Identification of large variation in the photosynthetic induction response among 37 soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes that is not correlated with steady-state photosynthetic capacity.

Irradiance continuously fluctuates during the day in the field. The speed of the induction response of photosynthesis in high light affects the cumulative carbon gain of the plant and could impact growth and yield. The photosynthetic induction response and its relationship with the photosynthetic capacity under steady-state conditions (P max) were evaluated in 37 diverse soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes. The induction response of leaf photosynthesis showed large variation among the soybean genotypes. After 5 min illumination with strong light, genotype NAM23 had the highest leaf photosynthetic rate of 33.8 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1, while genotype NAM12 showed the lowest rate at 4.7 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. Cumulative CO2 fixation (CCF) during the first 5 min of high light exposure ranged from 5.5 mmol CO2 m-2 for NAM23 to 0.81 mmol CO2 m-2 for NAM12. The difference in the induction response among genotypes was consistent throughout the growth season. However, there was no significant correlation between CCF and P max among genotypes suggesting that different mechanisms regulate P max and the induction response. The observed variation in the induction response was mainly attributed to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activation, but soybean lines differing in the induction response did not differ in the leaf content of Rubisco activase α- and ß-proteins. Future studies will be focused on identifying molecular determinants of the photosynthetic induction response and determining whether this trait could be an important breeding target to achieve improved growth of soybeans in the field.

Exploring the role of protein phosphorylation in plants: from signalling to metabolism.

This review presents a broad overview of phosphorylation and signalling in plants. Much of the work of my group in plants focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate the production of carbon and nitrogen metabolites in leaves; in this review, I will discuss nitrate, which is one of the most important of these inorganic nutrients. I also detail how protein phosphorylation in plant cells is altered in response to the presence of reactive oxygen species.

Phosphorylation of synthetic peptides by a CDPK and plant SNF1-related protein kinase. Influence of proline and basic amino acid residues at selected positions.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaf sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) can be inactivated by phosphorylation of Ser-158 by calmodulin-like domain protein kinases (CDPKs) or SNF1-related protein kinases (SnRK1) in vitro. While the phosphorylation site sequence is relatively conserved, most of the deduced sequences of SPS from dicot species surrounding the Ser-158 regulatory phosphorylation site contain a Pro residue at P-4 (where P is the phosphorylated Ser); spinach is the exception and contains an Arg at P-4. We show that a Pro at P-4 selectively inhibits phosphorylation of the peptide by a CDPK relative to a SnRK1. The presence of a Pro at P-4, by allowing a tight turn in the peptide substrate, may interfere with proper binding of residues at P-5 and beyond. Both kinases had greater activity with peptides having basic residues at P-6 and P+5 (in addition to the known requirement for an Arg at P-3/P-4), and when the residue at P-6 was a His, the pH optimum for phosphorylation of the peptide was acid shifted. The results are used to predict proteins that may be selectively phosphorylated by SnRK1s (as opposed to CDPKs), such as SPS in dicot species, or may be phosphorylated in a pH-dependent manner.

Post-translational regulation of nitrate reductase: mechanism, physiological relevance and environmental triggers.

Assimilatory nitrate reductase (NR) of higher plants is a most interesting enzyme, both from its central function in plant primary metabolism and from the complex regulation of its expression and control of catalytic activity and degradation. Here, present knowledge about the mechanism of post-translational regulation of NR is summarized and the properties of the regulatory enzymes involved (protein kinases, protein phosphatases and 14-3-3-binding proteins) are described. It is shown that light and oxygen availability are the major external triggers for the rapid and reversible modulation of NR activity, and that sugars and/or sugar phosphates are the internal signals which regulate the protein kinase(s) and phosphatase. It is also demonstrated that stress factors like nitrate deficiency and salinity have remarkably little direct influence on the NR activation state. Further, changes in NR activity measured in vitro are not always associated with changes in nitrate reduction rates in vivo, suggesting that NR can be under strong substrate limitation. The degradation and half-life of the NR protein also appear to be affected by NR phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding, as NR activation always correlates positively with its stability. However, it is not known whether the molecular form of NR in vivo affects its susceptibility to proteolytic degradation, or whether factors that affect the NR activation state also independently affect the activity or induction of the NR protease(s). A second and potentially important function of NR, the production of nitric oxide (NO) from nitrite is briefly described, but it remains to be determined whether NR produces NO for pathogen/stress signalling in vivo.

