Carrot Cell Suspension Cultures Research Articles

Phosphorylation of lysophosphatidylinositol by carrot membranes

sn-1 Palmitoyl lysophosphatidylinositol is found in carrot suspension culture cells and can be phosphorylated to [32P]lysophosphatidylinositol monophosphate (LPIP) when [gamma 32P]ATP is added to isolated membranes. Based on in vivo labeling studies, [3H]inositol sn-1 palmitoyl LPIP was found predominantly in the plasma membrane-rich fraction or upper phase isolated by aqueous two-phase partitioning and LPI was found in the intracellular membrane-rich fraction or lower phase (Wheeler and Boss, Plant Physiol. 85, 389-392, 1987). While both membrane fractions phosphorylated LPI in vitro, the apparent Km for LPI in the intracellular membrane fraction was 180 microM and for the plasma membrane was 580 microM. When cells were treated with the ionophore, monensin, the percentage of [3H]inositol LPIP increased in the whole cell lipid extract. However, the monensin treatment decreased the amount of [3H]inositol LPIP and PIP recovered in the plasma membrane fraction relative to the sum of the individual lipid, [3H]inositol LPIP or PIP, respectively, recovered in both membrane fractions.

Rapid Purification and Thermostability of the Cytoplasmic Aspartate Aminotransferase from Carrot Suspension Cultures

Several isoenzymic forms of aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) have been identified in protein extracts from carrot (Daucus carota) cell suspension cultures. The cellular location of the major form (form I) of AAT in carrot suspension cultures was determined by heat inactivation, subcellular fractionation, and amino acid sequence analysis. In mammalian systems, there are two forms of AAT, a heat-stable cytoplasmic form and a heat-labile form in the mitochondria. The thermostability of three isoenzymes of carrot AAT was examined, and the results showed that form I was more thermostable than forms II or III. Organelles were separated in sucrose gradients by isopynic centrifugation. Activity for form I was identified in the soluble fractions and not in fractions containing peroxisomes, proplastids, or mitochondria. Form I was purified to homogeneity and endoproteolytically cleaved, and the peptide fragments were separated by reverse phase chromatography. Analysis of the sequence data from two of the polypeptides showed that the amino acid identity of form I is more conserved to the animal cytoplasmic AAT than to animal mitochondrial AAT sequences. These data strongly suggest that form I of AAT from carrot is the cytoplasmic isoenzyme. Additionally, a rapid purification scheme for form I of AAT from carrot is presented using selective heat denaturation and anion-exchange chromatography.

Heterogeneity of the complex N‐linked oligosaccharides at specific glycosylation sites of two secreted carrot glycoproteins

The N-linked glycans from the 52/54-kDa medium protein and cell wall beta-fructosidase, two glycoproteins secreted by carrot suspension culture cells, were characterized. Carrot cells were labelled with [3H]glucosamine or [3H]fucose. The 52/54-kDa medium protein was isolated from the culture medium and beta-fructosidase from cell walls. The purified proteins were digested with trypsin and glycopeptides were isolated and sequenced. Glycans obtained from individual glycopeptides were separated by gel filtration chromatography and characterized by concanavalin A chromatography, by treatments with exoglycosidases and by sugar composition analysis. The 52/54-kDa medium protein and cell wall beta-fructosidase have one high-mannose-type glycan similar to those from yeast and animal glycoproteins. In addition, the 52/54-kDa medium protein has three complex-type and cell wall beta-fructosidase two complex-type glycans per polypeptide. The complex-type glycans isolated from individual glycosylation sites are fairly large and very heterogeneous. The smallest of these glycans has the structure [Xyl](Man)3[Fuc](GlcNAc]2Asn (square brackets indicating branching) whereas the larger ones carry additional sugars like terminal N-acetylglucosamine and possibly rhamnose and arabinose in the case of the 52/54-kDa medium protein and only arabinose in the case of cell wall beta-fructosidase. These terminal sugars are linked to the alpha-mannose residues of the glycan cores. The 52/54-kDa medium protein is secreted with large and homogeneous complex glycans, their heterogeneity originates from slow processing after secretion. The complex glycans from cell wall beta-fructosidase are processed before the enzyme is integrated into the cell wall.

