Marie-Andrée Hartmann

Sterol-dependent endocytosis mediates post-cytokinetic acquisition of PIN2 auxin efflux carrier polarity

The polarization of yeast and animal cells relies on membrane sterols for polar targeting of proteins to the plasma membrane, their polar endocytic recycling and restricted lateral diffusion. However, little is known about sterol function in plant-cell polarity. Directional root growth along the gravity vector requires polar transport of the plant hormone auxin. In Arabidopsis, asymmetric plasma membrane localization of the PIN–FORMED2 (PIN2) auxin transporter directs root gravitropism. Although the composition of membrane sterols influences gravitropism and localization of two other PIN proteins, it remains unknown how sterols contribute mechanistically to PIN polarity. Here, we show that correct membrane sterol composition is essential for the acquisition of PIN2 polarity. Polar PIN2 localization is defective in the sterol-biosynthesis mutant cyclopropylsterol isomerase1-1 (cpi1-1) which displays altered sterol composition, PIN2 endocytosis, and root gravitropism. At the end of cytokinesis, PIN2 localizes initially to both newly formed membranes but subsequently disappears from one. By contrast, PIN2 frequently remains at both daughter membranes in endocytosis-defective cpi1-1 cells. Hence, sterol composition affects post-cytokinetic acquisition of PIN2 polarity by endocytosis, suggesting a mechanism for sterol action on establishment of asymmetric protein localization.

Plant sterols and the membrane environment

Abstract Sterols are essential for all eukaryotes. In contrast to animal and fungal cells, which contain only one major sterol, plant cells synthesize a complex array of sterol mixtures in which sitosterol, stigmasterol and 24-methylcholesterol often predominate. Sitosterol and 24-methylcholesterol are able to regulate membrane fluidity and permeability in a similar manner to cholesterol in mammalian cell membranes. Plant sterols can also modulate the activity of membrane-bound enzymes. In contrast, stigmasterol might be specifically required for cell proliferation.

Characterization of Lipid Rafts from Medicago truncatula Root Plasma Membranes: A Proteomic Study Reveals the Presence of a Raft-Associated Redox System

Several studies have provided new insights into the role of sphingolipid/sterol-rich domains so-called lipid rafts of the plasma membrane (PM) from mammalian cells, and more recently from leaves, cell cultures, and seedlings of higher plants. Here we show that lipid raft domains, defined as Triton X-100-insoluble membranes, can also be prepared from Medicago truncatula root PMs. These domains have been extensively characterized by ultrastructural studies as well as by analysis of their content in lipids and proteins. M. truncatula lipid domains are shown to be enriched in sphingolipids and Δ7-sterols, with spinasterol as the major compound, but also in steryl glycosides and acyl-steryl glycosides. A large number of proteins (i.e. 270) have been identified. Among them, receptor kinases and proteins related to signaling, cellular trafficking, and cell wall functioning were well represented whereas those involved in transport and metabolism were poorly represented. Evidence is also given for the presence of a complete PM redox system in the lipid rafts.

[58] Plant membrane sterols: Isolation, identification, and biosynthesis

Publisher Summary This chapter presents detailed analysis of sterols and sterol derivatives of well-characterized (by a rich array of both morphological and biochemical markers) membrane fractions from etiolated maize coleoptiles, with a special focus on a plasma membrane (PM)-rich fraction. Then data about the different cellular sites of plant sterol biosynthesis in the same material are presented. It is presented in the chapter that it is possible to modify the sterol profile of higher plant membranes using sterol biosynthesis inhibitors. Results that have obtained with maize roots treated by fenpropimorph are given. If both free sterols and sterol conjugates of membrane fractions are to be analyzed, then the total lipid must be extracted three times with 6 vol of dichloromethane-methanol (2:1, v/v). To obtain sterols from steryl esters (SE), the corresponding fraction can be hydrolyzed by heating for one hour with 5 ml of 6% (w/v) KOH in methanol and pyrogallol.