Identification of a novel phosphorylation motif for CDPKs: phosphorylation of synthetic peptides lacking basic residues at P-3/P-4.

The Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are members of a large subfamily of protein kinases in plants that have been implicated in the control of numerous aspects of plant growth and development. One known substrate of the CDPKs is the ER-located ACA2 calcium pump, which is regulated by phosphorylation of Ser(45). In the present study, a synthetic peptide based on the known regulatory phosphorylation site (RRFRFTANLS(45)KRYEA) was efficiently phosphorylated in vitro by CDPKs but not a plant SNF1-related protein kinase. Phosphorylation of the Ser(45)-ACA2 peptide was surprising because the sequence lacks basic residues at P-3/P-4 (relative to the phosphorylated Ser at position P) that are considered to be essential recognition elements for CDPKs. We demonstrate that phosphorylation of the Ser(45)-ACA2 peptide is dependent on the cluster of basic residues found N-terminal (P-6 to P-9) as well as C-terminal (P + 1/P + 2) to the phosphorylated Ser. The results establish a new general phosphorylation motif for CDPKs: [Basic-Basic-X-Basic]-phi-X(4)-S/T-X-Basic (where phi is a hydrophobic residue). The motif predicts a number of new phosphorylation sites in plant proteins. Evidence is presented that the novel motif may explain the phosphorylation by CDPKs of Ser271 in the aquaporin PM28A.

Recombinant brassinosteroid insensitive 1 receptor-like kinase autophosphorylates on serine and threonine residues and phosphorylates a conserved peptide motif in vitro.

BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1) encodes a putative Leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase in Arabidopsis that has been shown by genetic and molecular analysis to be a critical component of brassinosteroid signal transduction. In this study we examined some of the biochemical properties of the BRI1 kinase domain (BRI1-KD) in vitro, which might be important predictors of in vivo function. Recombinant BRI1-KD autophosphorylated on serine (Ser) and threonine (Thr) residues with p-Ser predominating. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry identified a minimum of 12 sites of autophosphorylation in the cytoplasmic domain of BRI1, including five in the juxtamembrane region (N-terminal to the catalytic KD), five in the KD (one each in sub-domains I and VIa and three in sub-domain VIII), and two in the carboxy terminal region. Five of the sites were uniquely identified (Ser-838, Thr-842, Thr-846, Ser-858, and Thr-872), whereas seven were localized on short peptides but remain ambiguous due to multiple Ser and/or Thr residues within these peptides. The inability of an active BRI1-KD to transphosphorylate an inactive mutant KD suggests that the mechanism of autophosphorylation is intramolecular. It is interesting that recombinant BRI1-KD was also found to phosphorylate certain synthetic peptides in vitro. To identify possible structural elements required for substrate recognition by BRI1-KD, a series of synthetic peptides were evaluated, indicating that optimum phosphorylation of the peptide required R or K residues at P - 3, P - 4, and P + 5 (relative to the phosphorylated Ser at P = 0).

Regulation of sucrose metabolism in higher plants: localization and regulation of activity of key enzymes.

