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This article is a Commentary on Major et al., 215: 1533–1547. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a Commentary on Gimenez‐Ibanez et al., 213: 1378–1392. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cDNAs encoding allene oxide cyclases (PpAOC1, PpAOC2), key enzymes in the formation of jasmonic acid (JA) and its precursor (9S,13S)-12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (cis-(+)-OPDA), were isolated from the moss Physcomitrella patens. Recombinant PpAOC1 and PpAOC2 show substrate specificity against the allene oxide derived from 13-hydroperoxy linolenic acid (13-HPOTE); PpAOC2 also shows substrate specificity against the allene oxide derived from 12-hydroperoxy arachidonic acid (12-HPETE). In protonema and gametophores the occurrence of cis-(+)-OPDA, but neither JA nor the isoleucine conjugate of JA nor that of cis-(+)-OPDA was detected. Targeted knockout mutants for PpAOC1 and for PpAOC2 were generated, while double mutants could not be obtained. The ΔPpAOC1 and ΔPpAOC2 mutants showed reduced fertility, aberrant sporophyte morphology and interrupted sporogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The cpr5-1 Arabidopsis thaliana mutant exhibits constitutive activation of salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET) signalling pathways and displays enhanced tolerance of heat stress (HS). • cpr5-1 crossed with jar1-1 (a JA-amino acid synthetase) was compromised in basal thermotolerance, as were the mutants opr3 (mutated in OPDA reductase3) and coi1-1 (affected in an E3 ubiquitin ligase F-box; a key JA-signalling component). In addition, heating wild-type Arabidopsis led to the accumulation of a range of jasmonates: JA, 12-oxophytodienoic acid (OPDA) and a JA-isoleucine (JA-Ile) conjugate. Exogenous application of methyl jasmonate protected wild-type Arabidopsis from HS. • Ethylene was rapidly produced during HS, with levels being modulated by both JA and SA. By contrast, the ethylene mutant ein2-1 conferred greater thermotolerance. • These data suggest that JA acts with SA, conferring basal thermotolerance while ET may act to promote cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In potato 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid (12-OH-JA) is a tuber-inducing compound. Here, it is demonstrated that 12-OH-JA, as well as its sulfated and glucosylated derivatives, are constituents of various organs of many plant species. All accumulate differentially and usually to much higher concentrations than jasmonic acid (JA). • In wounded tomato leaves, 12-OH-JA and its sulfated, as well as glucosylated, derivative accumulate after JA, and their diminished accumulation in wounded leaves of the JA-deficient mutants spr2 and acx1 and also a JA-deficient 35S:: AOCantisense line suggest their JA-dependent formation. • To elucidate how signaling properties of JA/JAME (jasmonic acid methyl ester) are affected by hydroxylation and sulfation, germination and root growth were recorded in the presence of the different jasmonates, indicating that 12-OH-JA and 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid sulfate (12-HSO4-JA) were not bioactive. Expression analyses for 29 genes showed that expression of wound-inducible genes such as those coding for PROTEINASE INHIBITOR2, POLYPHENOL OXIDASE, THREONINE DEAMINASE or ARGINASE was induced by JAME and less induced or even down-regulated by 12-OH-JA and 12-HSO4-JA. Almost all genes coding for enzymes in JA biosynthesis were up-regulated by JAME but down-regulated by 12-OH-JA and 12-HSO4-JA. • The data suggest that wound-induced metabolic conversion of JA/JAME into 12-OH-JA alters expression pattern of genes including a switch off in JA signaling for a subset of genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Jasmonate:amino acid synthetase (JAR1) is involved in the function of jasmonic acid (JA) as a plant hormone. It catalyzes the synthesis of several JA-amido conjugates, the most important of which appears to be JA-Ile. Structurally, JAR1 is a member of the firefly luciferase superfamily that comprises enzymes that adenylate various organic acids. This study analyzed the substrate specificity of recombinant JAR1 and determined whether it catalyzes the synthesis of mono- and dinucleoside polyphosphates, which are side-reaction products of many enzymes forming acyl∼adenylates. Among different oxylipins tested as mixed stereoisomers for substrate activity with JAR1, the highest rate of conversion to Ile-conjugates was observed for (±)-JA and 9,10-dihydro-JA, while the rate of conjugation with 12-hydroxy-JA and OPC-4 (3-oxo-2-(2Z-pentenyl)cyclopentane-1-butyric acid) was only about 1–2% that for (±)-JA. Of the two stereoisomers of JA, (−)-JA and (+)-JA, rate of synthesis of the former was about 100-fold faster than for (+)-JA. Finally, we have demonstrated that (1) in the presence of ATP, Mg2+, (−)-JA and tripolyphosphate the ligase produces adenosine 5′-tetraphosphate (p4A); (2) addition of isoleucine to that mixture halts the p4A synthesis; (3) the enzyme produces neither diadenosine triphosphate (Ap3A) nor diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) and (4) Ap4A cannot substitute ATP as a source of adenylate in the complete reaction that yields JA-Ile. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Coronalon, a synthetic 6-ethyl indanoyl isoleucine conjugate, has been designed as a highly active mimic of octadecanoid phytohormones that are involved in insect and disease resistance. The spectrum of biological activities that is affected by coronalon was investigated in nine different plant systems specifically responding to jasmonates and/or 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid. In all bioassays analyzed, coronalon demonstrated a general strong activity at low micromolar concentrations. The results obtained showed the induction of (i) defense-related secondary metabolite accumulation in both cell cultures and plant tissues, (ii) specific abiotic and biotic stress-related gene expression, and (iii) root growth retardation. The general activity of coronalon in the induction of plant stress responses together with its simple and efficient synthesis suggests that this compound might serve as a valuable tool in the examination of various aspects in plant stress physiology. Moreover, coronalon might become employed in agriculture to elicit plant resistance against various aggressors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The allene oxide cyclase (AOC)-catalyzed step in jasmonate (JA) biosynthesis is important in the wound response of tomato. As shown by treatments with systemin and its inactive analog, and by analysis of 35S::prosysteminsense and 35S::prosysteminantisense plants, the AOC seems to be activated by systemin (and JA) leading to elevated formation of JA. Data are presented on the local wound response following activation of AOC and generation of JA, both in vascular bundles. The tissue-specific occurrence of AOC protein and generation of JA is kept upon wounding or other stresses, but is compromised in 35S::AOCsense plants, whereas 35S::AOCantisense plants exhibited residual AOC expression, a less than 10% rise in JA, and no detectable expression of wound response genes. The (i) activation of systemin-dependent AOC and JA biosynthesis occurring only upon substrate generation, (ii) the tissue-specific occurrence of AOC in vascular bundles, where the prosystemin gene is expressed, and (iii) the tissue-specific generation of JA suggest an amplification in the wound response of tomato leaves allowing local and rapid defense responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the expression of allene oxide cyclase (AOC) in distinct flower organs and vascular bundles of tomato flowers. Occurrence of AOC in ovules; Role of AOC in flower development; Effects of AOC on plant defence reactions.

Examines the formation of jasmonic acid through allene oxide synthase. Results of southern blot analysis; Aspects of immunocytochemical analysis; Functions of jasmonates, octadecanoids and metabolizable carbohydrates.

Jasmonic acid is a carbocyclic fatty acid that is biosynthesized from α-linolenic acid in several steps. The formation of the ring structure of jasmonic acid is catalyzed by the enzyme allene oxide cyclase (EC 5.3.99.6) and involves the cyclization of an unstable allene oxide into the cyclopentenone 12-oxo-10,15( Z)-phytodienoic acid. In this study, a number of allene oxides were generated, and their enzymatic and nonenzymatic cyclization into cyclopentenones was investigated. Nonenzymatic cyclization was observed with allene oxides having one pair of conjugated double bonds and an additional isolated double bond in the β,γ position relative to the epoxide group, i.e., the partial structure 4,5-epoxy-1,3,7-octatriene. Enzymatic cyclization took place provided that this structural element was inserted in the fatty acid chain with its epoxide group in the n−6,7 position and the isolated double bond in the n−3 position. A number of oxygenated fatty acids having structural features in common with the natural allene oxides were tested as inhibitors of allene oxide cyclase. Fatty acids having an allene oxide structure in the n−6,7 position but lacking the double bond in the n−3 position, as well as fatty acids having a saturated epoxide group in the n−6,7 position, served as competitive inhibitors of the enzyme. Data on the substrate specificity of allene oxide synthase (EC 4.2.1.92) from corn seeds indicated that fatty acid hydroperoxides with a double bond at n−3 and with the hydroperoxide function at n−6 exhibit the highest affinity but the slowest reaction velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the formation of lipoxygenase-pathway derived aldehydes in barley leaves. Influence of methyl jasmonate treatment on the aldehyde formation; Alterations of the gene expression; Increase of the endogenous contents in the leaves; Detection of (2E)-4-hydroxy-2-hexenal; Degradation of chloroplast membrane constituents.

