Accumulation of storage proteins in plant seeds is mediated by amyloid formation

PLoS Biol. 2020 Jul 23;18(7):e3000564. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000564. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Amyloids are protein aggregates with a highly ordered spatial structure giving them unique physicochemical properties. Different amyloids not only participate in the development of numerous incurable diseases but control vital functions in archaea, bacteria and eukarya. Plants are a poorly studied systematic group in the field of amyloid biology. Amyloid properties have not yet been demonstrated for plant proteins under native conditions in vivo. Here we show that seeds of garden pea Pisum sativum L. contain amyloid-like aggregates of storage proteins, the most abundant one, 7S globulin Vicilin, forms bona fide amyloids in vivo and in vitro. Full-length Vicilin contains 2 evolutionary conserved β-barrel domains, Cupin-1.1 and Cupin-1.2, that self-assemble in vitro into amyloid fibrils with similar physicochemical properties. However, Cupin-1.2 fibrils unlike Cupin-1.1 can seed Vicilin fibrillation. In vivo, Vicilin forms amyloids in the cotyledon cells that bind amyloid-specific dyes and possess resistance to detergents and proteases. The Vicilin amyloid accumulation increases during seed maturation and wanes at germination. Amyloids of Vicilin resist digestion by gastrointestinal enzymes, persist in canned peas, and exhibit toxicity for yeast and mammalian cells. Our finding for the first time reveals involvement of amyloid formation in the accumulation of storage proteins in plant seeds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid / metabolism*
  • Amyloid / ultrastructure
  • Detergents / pharmacology
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Ions
  • Pancreatin / metabolism
  • Pepsin A / metabolism
  • Pisum sativum / drug effects
  • Pisum sativum / metabolism*
  • Protein Aggregates
  • Protein Domains
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Seed Storage Proteins / chemistry
  • Seed Storage Proteins / metabolism*
  • Seed Storage Proteins / pharmacology
  • Seed Storage Proteins / ultrastructure
  • Seeds / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amyloid
  • Detergents
  • Ions
  • Protein Aggregates
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Seed Storage Proteins
  • Pancreatin
  • vicilin protein, plant
  • Pepsin A

Grants and funding

This work (study of amyloid formation by Vicilin and its domains in vivo and in vitro) was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant 17-16-01100. Part of this work performed by A.I. Sulatskaya (analysis of polymorphism of protein aggregates under various conditions) was awarded by RF President Fellowship SP-841.2018.4. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.