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. We reconstituted and partially purified an active XSC and showed that three proteins, AoIRX9, AoIRX10, and AoIRX14A, are necessary for xylan xylosyltranferase activity in planta. To better understand the XSC structure and its composition, we carried out coimmunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis to show the molecular interactions between these three IRX proteins. Using a site-directed mutagenesis approach, we showed that the DxD motifs of AoIRX10 and AoIRX14A are crucial for the catalytic activity. These data provide, to our knowledge, the first lines of biochemical and cell biological evidence that AoIRX9, AoIRX10, and AoIRX14A are core components of a Golgi-localized XSC, each with distinct roles for effective heteroxylan biosynthesis.

Golgi-localized STELLO proteins regulate the assembly and trafficking of cellulose synthase complexes in Arabidopsis

As the most abundant biopolymer on Earth, cellulose is a key structural component of the plant cell wall. Cellulose is produced at the plasma membrane by cellulose synthase (CesA) complexes (CSCs), which are assembled in the endomembrane system and trafficked to the plasma membrane. While several proteins that affect CesA activity have been identified, components that regulate CSC assembly and trafficking remain unknown. Here we show that STELLO1 and 2 are Golgi-localized proteins that can interact with CesAs and control cellulose quantity. In the absence of STELLO function, the spatial distribution within the Golgi, secretion and activity of the CSCs are impaired indicating a central role of the STELLO proteins in CSC assembly. Point mutations in the predicted catalytic domains of the STELLO proteins indicate that they are glycosyltransferases facing the Golgi lumen. Hence, we have uncovered proteins that regulate CSC assembly in the plant Golgi apparatus.

In vitro grown pollen tubes of Nicotiana alata actively synthesise a fucosylated xyloglucan.

Nicotiana alata pollen tubes are a widely used model for studies of polarized tip growth and cell wall synthesis in plants. To better understand these processes, RNA-Seq and de novo assembly methods were used to produce a transcriptome of N. alata pollen grains. Notable in the reconstructed transcriptome were sequences encoding proteins that are involved in the synthesis and remodelling of xyloglucan, a cell wall polysaccharide previously not thought to be deposited in Nicotiana pollen tube walls. Expression of several xyloglucan-related genes in actively growing pollen tubes was confirmed and xyloglucan epitopes were detected in the wall with carbohydrate-specific antibodies: the major xyloglucan oligosaccharides found in N. alata pollen grains and tubes were fucosylated, an unusual structure for the Solanaceae, the family to which Nicotiana belongs. Finally, carbohydrate linkages consistent with xyloglucan were identified chemically in the walls of N. alata pollen grains and pollen tubes grown in culture. The presence of a fucosylated xyloglucan in Nicotiana pollen tube walls was thus confirmed. The consequences of this discovery to models of pollen tube growth dynamics and more generally to polarised tip-growing cells in plants are discussed.

Glycan Profiling of Plant Cell Wall Polymers using Microarrays

Plant cell walls are complex matrixes of heterogeneous glycans which play an important role in the physiology and development of plants and provide the raw materials for human societies (e.g. wood, paper, textile and biofuel industries)(1,2). However, understanding the biosynthesis and function of these components remains challenging. Cell wall glycans are chemically and conformationally diverse due to the complexity of their building blocks, the glycosyl residues. These form linkages at multiple positions and differ in ring structure, isomeric or anomeric configuration, and in addition, are substituted with an array of non-sugar residues. Glycan composition varies in different cell and/or tissue types or even sub-domains of a single cell wall(3). Furthermore, their composition is also modified during development(1), or in response to environmental cues(4). In excess of 2,000 genes have Plant cell walls are complex matrixes of heterogeneous glycans been predicted to be involved in cell wall glycan biosynthesis and modification in Arabidopsis(5). However, relatively few of the biosynthetic genes have been functionally characterized (4,5). Reverse genetics approaches are difficult because the genes are often differentially expressed, often at low levels, between cell types(6). Also, mutant studies are often hindered by gene redundancy or compensatory mechanisms to ensure appropriate cell wall function is maintained(7). Thus novel approaches are needed to rapidly characterise the diverse range of glycan structures and to facilitate functional genomics approaches to understanding cell wall biosynthesis and modification. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)(8,9) have emerged as an important tool for determining glycan structure and distribution in plants. These recognise distinct epitopes present within major classes of plant cell wall glycans, including pectins, xyloglucans, xylans, mannans, glucans and arabinogalactans. Recently their use has been extended to large-scale screening experiments to determine the relative abundance of glycans in a broad range of plant and tissue types simultaneously(9,10,11). Here we present a microarray-based glycan screening method called Comprehensive Microarray Polymer Profiling (CoMPP) (Figures 1 & 2)(10,11) that enables multiple samples (100 sec) to be screened using a miniaturised microarray platform with reduced reagent and sample volumes. The spot signals on the microarray can be formally quantified to give semi-quantitative data about glycan epitope occurrence. This approach is well suited to tracking glycan changes in complex biological systems(12) and providing a global overview of cell wall composition particularly when prior knowledge of this is unavailable.

SEUSS and SEUSS-LIKE 2 coordinate auxin distribution and KNOXI activity during embryogenesis

In Arabidopsis, SEUSS (SEU) and SEUSS-LIKE 2 (SLK2) are components of the LEUNIG (LUG) repressor complex that coordinates various aspects of post-embryonic development. The complex also plays a critical role during embryogenesis, as seu slk2 double mutants have small, narrow cotyledons and lack a shoot apical meristem (SAM). Here we show that seu slk2 double mutant embryos exhibit delayed cotyledon outgrowth and that this is associated with altered PIN-FORMED1 (PIN1) expression and localisation during the early stages of embryogenesis. These observations suggest that SEU and SLK2 promote the transition to bilateral symmetry by modulating auxin distribution in the embryonic shoot. This study also shows that loss of SAM formation in seu slk2 mutants is associated with reduced expression of the class I KNOX (KNOXI) genes SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM), BREVIPEDICELLUS and KNAT2. Furthermore, elevating STM expression in seu slk2 mutant embryos was sufficient to restore SAM formation but not post-embryonic activity, while both SAM formation and activity were rescued when SLK2 expression was restored in either the cotyledons or boundary regions. These results demonstrate that SEU and SLK2 function redundantly to promote embryonic shoot development and likely act through a non-cell autonomous pathway to promote KNOXI activity.

Two Complementary Mechanisms Underpin Cell Wall Patterning during Xylem Vessel Development

The CELLULOSE SYNTHASE INTERACTING1 protein directs secondary wall patterning during the early phases of xylem vessel development. The evolution of the plant vasculature was essential for the emergence of terrestrial life. Xylem vessels are solute-transporting elements in the vasculature that possess secondary wall thickenings deposited in intricate patterns. Evenly dispersed microtubule (MT) bands support the formation of these wall thickenings, but how the MTs direct cell wall synthesis during this process remains largely unknown. Cellulose is the major secondary wall constituent and is synthesized by plasma membrane-localized cellulose synthases (CesAs) whose catalytic activity propels them through the membrane. We show that the protein CELLULOSE SYNTHASE INTERACTING1 (CSI1)/POM2 is necessary to align the secondary wall CesAs and MTs during the initial phase of xylem vessel development in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa). Surprisingly, these MT-driven patterns successively become imprinted and sufficient to sustain the continued progression of wall thickening in the absence of MTs and CSI1/POM2 function. Hence, two complementary principles underpin wall patterning during xylem vessel development.