title: Contribution of the mevalonate and methylerythritol phosphate pathways to the biosynthesis of gibberellins in Arabidopsis.
abstract: Gibberellins (GAs) are diterpene plant hormones essential for many developmental processes. Although the GA biosynthesis pathway has been well studied, our knowledge on its early stage is still limited. There are two possible routes for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids leading to GAs, the mevalonate (MVA) pathway in the cytosol and the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway in plastids. To distinguish these possibilities, metabolites from each isoprenoid pathway were selectively labeled with (13)C in Arabidopsis seedlings. Efficient (13)C-labeling was achieved by blocking the endogenous pathway chemically or genetically during the feed of a (13)C-labeled precursor specific to the MVA or MEP pathways. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses demonstrated that both MVA and MEP pathways can contribute to the biosyntheses of GAs and campesterol, a cytosolic sterol, in Arabidopsis seedlings. While GAs are predominantly synthesized through the MEP pathway, the MVA pathway plays a major role in the biosynthesis of campesterol. Consistent with some crossover between the two pathways, phenotypic defects caused by the block of the MVA and MEP pathways were partially rescued by exogenous application of the MEP and MVA precursors, respectively. We also provide evidence to suggest that the MVA pathway still contributes to GA biosynthesis when this pathway is limiting.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cellular Growth and Development, Growth Physiology Research Group, Plant Science Center, RIKEN (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), Hirosawa 2-1, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuzuyama
authors.forename: Motoki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Shinjiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D004896:Erythritol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005875:Gibberellins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010428:Pentosephosphates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014996:Xylulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005875:Gibberellins; D010428:Pentosephosphates; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C012258:mevastatin; D014996:Xylulose; D008148:Lovastatin; D004896:Erythritol; D008798:Mevalonic Acid