PP2A and microtubules function in 5‐aminolevulinic acid‐mediated H2O2 signaling in Arabidopsis guard cells

Abstract

5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a plant growth regulator with great application potential in agriculture and horticulture, induces stomatal opening and inhibits stomatal closure by decreasing guard cell H2 O2 . However, the mechanisms behind ALA-decreased H2 O2 in guard cells are not fully understood. Here, using type 2A protein phosphatase (PP2A) inhibitors, microtubule-stabilizing/disrupting drugs and green fluorescent protein-tagged α-tubulin 6 transgenic Arabidopsis (GFP-TUA6), we find that PP2A and cortical microtubules (MTs) are involved in ALA-regulated stomatal movement. Then, we analyze stomatal responses of Arabidopsis overexpressing C2 catalytic subunit of PP2A (PP2A-C2) and pp2a-c2 mutant to ALA and abscisic acid (ABA) under both light and dark conditions, and show that PP2A-C2 participates in ALA-induced stomatal movement. Furthermore, using pharmacological methods and confocal studies, we reveal that PP2A and MTs function upstream and downstream, respectively, of H2 O2 in guard cell signaling. Finally, we demonstrate the role of H2 O2 -mediated microtubule arrangement in ALA inhibiting ABA-induced stomatal closure. Our findings indicate that MTs regulated by PP2A-mediated H2 O2 decreasing play an important role in ALA guard cell signaling, revealing new insights into stomatal movement regulation.