SummaryThe Arabidopsis Thi2.1 thionin gene was cloned and sequenced. The promoter was fused to the uidA gene and stably transformed into Arabidopsis to study its regulation. GUS expression levels correlated with the steady‐state levels of Thi2.1 mRNA, thus demonstrating that the promoter is sufficient for the regulation of the Thi2.1 gene. The sensitivity of the Thi2.1 gene to methyl jasmonate was found to be developmentally determined. Systemic and local expression could be induced by wounding and inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f sp. matthiolae. A deletion analysis of the promoter identified a fragment of 325 bp upstream of the start codon, which appears to contain all the elements necessary for the regulation of the Thi2.1 gene. These results support the view that thionins are defence proteins, and indicate the possibility that resistance of Arabidopsis plants to necrotrophic fungal pathogens is mediated through the octadecanoid pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barley leaf segments treated with jasmonate respond with the synthesis of specific proteins, referred to as jasmonate-induced proteins (JIPs). Application of abscisic acid (ABA) also induced JIP synthesis (Weidhase et al. 1987). In this study the effects of inhibitors on sorbitol-induced increases of endogenous jasmonates and ABA were investigated. The promotion of jasmonates by sorbitol was inhibited by the growth retardant tetcyclacis at concentrations as low as 1 μM. In parallel with the decrease of jasmonates. JIP gene expression was reduced as reflected by a decline in the level of a 23-kDa protein (JIP-23) and mRNAs of JIP-6 and JIP-23. 12-Oxo-phytodienoic acid, an intermediate in the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway leading to jasmonic acid was able to overcome the inhibition by tetcyclacis and increases both the endogenous jasmonate content and transcript accumulation. This suggests that tetcyclacis acts upstream of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid and in keeping with this proposal, an increase in relative LOX activity was detected after tetcyclacis treatment. Although tetcyclacis was shown to inhibit the degradation of ABA to phaseic acid, its effect on jasmonate synthesis is much more pronounced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We found three methyl jasmonate-induced lipoxygenases with molecular masses of 92 kDa, 98 kDa, and 100 kDa (LOX-92, -98 and -100) [Feussner, I., Hause, B., Vörös, K., Parthier, B. & Wasternack, C. (1995) Plant J. 7, 949-957]. At least two of them (LOX-92 and LOX-100), were shown to be localized within chloroplasts of barley leaves. Here, we describe the isolation of a cDNA (3073 bp) coding for LOX-100, a protein of 936 amino acid residues and a molecular mass of 106 kDa. By sequence comparison this lipoxygenase could be identified as LOX2-type lipoxygenase and was therefore designated LOX2 : Hv : 1. The recombinant lipoxygenase was expressed in Escherichia coli and characterized as linoleate 13-LOX and arachidonate 15-LOX, respectively. The enzyme exhibited a pH optimum around pH 7.0 and a moderate substrate preference for linoleic acid. The gene was transiently expressed after exogenous application of jasmonic acid methyl ester with a maximum between 12 h and 18 h. Its expression was not affected by exogenous application of abscisic acid. Also a rise of endogenous jasmonic acid resulting from sorbitol stress did not induce LOX2 : Hv : 1, suggesting a separate signalling pathway compared with other jasmonate-induced proteins of barley. The properties of LOX2 : Hv : 1 are discussed in relation to its possible involvement in jasmonic acid biosynthesis and other LOX forms of barley identified so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]