Stomatal pore apertures are narrowing globally due to the continuing rise in atmospheric [CO2]. CO2elevation and the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) both induce rapid stomatal closure. However, the underlying signal transduction mechanisms for CO2/ABA interaction remain unclear. Two models have been considered: (
A central question is how specificity in cellular responses to the eukaryotic second messenger Ca2+ is achieved. Plant guard cells, that form stomatal pores for gas exchange, provide a powerful system for in depth investigation of Ca2+-signaling specificity in plants. In intact guard cells, abscisic acid (ABA) enhances (primes) the Ca2+-sensitivity of downstream signaling events that result in activation of S-type anion channels during stomatal closure, providing a specificity mechanism in Ca2+-signaling. However, the underlying genetic and biochemical mechanisms remain unknown. Here we show impairment of ABA signal transduction in stomata of calcium-dependent protein kinase quadruple mutant plants. Interestingly, protein phosphatase 2Cs prevent non-specific Ca2+-signaling. Moreover, we demonstrate an unexpected interdependence of the Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent ABA-signaling branches and the in planta requirement of simultaneous phosphorylation at two key phosphorylation sites in SLAC1. We identify novel mechanisms ensuring specificity and robustness within stomatal Ca2+-signaling on a cellular, genetic, and biochemical level.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10000386
- Publisher / Repository:
- eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd.
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- eLife
- Volume:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 2050-084X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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i ) CO2elevation enhances ABA concentrations and/or early ABA signaling in guard cells to induce stomatal closure and (ii ) CO2signaling merges with ABA at OST1/SnRK2.6 protein kinase activation. Here we use genetics, ABA-reporter imaging, stomatal conductance, patch clamp, and biochemical analyses to investigate these models. The strong ABA biosynthesis mutantsnced3/nced5 andaba2-1 remain responsive to CO2elevation. Rapid CO2-triggered stomatal closure in PYR/RCAR ABA receptor quadruple and hextuple mutants is not disrupted but delayed. Time-resolved ABA concentration monitoring in guard cells using a FRET-based ABA-reporter, ABAleon2.15, and ABA reporter gene assays suggest that CO2elevation does not trigger [ABA] increases in guard cells, in contrast to control ABA exposures. Moreover, CO2activates guard cell S-type anion channels innced3/nced5 and ABA receptor hextuple mutants. Unexpectedly, in-gel protein kinase assays show that unlike ABA, elevated CO2does not activate OST1/SnRK2 kinases in guard cells. The present study points to a model in which rapid CO2signal transduction leading to stomatal closure occurs via an ABA-independent pathway downstream of OST1/SnRK2.6. Basal ABA signaling and OST1/SnRK2 activity are required to facilitate the stomatal response to elevated CO2. These findings provide insights into the interaction between CO2/ABA signal transduction in light of the continuing rise in atmospheric [CO2]. -
Summary Protein phosphorylation is a major molecular switch involved in the regulation of stomatal opening and closure. Previous research defined interaction between MAP kinase 12 and Raf‐like kinase HT1 as a required step for stomatal movements caused by changes in CO2concentration. However, whether MPK12 kinase activity is required for regulation of CO2‐induced stomatal responses warrants in‐depth investigation.
We apply genetic, biochemical, and structural modeling approaches to examining the noncatalytic role of MPK12 in guard cell CO2signaling that relies on allosteric inhibition of HT1.
We show that CO2/HCO3−‐enhanced MPK12 interaction with HT1 is independent of its kinase activity. By analyzing gas exchange of plant lines expressing various kinase‐dead and constitutively active versions of MPK12 in a plant line where
MPK12 is deleted, we confirmed that CO2‐dependent stomatal responses rely on MPK12's ability to bind to HT1, but not its kinase activity. We also demonstrate that purified MPK12 and HT1 proteins form a heterodimer in the presence of CO2/HCO3−and present structural modeling that explains the MPK12:HT1 interaction interface.These data add to the model that MPK12 kinase‐activity‐independent interaction with HT1 functions as a molecular switch by which guard cells sense changes in atmospheric CO2concentration.
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Summary Respiration in leaves and the continued elevation in the atmospheric
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