The dephosphorylated S8A and S18A mutants of (oat) phytochrome A comprise its two species, phyA' and phyA'', suggesting that autophosphorylation at these sites is not involved in the phyA differentiation

Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2019 May 15;18(5):1242-1248. doi: 10.1039/c8pp00574e.

Abstract

Phytochrome A (phyA) is represented in plants by two species, phyA' and phyA'', with different properties and modes of action (Sineshchekov, Funct. Plant Biol., 2019, 46, 118-135). They differ by the modification of a serine(s) residue at the N-terminus, possibly, by phosphorylation. To verify if these serines could be the Ser8 and Ser18 (in Avena sativa phyA, AsphyA), whose autophosphorylation modulates AsphyA stability and sensitivity as shown with the use of the serine-to-alanine substitution AsphyA mutants (S8A, S18A and S8/18A) (Han et al., Plant Cell Physiol., 2010, 51, 596-609), we have undertaken low-temperature (85 K) fluorescence investigations of phyA in these transgenic lines. The content and proportion of phyA' and phyA'' were essentially the same in wild-type AsphyA and its mutants, and in endogenous Arabidopsis phyA. All the lines revealed a higher phyA'/phyA'' proportion upon longer germination-inducing preillumination (3 h vs. 15 min white light) supporting our earlier finding that the phyA differentiation into the subpools is light-regulated. These observations and our earlier data imply that this process involves N-terminal serine(s) different from the autophosphorylated Ser8 and Ser18 (in AsphyA) narrowing down the area of further search for the exact site(s) of the phyA modification.

MeSH terms

  • Avena / chemistry*
  • Avena / growth & development
  • Avena / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Phosphorylation
  • Phytochrome A / genetics
  • Phytochrome A / metabolism*
  • Serine / genetics
  • Serine / metabolism*

Substances

  • Phytochrome A
  • Serine