Ethanol metabolism in suspension cultured carrot cells

Ethanol metabolism in suspension cultured carrot cells

Ethanol metabolism in suspension cultured carrot cells

Ethanol production in plant tissues deprived of oxygen is a well known process. Nevertheless, little information is available on the toxic effects of ethanol on plant cells and tissues, or on the possible role of acetaldehyde, the first oxidative product of ethanol, in inducing toxic effects in plants. Data on the metabolism of ethanol in suspension cultured cells of carrot (Daucus carola L. cv. S. Valery, cell line T22), a system highly sensitive to the presence of ethanol in the culture medium, indicate that carrot cells oxidize only small amounts of ethanol to CO2. Instead, they convert ethanol mainly to acetaldehyde, which accumulates in the culture medium. This suggests a possible role of acetaldehyde in causing ethanol‐induced injury to carrot cells.

Growth and Anthocyanin Accumulation in Carrot Cell Suspension Cultures Growing on Fructose, Glucose, or Their Mixtures

AbstractCarrot suspension cultures have been grown on glucose, fructose, and mixtures of these two sugars and the effects of these sugars on growth and anthocyanin accumulation measured. Several parameters of growth decrease with increasing glucose in the medium. The anthocyanin accumulated remains relatively low and constant until the glucose exceeds 50% of the sugar, when the anthocyanin accumulation increases with increased glucose. The data suggest that glucose and fructose are metabolized differently in these carrot cultures despite the interconversion of their 6‐phosphates in glycolysis. Ways in which the metabolism of these sugars might differ are discussed, as is the possibility of increasing the accumulation of anthocyanin by alterations in the way these sugars are made available to the cultures.

Monoclonal antibodies to plant nuclear matrix reveal intermediate filament- related components within the nucleus

ABSTRACT We have prepared a nuclear matrix fraction from purified nuclei of carrot (Daucus carota L.) suspension culture cells, and used this fraction to produce a library of monoclonal antibodies. We report the preliminary characterisation of two antibodies – JIM 62 and JIM 63. The antibodies recognise a polypeptide doublet band at 92×103Mr, which has been partially purified by differential urea extraction. Other intermediate filament antibodies – ME 101, which recognises an epitope conserved among many intermediate filament proteins, and AFB, a monoclonal antibody to plant intermediate filament proteins, and an autoimmune serum directed against human lamins A and C (LSI), also label these bands, suggesting they are related to the intermediate filament/lamin family. IFA, another intermediate filament antibody, labels a band at approximately 60×103Mr which is also enriched in the urea extracts of nuclear matrices. Immunofluorescence microscopy with JIM 63, ME 101, AFB and LSI shows network-like staining, often extending around the nucleolus. In many cases the staining reveals structures that appear to be bundles of fibres. JIM 63 also shows a weak staining of the nuclear rim in carrot nuclei, which can be greatly enhanced by treatment of the specimen with cold methanol after fixation. JIM 63 cross-reacts with all the other plant species we have tested. Vibratome sections of pea roots, extracted as for nuclear matrix preparation and stained with JIM 63 show a clear, strong nuclear rim labelling. Furthermore, JIM 63 strongly labels the nuclear lamina in rat liver nuclei. We suggest that the 92×103Mr protein(s) are related to intermediate filaments and/or lamins, and are distributed both within the nucleus and at the nuclear periphery.

Ethanol-Induced Injuries to Carrot Cells

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) cell cultures show high sensitivity to ethanol since both unorganized cell growth and somatic embryogenesis are strongly inhibited by ethanol at relatively low concentrations (10-20 millimolar). The role of acetaldehyde on ethanol-induced injuries to suspension cultured carrot cells was evaluated. When ethanol oxidation to acetaldehyde is prevented by adding an alcohol-dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) inhibitor (4-methylpyrazole) to the culture medium, no ethanol toxicity was observed, even if ethanol was present at relatively high concentrations (40-80 millimolar). Data are also presented on the effects of exogenously added acetaldehyde on both carrot cell growth and somatic embryogenesis. We conclude that the observed toxic effects of ethanol cannot be ascribed to ethanol per se but to acetaldehyde.

