ORCID Profile
0000-0002-4754-6241
Current Organisation
Purdue University West Lafayette
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Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 12-04-2023
Abstract: Cellulose, the main component of the plant cell wall, is synthesized by the multimeric cellulose synthase (CESA) complex (CSC). In plant cells, CSCs are assembled in the endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi and transported through the endomembrane system to the plasma membrane (PM). However, how CESA catalytic activity or conserved motifs around the catalytic core influence vesicle trafficking or protein dynamics is not well understood. Here, we used yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-tagged AtCESA6 and created 18 mutants in key motifs of the catalytic domain to analyze how they affected seedling growth, cellulose biosynthesis, complex formation, and CSC dynamics and trafficking in Arabidopsis thaliana. Seedling growth and cellulose content were reduced by nearly all mutations. Moreover, mutations in most conserved motifs slowed CSC movement in the PM as well as delivery of CSCs to the PM. Interestingly, mutations in the DDG and QXXRW motifs affected YFP-CESA6 abundance in the Golgi. These mutations also perturbed post-Golgi trafficking of CSCs. The 18 mutations were ided into 2 groups based on their phenotypes we propose that Group I mutations cause CSC trafficking defects, whereas Group II mutations, especially in the QXXRW motif, affect protein folding and/or CSC rosette formation. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the CESA6 catalytic domain is essential for cellulose biosynthesis as well as CSC formation, protein folding and dynamics, and vesicle trafficking.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 23-04-2020
DOI: 10.1105/TPC.20.00202
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 31-01-2019
DOI: 10.1104/PP.19.00018
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 17-02-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.02.16.946244
Abstract: Cellulose is synthesized by rosette structured cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes (CSCs), each of which is composed of multiple units of CESAs in three different isoforms. CSCs rely on vesicle trafficking for delivery to the plasma membrane where they catalyze cellulose synthesis. Although the rosette structured CSCs were observed decades ago, it remains unclear what amino acids in plant CESA that directly participate in cellulose catalytic synthesis. It is also not clear how the catalytic activity of CSCs influences their efficient transport at the subcellular level. Here we report characterization of the small molecule Endosidin20 (ES20) and present evidence that it represents a new CESA inhibitor. We show data from chemical genetic analyses, biochemical assays, structural modeling, and molecular docking to support our conclusion that ES20 targets the catalytic site of Arabidopsis CESA6. Further, chemical genetic analysis reveals important amino acids that potentially form the catalytic site of plant CESA6. Using high spatiotemporal resolution live-cell imaging, we found that inhibition of CSC catalytic activity by inhibitor treatment, or by creating missense mutation at amino acids in the predicted catalytic site, causes reduced efficiency in CSC transport to the plasma membrane. Our results show that the catalytic activity of plant CSCs is integrated with subcellular trafficking dynamics. Endosidin20 targets cellulose synthase at the catalytic site to inhibit cellulose synthesis and the inhibition of catalytic activity reduces cellulose synthase complex delivery to the plasma membrane.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 19-04-2021
Abstract: Myosin motors are essential players in secretory vesicle trafficking and exocytosis in yeast and mammalian cells however, similar roles in plants remain a matter for debate, at least for diffusely growing cells. Here, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) myosin XIK, via its globular tail domain (GTD), participates in the vesicle tethering step of exocytosis through direct interactions with the exocyst complex. Specifically, myosin XIK GTD bound directly to several exocyst subunits in vitro and functional fluorescently tagged XIK colocalized with multiple exocyst subunits at plasma membrane (PM)-associated stationary foci. Moreover, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of myosin XI activity reduced the rate of appearance and lifetime of stationary exocyst complexes at the PM. By tracking single exocytosis events of cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes with high spatiotemporal resolution imaging and pair-wise colocalization of myosin XIK, exocyst subunits, and CESA6, we demonstrated that XIK associates with secretory vesicles earlier than exocyst and is required for the efficient localization and normal dynamic behavior of exocyst complex at the PM tethering site. This study reveals an important functional role for myosin XI in secretion and provides insights about the dynamic regulation of exocytosis in plants.