Sucrose (Suc) plays a central role in plant growth and development. It is a major end product of photosynthesis and functions as a primary transport sugar and in some cases as a direct or indirect regulator of gene expression. Research during the last 2 decades has identified the pathways involved and which enzymes contribute to the control of flux. Availability of metabolites for Suc synthesis and 'demand' for products of sucrose degradation are important factors, but this review specifically focuses on the biosynthetic enzyme sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), and the degradative enzymes, sucrose synthase (SuSy), and the invertases. Recent progress has included the cloning of genes encoding these enzymes and the elucidation of posttranslational regulatory mechanisms. Protein phosphorylation is emerging as an important mechanism controlling SPS activity in response to various environmental and endogenous signals. In terms of Suc degradation, invertase-catalyzed hydrolysis generally has been associated with cell expansion, whereas SuSy-catalyzed metabolism has been linked with biosynthetic processes (e.g., cell wall or storage products). Recent results indicate that SuSy may be localized in multiple cellular compartments: (1) as a soluble enzyme in the cytosol (as traditionally assumed); (2) associated with the plasma membrane; and (3) associated with the actin cytoskeleton. Phosphorylation of SuSy has been shown to occur and may be one of the factors controlling localization of the enzyme. The purpose of this review is to summarize some of the recent developments relating to regulation of activity and localization of key enzymes involved in sucrose metabolism in plants.

Responsiveness of mouse corpora luteal cells to Fas antigen (CD95)-mediated apoptosis.

Regression of the corpus luteum (CL) occurs by apoptosis. The Fas antigen (Fas) is a cell surface receptor that induces apoptosis in sensitive cells when bound to Fas ligand or agonistic anti-Fas monoclonal antibodies (Fas mAb). A potential role for Fas to induce apoptosis in dispersed CL cell preparations was tested in cells isolated from mice on Days 2-4 of pseudopregnancy. Total CL dispersates, containing steroidogenic luteal cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells, were cultured. The effect of pretreatment of cultures with cytokines interferon gamma (IFN) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) was examined because these cytokines demonstrated effects on Fas-mediated apoptosis in other cell types. Fas mAb had no effect on viability of CL cells cultured in 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and pretreated with or without IFN or TNF, but Fas mAb did kill 23% of the cells in cultures pretreated with IFN + TNF. Fas mRNA was detectable in cultured CL cells and was increased 2.1-, 2. 0-, and 11.8-fold by treatment with TNF, IFN, or IFN + TNF, respectively. CL cells treated with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CX) were killed by Fas mAb in the absence of cytokine pretreatment (34%); pretreatment with IFN or IFN + TNF further potentiated killing (62% and 96%, respectively), whereas pretreatment with TNF had no effect (42%). Cells cultured in medium supplemented with insulin, transferrin, and selenium instead of FBS were killed by Fas mAb in the presence of IFN (23%) or IFN + TNF (29%) but not in the presence of TNF. Cells derived from the mouse CL have a functional Fas pathway that is inhibited by FBS and activated by treatment with CX, IFN, and IFN + TNF.

Modulation of 14-3-3 protein interactions with target polypeptides by physical and metabolic effectors.

The proteins commonly referred to as 14-3-3s have recently come to prominence in the study of protein:protein interactions, having been shown to act as allosteric or steric regulators and possibly scaffolds. The binding of 14-3-3 proteins to the regulatory phosphorylation site of nitrate reductase (NR) was studied in real-time by surface plasmon resonance, using primarily an immobilized synthetic phosphopeptide based on spinach NR-Ser543. Both plant and yeast 14-3-3 proteins were shown to bind the immobilized peptide ligand in a Mg2+-stimulated manner. Stimulation resulted from a reduction in KD and an increase in steady-state binding level (Req). As shown previously for plant 14-3-3s, fluorescent probes also indicated that yeast BMH2 interacted directly with cations, which bind and affect surface hydrophobicity. Binding of 14-3-3s to the phosphopeptide ligand occurred in the absence of divalent cations when the pH was reduced below neutral, and the basis for enhanced binding was a reduction in K(D). At pH 7.5 (+Mg2+), AMP inhibited binding of plant 14-3-3s to the NR based peptide ligand. The binding of AMP to 14-3-3s was directly demonstrated by equilibrium dialysis (plant), and from the observation that recombinant plant 14-3-3s have a low, but detectable, AMP phosphatase activity.