Insights into the Role of Specific Lipids in the Formation and Delivery of Lipid Microdomains to the Plasma Membrane of Plant Cells

The existence of sphingolipid- and sterol-enriched microdomains, known as lipid rafts, in the plasma membrane (PM) of eukaryotic cells is well documented. To obtain more insight into the lipid molecular species required for the formation of microdomains in plants, we have isolated detergent (Triton X-100)-resistant membranes (DRMs) from the PM of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and leek (Allium porrum) seedlings as well as from Arabidopsis cell cultures. Here, we show that all DRM preparations are enriched in sterols, sterylglucosides, and glucosylceramides (GluCer) and depleted in glycerophospholipids. The GluCer of DRMs from leek seedlings contain hydroxypalmitic acid. We investigated the role of sterols in DRM formation along the secretory pathway in leek seedlings. We present evidence for the presence of DRMs in both the PM and the Golgi apparatus but not in the endoplasmic reticulum. In leek seedlings treated with fenpropimorph, a sterol biosynthesis inhibitor, the usual Δ5-sterols are replaced by 9β,19-cyclopropylsterols. In these plants, sterols and hydroxypalmitic acid-containing GluCer do not reach the PM, and most DRMs are recovered from the Golgi apparatus, indicating that Δ5-sterols and GluCer play a crucial role in lipid microdomain formation and delivery to the PM. In addition, DRM formation in Arabidopsis cells is shown to depend on the unsaturation degree of fatty acyl chains as evidenced by the dramatic decrease in the amount of DRMs prepared from the Arabidopsis mutants, fad2 and Fad3+, affected in their fatty acid desaturases.

Inhibition of Squalene Synthase and Squalene Epoxidase in Tobacco Cells Triggers an Up-Regulation of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase

To get some insight into the regulatory mechanisms controlling the sterol branch of the mevalonate pathway, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Bright Yellow-2) cell suspensions were treated with squalestatin-1 and terbinafine, two specific inhibitors of squalene synthase (SQS) and squalene epoxidase, respectively. These two enzymes catalyze the first two steps involved in sterol biosynthesis. In highly dividing cells, SQS was actively expressed concomitantly with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and both sterol methyltransferases. At nanomolar concentrations, squalestatin was found to inhibit efficiently sterol biosynthesis as attested by the rapid decrease in SQS activity and [14C]radioactivity from acetate incorporated into sterols. A parallel dose-dependent accumulation of farnesol, the dephosphorylated form of the SQS substrate, was observed without affecting farnesyl diphosphate synthase steady-state mRNA levels. Treatment of tobacco cells with terbinafine is also shown to inhibit sterol synthesis. In addition, this inhibitor induced an impressive accumulation of squalene and a dose-dependent stimulation of the triacylglycerol content and synthesis, suggesting the occurrence of regulatory relationships between sterol and triacylglycerol biosynthetic pathways. We demonstrate that squalene was stored in cytosolic lipid particles, but could be redirected toward sterol synthesis if required. Inhibition of either SQS or squalene epoxidase was found to trigger a severalfold increase in enzyme activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, giving first evidence for a positive feedback regulation of this key enzyme in response to a selective depletion of endogenous sterols. At the same time, no compensatory responses mediated by SQS were observed, in sharp contrast to the situation in mammalian cells.

