Overexpression of GCN2-type protein kinase in wheat has profound effects on free amino acid concentration and gene expression

A - Papers appearing in refereed journals

Byrne, E. H., Prosser, I. M., Muttucumaru, N., Curtis, T. Y., Wingler, A., Powers, S. J. and Halford, N. G. 2012. Overexpression of GCN2-type protein kinase in wheat has profound effects on free amino acid concentration and gene expression. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 10 (3), pp. 328-340. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2011.00665.x

AuthorsByrne, E. H., Prosser, I. M., Muttucumaru, N., Curtis, T. Y., Wingler, A., Powers, S. J. and Halford, N. G.
Abstract

A key point of regulation of protein synthesis and amino acid homoeostasis in eukaryotes is the phosphorylation of the a subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2a) by protein kinase general control nonderepressible (GCN)-2. In this study, a GCN2-type PCR product (TaGCN2) was amplified from wheat (Triticum aestivum) RNA, while a wheat eIF2a homologue was identified in wheat genome data and found to contain a conserved target site for phosphorylation by GCN2. TaGCN2 overexpression in transgenic wheat resulted in significant decreases in total free amino acid concentration in the grain, with free asparagine concentration in particular being much lower than in controls. There were significant increases in the expression of eIF2a and protein phosphatase PP2A, as well as a nitrate reductase gene and genes encoding phosphoserine phosphatase and dihydrodipicolinate synthase, while the expression of an asparagine synthetase (AS1) gene and genes encoding cystathionine gamma-synthase and sulphur-deficiency-induced-1 all decreased significantly. Sulphur deficiencyinduced activation of these genes occurred in wild-type plants but not in TaGCN2 overexpressing lines. Under sulphur deprivation, the expression of genes encoding aspartate kinase/homoserine dehydrogenase and 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase was also lower than in controls. The study demonstrates that TaGCN2 plays an important role in the regulation of genes encoding enzymes of amino acid biosynthesis in wheat and is the first to implicate GCN2-type protein kinases so clearly in sulphur signalling in any organism. It shows that manipulation of TaGCN2 gene expression could be used to reduce free asparagine accumulation in wheat grain and the risk of acrylamide formation in wheat products.

KeywordsBiotechnology; Plant sciences; Applied microbiology
Year of Publication2012
JournalPlant Biotechnology Journal
Journal citation10 (3), pp. 328-340
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2011.00665.x
PubMed ID22070093
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
FunderBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Funder project or codeCentre for Crop Genetic Improvement (CGI)
Centre for Mathematical and Computational Biology (MCB)
BBSRC FOF:Effects of manipulating the regulatory protein kinase GCN2 and elF2alpha in wheat and oilseed rape
Optimising water use in wheat
Application of statistical methods to predictive biology
Publisher's version
Copyright license
CC BY
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online10 Nov 2011
Publication process dates
Accepted22 Sep 2011
PublisherWiley
ISSN1467-7644

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