title: Light and cytokinin play a co-operative role in MGDG synthesis in greening cucumber cotyledons.
abstract: The current research investigated the regulation of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) biosynthesis, catalyzed by MGDG synthase (MGD) (UDP-galactose:1,2-diacylglycerol 3-beta-D-galactosyltransferase; EC 2.4.1.46), during chloroplast development in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Aonagajibai). In etiolated seedlings, white light induced a transient increase in MGD mRNA, followed by a subsequent increase in enzyme activity. MGDG, digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), and linolenic acid (18 : 3) of both MGDG and DGDG accumulated in a light-dependent manner. Early light-dependent induction of MGD protein was also identified in isolated chloroplasts. When cotyledons were detached from seedlings, these light-induced changes diminished. However, when a synthetic cytokinin, benzyladenine, was added to the detached cotyledons, a transient increase in MGD mRNA and a linear increase in the enzyme activity were induced even in the dark. Galactolipids subsequently accumulated to some extent and 18 : 3 content also increased. MGDG fully accumulated in detached cotyledons with co-treatment of light and a cytokinin. Red light (>600 nm) and far-red light (>700 nm) both induced an increase in MGD mRNA and enzyme activity but far-red light did not induce an accumulation of MGDG. These results suggest that (1). galactolipid biosynthesis is regulated by the cooperation of light and a cytokinin; (2). the accumulation of MGDG requires cytokinin in addition to light; (3). a red light (600-700 nm) dependent factor is necessary for the maximal galactolipid accumulation in addition to increase in MGD transcript and activity.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501 Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamaryo
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Awai
authors.forename: Mie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimojima
authors.forename: Tatsuru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Ken-ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takamiya
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohta
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001593:Benzyl Compounds; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D018548:Cotyledon / Q000378:metabolism*; D018553:Cucumis sativus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003583:Cytokinins / Q000502:physiology*; D003624:Darkness; D038983:Galactolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005700:Galactosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D007701:Kinetin; D008027:Light; D009154:Mutation; D011687:Purines; D036226:Seedlings / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001593:Benzyl Compounds; D003583:Cytokinins; D038983:Galactolipids; D011687:Purines; C009909:monogalactosyldiacylglycerol; D005700:Galactosyltransferases; C109990:1,2-diacylglycerol 3-beta-galactosyltransferase; D000225:Adenine; C480551:benzylaminopurine; D007701:Kinetin