The Role of Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Plant Nitrogen Metabolism

In vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, in vitro gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and automated (15)N/(13)C mass spectrometry have been used to demonstrate that glutamate dehydrogenase is active in the oxidation of glutamate, but not in the reductive amination of 2-oxogiutarate. In cell suspension cultures of carrot (Daucus carota L. cv Chantenay), primary assimilation of ammonium occurs via the glutamate synthase pathway. Glutamate dehydrogenase is derepressed in carbonlimited cells and in such cells the function of glutamate dehydrogenase appears to be the oxidation of glutamate, thus ensuring sufficient carbon skeletons for effective functioning of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This catabolic role for glutamate dehydrogenase implies an important regulatory function in carbon and nitrogen metabolism.

Effects of Combinations of Polyamine Biosynthetic Inhibitors on Cellular Polyamines in Carrot Cell Cultures

Summary The effects of cyclohexylammonium phosphate (CHAP) in combination with other inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis were studied on cellular polyamine levels in carrot ( Daucus carota L.) cell suspension cultures. A combined treatment with CHAP and difluoromethylornithine increased cellular putrescine and spermine levels but had little effect on spermidine levels. Difluoromethylarginine (DFMA)+CHAP decreased cellular putrescine and spermidine levels but increased spermine levels. A combination of CHAP and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) caused a significant increase (up to four-fold) in putrescine and a decrease in cellular spermidine and spermine levels.

Phytoalexin production and cell death in elicited carrot cell suspension cultures

The production of the carrot phytoalexin, 6-methoxymellein, and its immediate biosynthetic precursor, 6-hydroxymellein, was induced in suspension cultures by biotic elicitors ( Aspergillus niger pectinase and purified endo-polygalacturonase from Fusarium moniliforme) and by the abiotic elicitor HgCl 2. Aspergillus niger pectinase and HgCl 2 elicited intracellular accumulation of 6-hydroxymellein, whereas Fusarium moniliforme endo-polygalacturonase induced extracellular 6-methoxymellein production in the culture medium. Culture conditions such as medium composition and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) concentration influenced the amounts of both dihydroisocoumarins synthetized. Moreover, elicitors were phytotoxic and their addition to carrot cell suspension cultures caused an increase of extracellular pH and medium conductivity.

Short-Term Treatment with Cell Wall Degrading Enzymes Increases the Activity of the Inositol Phospholipid Kinases and the Vanadate-Sensitive ATPase of Carrot Cells

Treating carrot (Daucus carota L.) suspension culture cells with a mixture of cell wall degrading enzymes, Driselase, resulted in an increase in the percentage of [(3)H]phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate. Analysis of the lipid kinase activities in the isolated plasma membranes after whole cell treatment indicated that treatment with Driselase (2% weight/volume; the equivalent of 340 units per milliliter of hemicellulase and 400 units per milliliter of cellulase activity) or treatment with hemicellulase (31.7% weight/volume, 20.7 units per milliliter) resulted in an increase in the inositol phospholipid kinase activity. However, treatment with cellulase alone had no effect at 0.5% (weight/volume, 17.2 units per milliliter) or inhibited the kinase activity at 1% (weight/volume, 34.4 units per milliliter). The active stimulus in Driselase was heat sensitive. The plasma membrane vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity also increased when the cells were treated with Driselase. A time course study indicated that both the inositol phospholipid kinases and the plasma membrane vanadate-sensitive ATPase responded to as little as 5 seconds of treatment with 2% Driselase. However, at the lowest concentration of Driselase (0.04%, weight/volume) that resulted in an increase in inositol phospholipid kinase activity, the ATPase activity was not affected. Because inositol phospholipids have been shown to activate the vanadate-sensitive ATPase from plants (AR Memon, Q Chen, WF Boss [1989] Biochem Biophys Res Commun 162: 1295-1301), a stimulus-response pathway involving both the inositol phospholipid kinases and the plasma membrane vanadate-sensitive ATPase activity is discussed.

A 75-kDa polypeptide, located primarily at the plasma membrane of carrot cell-suspension cultures, is photoaffinity labeled by the calcium channel blocker LU 49888.