Publisher: International Union of Crystallography (IUCr)
Date: 21-09-2021
DOI: 10.1107/S2056989021009580
Abstract: The title compound, [Fe(C 3 H 7 NO) 6 ][Cd 2 Cl 7 ], crystallizes in the trigonal space group R \\overline{3} and is assembled from discrete [Fe(DMF) 6 ] 3+ cations (DMF = N , N -dimethylformamide) and [Cd 2 Cl 7 ] 3− anions. In the cation, the iron(III) atom, located on a special position of \\overline{3} site symmetry, is coordinated by six oxygen atoms from DMF ligands with all Fe—O distances being equal [2.0072 (16) Å]. A slight distortion of the octahedral environment of the metal comes from the cis O—Fe—O angles deviating from the ideal value of 90° [86.85 (7) and 93.16 (7)°] whilst all the trans angles are strictly 180°. The central Cl atom of the [Cd 2 Cl 7 ] 3− anion is also located on a special position of \\overline{3} site symmetry and bridges two corner sharing, tetrahedrally coordinated Cd II atoms. The two Cd atoms and the central Cl atom are colinear. The two sets of terminal chloride ligands on either side of the dumbbell-like anion are rotated relative to each other by 30°. In the crystal, the cations and anions, stacked one above the other along the c -axis direction, are held in place principally by electrostatic interactions. There are also C—H...Cl and C—H...O interactions, but these are rather weak. Of the six crystal structures reported to date for ionic salts of [Fe(DMF) 6 ] n + cations ( n = 2, 3), five contain Fe II ions. The title compound is the second ex le of a stable compound containing the [Fe(DMF) 6 ] 3+ cation. The existence of both [Fe(DMF) 6 ] 2+ and [Fe(DMF) 6 ] 3+ cations shows that the DMF ligand coordination sphere can accommodate changes in the charge and spin states of the metal centre.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 19-08-2020
DOI: 10.1101/2020.08.18.255984
Abstract: Myosin motors are essential players in secretory vesicle trafficking and exocytosis in yeast and mammalian cells however, similar roles in plants remain a matter for debate, at least for diffusely-growing cells. Here, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) myosin XIK, via its globular tail domain (GTD), participates in the vesicle tethering step of exocytosis through direct interactions with the exocyst complex. Specifically, myosin XIK GTD bound directly to the SEC5B subunit of exocyst in vitro and functional fluorescently-tagged XIK colocalized with multiple exocyst subunits at plasma membrane (PM)-associated stationary foci. Moreover, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of myosin XI activity reduced the frequency and lifetime of stationary exocyst complexes at the PM. By tracking single exocytosis events of cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes (CSCs) with high spatiotemporal resolution imaging and pair-wise colocalization analysis of myosin XIK, exocyst subunits and CESA6, we demonstrated that XIK associates with secretory vesicles earlier than exocyst and is required for the recruitment of exocyst to the PM tethering site. This study reveals an important functional role for myosin XI in secretion and provides new insights about the dynamic regulation of exocytosis in plants.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 05-04-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.04.04.487015
Abstract: Cellulose, as the main component of the plant cell wall, is synthesized by a multimeric protein complex named the cellulose synthase (CESA) complex or CSC. In plant cells, CSCs are transported through the endomembrane system to the PM, but how catalytic activity or conserved motifs around the catalytic core domain influence vesicle trafficking or protein dynamics is not well understood. Here, we used a functional YFP-tagged AtCESA6 and site- directed mutagenesis to create 18 single amino acid replacement mutants in key motifs of the catalytic domain including DDG, DXD, TED and QXXRW, to comprehensively analyze how catalytic activity affects plant growth, cellulose biosynthesis, complex formation, as well as CSC dynamics and trafficking. Plant growth and cellulose content were reduced by nearly all mutations. Moreover, mutations in most conserved motifs reduced the speed of CSC movement in the PM as well as delivery of CSCs to the PM. Interestingly, the abundance of YFP-CESA6 in the Golgi apparatus was increased or reduced by mutations in DDG and QXXRW motifs, respectively. Post-Golgi trafficking of CSCs was also differentially perturbed by these mutations and, based on these phenotypes, the 18 mutations could be ided into two major groups. Group I comprises mutations causing significantly increased fluorescence intensity of YFP-CESA6 in Golgi with either an increase or no change in the abundance of cortical small CESA-containing compartments (SmaCCs). In contrast, Group II represents mutations with significantly decreased fluorescence intensity of YFP-CESA6 in Golgi and/or reduced SmaCC density. In addition, two Group II mutations in the QXXRW motif reduced CSC assembly in the Golgi. We propose that Group I mutations cause CSC trafficking defects whereas Group II mutations, especially in the QXXRW motif, affect normal CSC rosette formation in the ER or Golgi and hence interfere with subsequent CSC trafficking. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the catalytic domain of CESA6 is essential not only for cellulose biosynthesis, but also CESA complex formation, protein folding and dynamics, vesicle trafficking, or all of the above. A comprehensive mutational analysis of the catalytic domain of Arabidopsis CESA6 reveals distinct roles for conserved motifs in CSC vesicle trafficking, protein complex formation, or protein dynamics
No related grants have been discovered for Weiwei Zhang.