Regulation of a plant SNF1-related protein kinase by glucose-6-phosphate.

One of the major protein kinases (PK(III)) that phosphorylates serine-158 of spinach sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS), which is responsible for light/dark modulation of activity, is known to be a member of the SNF1-related family of protein kinases. In the present study, we have developed a fluorescence-based continuous assay for measurement of PK(III) activity. Using the continuous assay, along with the fixed-time-point (32)P-incorporation assay, we demonstrate that PK(III) activity is inhibited by glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P). Relative inhibition by Glc-6-P was increased by decreasing pH from 8. 5 to 5.5 and by reducing the concentration of Mg(2+) in the assay from 10 to 2 mM. Under likely physiological conditions (pH 7.0 and 2 mM Mg(2+)), 10 mM Glc-6-P inhibited kinase activity approximately 70%. Inhibition by Glc-6-P could not be ascribed to contaminants in the commercial preparations. Other metabolites inhibited PK(III) in the following order: Glc-6-P > mannose-6-P, fructose-1,6P(2) > ribose-5-P, 3-PGA, fructose-6-P. Inorganic phosphate, Glc, and AMP were not inhibitory, and free Glc did not reverse the inhibition by Glc-6-P. Because SNF1-related protein kinases are thought to function broadly in the regulation of enzyme activity and gene expression, Glc-6-P inhibition of PK(III) activity potentially provides a mechanism for metabolic regulation of the reactions catalyzed by these important protein kinases.

Expression and function of Fas antigen vary in bovine granulosa and theca cells during ovarian follicular development and atresia.

Fas antigen is a receptor that triggers apoptosis when bound by Fas ligand (FasL). A role for Fas antigen in follicular atresia was studied in follicles obtained during the first wave of follicular development during the bovine estrous cycle (estrus is Day 0). Granulosa and theca cells were isolated from healthy dominant follicles and the two largest atretic subordinate follicles on Day 5, atretic dominant follicles on Days 10-12, and preovulatory follicles on Day 1. Fas antigen mRNA levels were highest in granulosa cells from subordinate as compared to other follicles, and lowest in theca cells from healthy Day 5 dominant as compared to other follicles. FasL alone had no effect on viability of granulosa or theca cells but became cytotoxic in the presence of interferon-gamma (IFN). IFN has been shown to induce responsiveness to Fas antigen-mediated apoptosis in other cell types. In the presence of IFN, killing of granulosa cells by FasL was greater in subordinate compared to healthy dominant follicles on Day 5, did not differ between healthy and atretic dominant follicles, and was similar in theca among all follicles. Granulosa cells from preovulatory follicles, which had been exposed to the LH surge in vivo, were completely resistant to FasL-induced killing. In summary, Fas antigen expression, and responsiveness to Fas antigen-mediated apoptosis, vary during follicular development.

Site-directed mutagenesis of serine 158 demonstrates its role in spinach leaf sucrose-phosphate synthase modulation.

Site-directed mutagenesis of spinach sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) was performed to investigate the role of Ser158 in the modulation of spinach leaf SPS. Tobacco plants expressing the spinach wild-type (WT), S158A, S158T and S157F/S158E SPS transgenes were produced. Expression of transgenes appeared not to reduce expression of the tobacco host SPS. SPS activity in the WT and the S158T SPS transgenics showed light/dark modulation, whereas the S158A and S157F/S158E mutants were not similarly light/dark modulated: the S158A mutant enzyme was not inactivated in the dark, and the S157F/S158E was not activated in the light. The inability to modulate the activity of the S158A mutant enzyme by protein phosphorylation was demonstrated in vitro. The WT spinach enzyme immunopurified from dark transgenic tobacco leaves had a low initial activation state, and could be activated by PP2A and subsequently inactivated by SPS-kinase plus ATP. Rapid purification of the S158A mutant enzyme from dark leaves of transgenic plants using spinach-specific monoclonal antibodies yielded enzyme that had a high initial activation state, and pre-incubation with leaf PP2A or ATP plus SPS-kinase (the PKIII enzyme) caused little modulation of activity. The results demonstrate the regulatory significance of Ser158 as the major site responsible for dark inactivation of spinach SPS in vivo, and indicate that the significance of phosphorylation is the introduction of a negative charge at the Ser158 position.