Calcium channel blockers of the phenylalkylamine family bind specifically to membranes and inhibit calcium uptake in carrot protoplast. LU 49888, an azido derivative of phenylalkylamine, behaves as its unmodified homolog in terms of affinity and specificity and therefore allows us to probe the receptor by photoaffinity labeling. Upon UV irradiation, a 75-kDa peptide was specifically labeled. Incubation of microsomes with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate, a zwitterionic detergent, led to the solubilization of the LU 49888-binding protein. Electrophoretic analysis under denaturing conditions and gel filtration of the solubilized "receptor-ligand" complex show a 75-kDa peptide mainly located at the plasma membrane. Consequently the LU 49888-binding protein in plants differs significantly from its animal counterpart by its size and may be a primary target for external signal molecules.

Differential regulation of phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase genes during anthocyanin synthesis and by transfer effect in carrot cell suspension cultures

Phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (PAL; EC 4.3.1.5) catalyses the first step in the phenylpropanoid pathway and is induced during differentiation and by various stimuli. In carrot (Daucus carota L. cv. Kurodagasun) suspension culture cells, PAL is slowly induced during anthocyanin synthesis which occurs in a medium lacking 2,4‐dichlo‐rophenoxyacetic acid and is also induced rapidly and transiently by transferring and diluting cells to fresh medium. Analyses of nucleotide sequences derived from PAL cDNAs revealed that the PAL mRNAs induced by transfer were transcribed from different carrot PAL genes than the PAL mRNAs induced during anthocyanin synthesis. Northern blotting using probes derived from 3’non‐coding regions for PAL cDNAs confirmed that different PAL genes were induced during anthocyanin synthesis and after transfer. Induction of different PAL genes occurs in response to differences in the induction trigger.

Differential regulation of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase genes during anthocyanin synthesis and by transfer effect in carrot cell suspension cultures

Differential regulation of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase genes during anthocyanin synthesis and by transfer effect in carrot cell suspension cultures

CDNA cloning of carrot extracellular beta-fructosidase and its expression in response to wounding and bacterial infection.

We isolated a full-length cDNA for apoplastic (extracellular or cell wall-bound) beta-fructosidase (invertase), determined its nucleotide sequence, and used it as a probe to measure changes in mRNA as a result of wounding of carrot storage roots and infection of carrot plants with the bacterial pathogen Erwinia carotovora. The derived amino acid sequence of extracellular beta-fructosidase shows that it is a basic protein (pl 9.9) with a signal sequence for entry into the endoplasmic reticulum and a propeptide at the N terminus that is not present in the mature protein. Amino acid sequence comparison with yeast and bacterial invertases shows that the overall homology is only about 28%, but that there are short conserved motifs, one of which is at the active site. Maturing carrot storage roots contain barely detectable levels of mRNA for extracellular beta-fructosidase and these levels rise slowly but dramatically after wounding with maximal expression after 12 hours. Infection of roots and leaves of carrot plants with E. carotovora results in a very fast increase in the mRNA levels with maximal expression after 1 hour. These results indicate that apoplastic beta-fructosidase is probably a new and hitherto unrecognized pathogenesis-related protein [Van Loon, L.C. (1985). Plant Mol. Biol. 4, 111-116]. Suspension-cultured carrot cells contain high levels of mRNA for extracellular beta-fructosidase and these levels remain the same whether the cells are grown on sucrose, glucose, or fructose.

Competence for gene transfer by electroporation in a sub-population of protoplasts from uniform carrot cell suspension cultures

We have investigated the basis for increased transient reporter gene expression following electroporation of protoplasts from uniform carrot cell suspension cultures at increasing DNA concentrations. Use of a combination of histochemical and fluorometric GUS gene assays allowed differentiation between increases due to a higher proportion of expressing protoplasts and increases due to higher expression by each expressing protoplast. A plateau of 20-25% expressing protoplasts was reached by 50 μg ml(-1) DNA but total expression continued to increase in direct proportion to applied DNA concentration up to at least 100 μg ml(-1). This indicates the existence of a subpopulation of protoplasts competent for the uptake and expression of genes by electroporation.

