Accumulation of plant galactolipid affects cell morphology of Escherichia coli.

Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) is a major constituent of thylakoid membrane in chloroplasts. Therefore, it is considered to have an important role in the maintenance of the complicated structure of the thylakoid membrane. We have succeeded in cloning the enzyme for MGDG synthesis and overexpressed it in Escherichia coli. In this study we analyzed the morphology of the E. coli harboring the gene. The fatty acid composition of its membrane lipids did not differ between the wild type and transformant, except for the appearance of MGDG. However, transformant cells appeared to be elongated. DAPI staining revealed the entire intracellular region of filamentous cells to be stained; therefore, the elongation of the cells is probably due to a defect in cell division. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the transformant had a smooth but scratched surface. It was concluded that the excessive accumulation of a non-bilayer lipid, MGDG, interfered with the translocation of proteins across the plasma membrane, including those for cell division.

Transcriptional regulation by light and phytohormones of the MGD gene in cucumber.

Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) synthase catalyses formation of MGDG, a major structural lipid of chloroplasts. We have already cloned a cDNA for the synthase from a cucumber cDNA library and shown that expression of this gene is regulated by light and a phytohormone, cytokinin. In the present study, we report the molecular basis for transcriptional regulation by light and cytokinin in detail. First, in terms of the enzyme activity, gradual increases in activity mediated by light and cytokinin treatments were observed. At the same time, however, the changes in the mRNA level showed different profiles, with a transient peak during the early stages of light and cytokinin treatment. The interval between the peak level of mRNA and enzyme activation implies the existence of a post-transcriptional regulatory system. In addition, a genomic clone of MGDG synthase isolated from a cucumber genome library was used for a motif search in databases, and this revealed that putative cis-acting elements for light and phytohormones exist in the 5'-upstream region of the MGD cucumber gene. Detailed analysis of this region for light- and cytokinin-responsive activity was performed using a -90 truncated 35 S minimal promoter/luciferase (LUC) reporter gene. It resulted in high levels of LUC expression in etiolated cucumber cotyledons in response to illumination and cytokinin treatment. These results indicate that this 5'-upstream region is involved in light- and cytokinin-enhanced MGD gene expression, and that light- and cytokinin-responsive enhancements of the MGDG synthase activity are regulated, at least in part, at the level of transcription.