Potentiation of Fas-mediated apoptosis of murine granulosa cells by interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and cycloheximide.

The Fas antigen is a transmembrane receptor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) receptor family that, when activated by Fas ligand or agonistic antibodies, induces death by apoptosis. Although the presence of Fas antigen in ovarian tissues has been demonstrated, little is known about whether Fas antigen is functional in the ovary. This report shows that murine granulosa cells are initially resistant to antibody-induced Fas-mediated apoptosis, but will undergo apoptosis when cotreated with TNF and interferon-gamma (IFN) or cycloheximide (CX). Granulosa cells were obtained from follicles of 23-day-old mice 2 days after injection of PMSG. Twenty-four hours after plating, cells were pretreated with either 0 or 200 U/ml IFN, which has been shown to induce Fas antigen expression and is required for Fas-mediated killing in many cell types. At 48 h, cells were treated with 2 microg/ml control IgG, 2 microg/ml anti-Fas antigen antibody (Fas mAb), 10 ng/ml TNF, or Fas mAb and TNF. Cytotoxicity (percent killing) relative to control IgG was determined at 72 h by counting granulosa cells after trypsinization. In the absence of IFN, no cytotoxicity was observed. In the presence of IFN, neither TNF or Fas mAb alone was cytotoxic, but the combination of Fas mAb and TNF resulted in 25% killing (P < 0.05). Fas antigen messenger RNA (mRNA) was detectable in cultures not treated with cytokines and was increased 5-fold by TNF, 2-fold by IFN, and 17-fold by the combination of IFN and TNF. To test whether the presence of a labile inhibitor(s) of Fas-mediated killing in granulosa cells is the cause of resistance to Fas mAb, the protein synthesis inhibitor CX was used. Experiments were performed as described above, except that cells were treated with 0.5 microg/ml CX in conjunction with other treatments at 48 h. Fas mAb treatment in the presence of CX induced 25% cell death without IFN pretreatment and 38% with IFN (P < 0.05). TNF treatment in the presence of CX had no effect alone, but potentiated the effects of Fas mAb, resulting in 56% killing in the absence of IFN and 86% killing in the presence of IFN (P < 0.05). Cells stained positively for DNA fragmentation and annexin V binding, features characteristic of apoptosis. Because initial experiments showed that treatment with TNF alone increased Fas mRNA levels, the effect of pretreating cells for 24 h with TNF before treatment with Fas mAb was tested. Pretreatment with TNF or IFN alone did not promote Fas mAb-mediated killing, but combined pretreatment with TNF and IFN resulted in 25% killing in response to Fas mAb. Treatment of cells with the combination of IFN and TNF induced a 19-fold increase in Fas antigen mRNA levels. Corresponding increases in Fas antigen protein expression on the surface of cells in response to cytokine treatments were detected by immunocytochemistry. Human TNF did not duplicate the effects of mouse TNF in inducing Fas antigen mRNA expression and Fas mAb-induced killing. As human TNF interacts exclusively with the type I, but not the type II, TNF receptor in the mouse, potentiating effects of mouse TNF on the Fas pathway are probably mediated via the type II TNF receptor. The effects of cytokine treatments on levels of mRNA for FAP-1, an inhibitor of Fas-mediated apoptosis, were determined. FAP-1 mRNA was detectable in untreated granulosa cells, and levels were not altered by treatment with TNF and/or IFN. In summary, the Fas-mediated pathway of apoptosis is functional in mouse granulosa cells that are stimulated with IFN and TNF. These cytokines may function at least partially by increasing Fas antigen expression. Granulosa cells appear to have inhibitors of the Fas antigen pathway, as treatment with CX potentiates Fas-mediated death. TNF promotes Fas-mediated killing in the presence and absence of CX. Therefore, TNF is not likely to act simply by increasing Fas antigen expression or decreasing protein inhibitors of the Fas pathway, because TNF remains effec

