title: Ceramides modulate programmed cell death in plants.
abstract: The balance between the bioactive sphingolipid ceramide and its phosphorylated derivative has been proposed to modulate the amount of programmed cell death (PCD) in eukaryotes. We characterized the first ceramide kinase (CERK) mutant in any organism. The Arabidopsis CERK mutant, called accelerated cell death 5, accumulates CERK substrates and shows enhanced disease symptoms during pathogen attack and apoptotic-like cell death dependent on defense signaling late in development. ACD5 protein shows high specificity for ceramides in vitro. Strikingly, C2 ceramide induces, whereas its phosphorylated derivative partially blocks, plant PCD, supporting a role for ceramide phosphorylation in modulating cell death in plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. jgreenbe@midway.uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Jong Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jean T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002518:