Active protein ubiquitination regulates xylem vessel functionality

ABSTRACT: Xylem vessels function in the long-distance conduction of water in land plants. The NAC transcription factor VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN7 (VND7) is a master regulator of xylem vessel cell differentiation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We previously isolated seiv (suppressor of ectopic xylem vessel cell differentiation induced by VND7) mutants, which are suppressor mutants of VND7-inducible xylem vessel cell differentiation. Here, we report that the responsible genes for seiv3, seiv4, seiv6, and seiv9 are protein ubiquitination-related genes encoding PLANT U-BOX46 (PUB46), uncharacterized F-BOX protein, PUB36, and UBIQUITIN-SPECIFIC PROTEASE1, respectively. We also found the decreased expression of genes downstream of VND7 and abnormal xylem transport activity in the seiv mutants. Upon VND7 induction, ubiquitinated levels from 492 and 180 protein groups were up- and down-regulated, respectively. Proteins for cell wall biosynthesis and protein transport were ubiquitinated by the VND7 induction, whereas such active protein ubiquitination was not observed in the seiv mutants. We detected the ubiquitination of three lysine residues in VND7: K94, K105, and K260. Substituting K94 with arginine significantly decreased the transactivation activity of VND7, suggesting that the ubiquitination of K94 is crucial for regulating VND7 activity. Our findings highlight the crucial roles of target protein ubiquitination in regulating xylem vessel activity.

INSTRUMENT(S): Q Exactive Plus

ORGANISM(S): Arabidopsis Thaliana (mouse-ear Cress)

TISSUE(S): Plant Cell

SUBMITTER: Sara Christina Stolze  

LAB HEAD: Hirofumi Nakagami

PROVIDER: PXD048830 | Pride | 2024-10-17

REPOSITORIES: Pride