Agrobacterium rhizogenes mutants that fail to bind to plant cells

Transposon insertion mutants of Agrobacterium rhizogenes were screened to obtain mutant bacteria that failed to bind to carrot suspension culture cells. A light microscope binding assay was used. The bacterial isolates that were reduced in binding to carrot cells were all avirulent on Bryophyllum diagremontiana leaves and on carrot root disks. The mutants did not appear to be altered in cellulose production. The composition of the medium affected the ability of the parent and mutant bacteria to bind to carrot cells. The parent strain bound to carrot cells in greatest numbers in low-ionic-strength media such as 4% sucrose but still showed significant binding in Murashige-Skoog tissue culture medium. All of the mutants showed reduced binding in 4% sucrose after 2 h of incubation with carrot cells. One mutant was delayed in binding in 4% sucrose. This mutant and one other mutant also showed reduced binding to carrot cells in Murashige-Skoog medium. To determine whether the Tn5 insertion was responsible for the mutant phenotype, DNA containing the Tn5 insertion was cloned from the mutant bacteria and used to introduce Tn5 into the parent strain in the same location as in the original mutant by marker exchange. The resulting transconjugants had the same avirulent, nonattaching phenotype as the original mutants, suggesting that the mutant phenotype was due to the Tn5 insertion. The cloned DNA containing the Tn5 insertion was also tested for homology to DNA of known genes that affect attachment of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to plant cells by DNA hybridization. No homology to chv, att, or pscA clones was observed. In addition, cloned chv, att, and pscA genes from A. tumefaciens were unable to complement the attachment-minus A. rhizogenes mutants. Thus, the A. rhizogenes nonattaching mutants appear to be different from the previously described A. tumefaciens mutants.

External electric fields stimulate the electrogenic calcium/sodium exchange in plant protoplasts

External electric fields of low intensity stimulated calcium influx in protoplasts isolated from carrot cell suspension cultures in field intensity dependent and frequency-dependent ways. The field-induced calcium uptake involved a temperature-dependent system that was saturable by external calcium. The induction process appeared mainly cumulative as long as the morphology of the protoplasts did not change (up to 10 min). The stimulation elicited by the electric fields was effective even after switching the field off; the influx increased for 5 min and then slowed down to its initial value 15 min later. During electrostimulation, an additional amount of ATP was accumulated; on removal of the stimulatory field, the extra amount of ATP was consumed, whereas the plasma membrane was hyperpolarized and sodium ions were expelled from the protoplasts. Inhibition of either ATP accumulation or consumption results in the inhibition of both calcium influx and sodium efflux, demonstrating that these processes are coupled. From the data obtained in this work, it may be concluded that the electric field stimulates an ATP synthase like activity; the consumption of the ATP thus formed elicits an electric potential (probably due to the efflux of cations and more specifically sodium) that drives the influx of calcium.

Internalisation of fluorescein isothiocyanate and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran by suspension-cultured plant cells

ABSTRACT The uptake of pure non-conjugated fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and of the membrane-impermeant probe FITC-dextran into suspension-cultured carrot cells and protoplasts has been investigated. Commercial samples of a 70K (K=103Mr) FITC-dextran were shown to contain contaminant FITC and/or its degradation products, which were rapidly internalised into the vacuolar system of both cells and protoplasts. However, purified samples of the 70K FITC-dextran were taken up into the vacuoles of cells but not protoplasts after a 1h incubation period. This apparent difference in the ability of cells and protoplasts to internalise FITC-dextrans was confirmed using samples of both commercial and purified 20K FITC-dextran as putative endocytotic probes. Both confocal and conventional fluorescence microscopy of FITC-treated cells have shown that FITC was internalised into similar intracellular compartments as was observed in cells treated with three-times purified 70K FITC-dextran. Thus, FITC was a useful fluorophore for rapidly labelling both the putative endocytotic compartments and the pleiomorphic vacuolar system of carrot cells. Kinetic studies indicated that FITC entered the cell by diffusion in the form of the neutral molecule. We have shown that treatment of cells or protoplasts with the drug Probenecid reversibly inhibited the uptake of FITC from the cytoplasm into the vacuole. In addition, the uptake of FITC into isolated vacuoles was enhanced in the presence of Mg-ATP.