title: Jasmonic acid methyl ester induces the synthesis of a cytoplasmic/nuclear chito-oligosaccharide binding lectin in tobacco leaves.
abstract: In contrast to animal lectins, no evidence has indicated the occurrence of plant lectins, which recognize and bind "endogenous" receptors and accordingly are involved in recognition mechanisms within the organism itself. Here we show that the plant hormone jasmonic acid methyl ester (JAME) induces in leaves of Nicotiana tabacum (var. Samsun NN) the expression of a lectin that is absent from untreated plants. The lectin specifically binds to oligomers of N-acetylglucosamine and is detected exclusively in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Both the subcellular location and specificity indicate that the Nicotiana tabacum agglutinin (called Nictaba) may be involved in the regulation of gene expression in stressed plants through specific protein-carbohydrate interactions with regulatory cytoplasmic/nuclear glycoproteins. Searches in the databases revealed that many flowering plants contain sequences encoding putative homologues of the tobacco lectin, which suggest that Nictaba is the prototype of a widespread or possibly ubiquitous family of lectins with a specific endogenous role.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Willy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Peumans
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hause
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bras
authors.forename: Mukesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Proost
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barre
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rougé
authors.forename: Els J M
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Van Damme
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019662:Cucurbitaceae / Q000235:genetics; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D037102:Lectins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals / Q000235:genetics; D054883:Oxylipins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D003517:Cyclopentanes; D037102:Lectins; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D054883:Oxylipins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C050365:chito-oligosaccharide-specific Luffa-lectin; C072239:methyl jasmonate