Sterol Modulation of the Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Activity from Corn Roots Reconstituted into Soybean Lipids

A partially purified H+-ATPase from the plasma membrane (PM) of corn (Zea mays L.) roots was inserted into vesicles prepared with soybean (Glycine max L.) phospholipids and various concentrations of individual sterols using either a freeze-thaw sonication or an octylglucoside dilution procedure. Both methods yielded a functional enzyme that retained its native characteristics. We have investigated the effects of typical plant sterols (i.e. sitosterol, stigmasterol, and 24-methylcholesterol) on both ATP hydrolysis and H+ pumping by the reconstituted corn root PM ATPase. We have also checked the influence of cholesterol and of two unusual sterols, 24-methylpollinastanol and 14[alpha],24-dimethylcholest-8-en-3[beta]-ol. Here we present evidence for a sterol modulation of the plant PM H+-ATPase activity. In particular, cholesterol and stigmasterol were found to stimulate the pump, especially when present at 5 mol%, whereas all of the other sterols tested behaved as inhibitors at any concentration in proteoliposomes. In all situations H+ pumping was shown to be more sensitive to a sterol environment than was ATP hydrolysis. Our results suggest the occurrence of binding sites for sterols on the plant PM H+-ATPase.

Soybean phosphatidylcholine vesicles containing plant sterols : a fluorescence anisotropy study

The typical plant sterols (sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol) were compared with respect to their ability to regulate membrane fluidity of soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles. Fluidity changes were monitored by the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy with 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene as a probe and assigned to a measure of the acyl chain orientational order. Sitosterol and campesterol appear to be the most suitable sterols in ordering the acyl chains of soybean lecithin bilayers, even more efficient than cholesterol, the standard of reference for sterol effects on membranes, suggesting that they play a significant role in the regulation of plant membrane properties. Stigmasterol is shown to be much less active. Cycloartenol, a biosynthetic precursor of plant sterols, increases the acyl chain order with the same efficiency as cholesterol. We also investigated the effects of two unusual sterols, 24-methylpollinastanol and 14 alpha,24-dimethylcholest-8-en-3 beta-ol, which were shown to accumulate in plants treated with fungicides belonging to two important classes, N-substituted morpholines and triazoles, respectively. These two sterols exhibit a behavior very similar to that of stigmasterol. The results are discussed in terms of sterol effects on the molecular packing of soybean PC bilayers.

Sterol distribution in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Abstract The sterol composition of spores from 16 species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi belonging to the order Glomales were examined by GC–MS. The major compound was found to be 24-ethylcholesterol (up to 85%) followed by cholesterol (up to 15%). Several other sterols such as 24-methylcholesterol, Δ5-avenasterol and 24-ethylcholesta-5,22-dien-3 β -ol were also detected. Significant amounts of α -amyrin, a common vascular plant triterpene, were present in the spores of all the fungal species analyzed. The absence of ergosterol, a classical fungal sterol, is discussed in relation to fungal evolution.

Interaction of the polyene antibiotic amphotericin B with model membranes: differences between small and large unilamellar vesicles

The interaction of the polyene antibiotic amphotericin B (AmB) (Fig. 1) with large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) was monitored by circular dichroism (CD) and carboxyfluorescein (CF) release. LUV afford a far better model for biological membranes than small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) which have been used until now. With dimyristoyl phosphatidyl choline (DMPC) LUV (i.e., containing saturated acyl chains), a strong and not saturable binding for AmB/lipid ratios up to 0.5 was observed both above and below the phase transition temperature. Incorporation of cholesterol into the vesicles did not significantly change the interaction. With egg PC (EPC) LUV (i.e., containing unsaturated acyl chains), quite a different picture emerged: the binding reached saturation for AmB/lipid ratios of about 5 x 10(-3), a result not observed with EPC SUV. When sterols were introduced into membranes, the CD spectral features obtained in the presence of ergosterol were different from those obtained in the presence of cholesterol. Such a different behavior was not observed with SUV. We suggest that species whose CD spectrum was observed after 15 min in the presence of ergosterol-containing EPC LUV is the particular one which forms wide channels and induces a Ca2+ release. (H. Ramos, A. Attias, B.E. Cohen and J. Bolard, submitted for publication). The CF release from EPC LUV induced by AmB was very low, even at very high concentrations of the antibiotic (3 x 10(-4)M). In contrast, an important release of the fluorescent dye was observed with DMPC LUV at concentrations of approximately 10(-5)M.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)