Phosphorylated nitrate reductase and 14-3-3 proteins. Site of interaction, effects of ions, and evidence for an amp-binding site on 14-3-3 proteins.

The inactivation of phosphorylated nitrate reductase (NR) by the binding of 14-3-3 proteins is one of a very few unambiguous biological functions for 14-3-3 proteins. We report here that serine and threonine residues at the +6 to +8 positions, relative to the known regulatory binding site involving serine-543, are important in the interaction with GF14omega, a recombinant plant 14-3-3. Also shown is that an increase in ionic strength with KCl or inorganic phosphate, known physical effectors of NR activity, directly disrupts the binding of protein and peptide ligands to 14-3-3 proteins. Increased ionic strength attributable to KCl caused a change in conformation of GF14omega, resulting in reduced surface hydrophobicity, as visualized with a fluorescent probe. Similarly, it is shown that the 5' isomer of AMP was specifically able to disrupt the inactive phosphorylated NR:14-3-3 complex. Using the 5'-AMP fluorescent analog trinitrophenyl-AMP, we show that there is a probable AMP-binding site on GF14omega.

Site-specific regulatory interaction between spinach leaf sucrose-phosphate synthase and 14-3-3 proteins.

We report an Mg2+-dependent interaction between spinach leaf sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and endogenous 14-3-3 proteins, as evidenced by co-elution during gel filtration and co-immunoprecipitation. The content of 14-3-3s associated with an SPS immunoprecipitate was inversely related to activity, and was specifically reduced when tissue was pretreated with 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside, suggesting metabolite control in vivo. A synthetic phosphopeptide based on Ser-229 was shown by surface plasmon resonance to bind a recombinant plant 14-3-3, and addition of the phosphorylated SPS-229 peptide was found to stimulate the SPS activity of an SPS:14-3-3 complex. Taken together, the results suggest a regulatory interaction of 14-3-3 proteins with Ser-229 of SPS.

Identification of sucrose synthase as an actin-binding protein.

Several lines of evidence indicate that sucrose synthase (SuSy) binds both G- and F-actin: (i) presence of SuSy in the Triton X-100-insoluble fraction of microsomal membranes (i.e. crude cytoskeleton fraction); (ii) co-immunoprecipitation of actin with anti-SuSy monoclonal antibodies; (iii) association of SuSy with in situ phalloidin-stabilized F-actin filaments; and (iv) direct binding to F-actin, polymerized in vitro. Aldolase, well known to interact with F-actin, interfered with binding of SuSy, suggesting that a common or overlapping binding site may be involved. We postulate that some of the soluble SuSy in the cytosol may be associated with the actin cytoskeleton in vivo.

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase kinase and sucrose-phosphate synthase kinase activities in cauliflower florets: Ca2+ dependence and substrate specificities.

