Pyrophosphate modulates plant stress responses via SUMOylation.

Patir-Nebioglu, M Görkem; Andrés, Zaida; Krebs, Melanie; Fink, Fabian; Drzewicka, Katarzyna; Stankovic-Valentin, Nicolas; Segami, Shoji; Schuck, Sebastian et al. · Elife · 2019

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Pyrophosphate (PPi), a byproduct of macromolecule biosynthesis is maintained at low levels by soluble inorganic pyrophosphatases (sPPase) found in all eukaryotes. In plants, H<sup>+</sup>-pumping pyrophosphatases (H<sup>+</sup>-PPase) convert the substantial energy present in PPi into an electrochemical gradient. We show here, that both cold- and heat stress sensitivity of <i>fugu5</i> mutants lacking the major H<sup>+</sup>-PPase isoform AVP1 is correlated with reduced SUMOylation. In addition, we show that increased PPi concentrations interfere with SUMOylation in yeast and we provide evidence that SUMO activating E1-enzymes are inhibited by micromolar concentrations of PPi in a non-competitive manner. Taken together, our results do not only provide a mechanistic explanation for the beneficial effects of AVP1 overexpression in plants but they also highlight PPi as an important integrator of metabolism and stress tolerance.

Medical subject headings