Plant 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase(HMGR; EC 1.1.1.34) and sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS; EC 2.4.1.14) and synthetic peptides designed from the known phosphorylation sites of plant HMGR (SAMS*: KSHMKYNRSTKDVK), rat acetyl-CoA carboxylase (SAMS: HMRSAMSGLHLVKRR), spinach SPS (SP2: GRRJRRISSVEJJDKK), and spinach NADH:nitrate reductase (NR6: GPTLKRTASTPFJNTTSK) were used to characterize kinase activities from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. ) inflorescences. The three major peaks of protein kinase activity resolved by anion-exchange FPLC are homologs of those observed previously in spinach leaves and thus are designated PKI, PKIV, and PKIII, listed in order of elution. PKIV was the most active in terms of phosphorylation and inactivation of recombinant Nicotiana HMGR and was also strictly Ca2+ dependent. The novel aspects are that PKIII has not been detected in previous cauliflower studies, that SAMS* is a more specific peptide substrate to identify potential HMGR kinases, and that the major HMGR kinase in cauliflower is Ca2+ dependent. Of the three major kinases that phosphorylated the SP2 peptide only PKI (partially Ca2+ sensitive) and PKIII (Ca2+ insensitive) inactivated native spinach leaf SPS. Cauliflower extracts contained endogenous SPS that was inactivated by endogenous kinase(s) in an ATP-dependent manner and this may be one of the substrate target proteins for PKI and/or PKIII. The substrate specificity of the three kinase peaks was studied using synthetic peptide variants of the SP2 sequence. All three kinases had a strong preference for peptides with a basic residue at P-6 (as in SP2 and SAMS*; SAMS has a free amino terminus at this position) or a Pro at P-7 (as in NR6). This requirement for certain residues at P-6 or P-7 was not recognized in earlier studies but appears to be a general requirement. In plant HMGR, a conserved His residue at P-6 is involved directly in catalysis and this may explain why substrates reduced HMGR phosphorylation in vitro.

Biological significance of divalent metal ion binding to 14-3-3 proteins in relationship to nitrate reductase inactivation.

In this report we address two questions regarding the regulation of phosphorylated nitrate reductase (pNR; EC 1.6.6.1) by 14-3-3 proteins. The first concerns the requirement for millimolar concentrations of a divalent cation in order to form the inactive pNR:14-3-3 complex at pH 7.5. The second concerns the reduced requirement for divalent cations at pH 6.5. In answering these questions we highlight a possible general mechanism involved in the regulation of 14-3-3 binding to target proteins. We show that divalent cations (e.g. Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+) bind directly to 14-3-3s, and as a result cause a conformational change, manifested as an increase in surface hydrophobicity. A similar change is also obtained by decreasing the pH from pH 7.5 to pH 6.5, in the absence of divalent cations, and we propose that protonation of amino acid residues brings about a similar effect to metal ion binding. A possible regulatory mechanism, where the 14-3-3 protein has to be "primed" prior to binding a target protein, is discussed.

Protein phosphorylation as a mechanism for osmotic-stress activation of sucrose-phosphate synthase in spinach leaves.

Experiments were performed to investigated the mechanism of sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) activation by osmotic stress in darkened spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves. The activation was stable through immunopurification and was not the result of an increased SPS protein level. The previously described Ca(2+)-independent peak III kinase, obtained by ion-exchange chromatography, is confirmed to be the predominant enzyme catalyzing phosphorylation and inactivation of dephosphoserine-158-SPS. A new, Ca(2+)-dependent SPS-protein kinase activity (peak IV kinase) was also resolved and shown to phosphorylate and activate phosphoserine-158-SPS in vitro. The peak IV kinase also phosphorylated a synthetic peptide (SP29) based on the amino acid sequence surrounding serine-424, which also contains the motif described for the serine-158 regulatory phosphorylation site; i.e. basic residues at P-3 and P-6 and a hydrophobic residue at P-5. Peak IV kinase had a native molecular weight of approximately 150,000 as shown by gel filtration. The SP29 peptide was not phosphorylated by the inactivating peak III kinase. Osmotically stressed leaves showed increased peak IV kinase activity with the SP29 peptide as a substrate. Tryptic 32P-phosphopeptide analysis of SPS from excised spinach leaves fed [32P]inorganic P showed increased phosphorylation of the tryptic peptide containing serine-424. Therefore, at least part of the osmotic stress activation of SPS in dark leaves results from phosphorylation of serine-424 catalyzed by a Ca(2+)-dependent, 150-kD protein kinase.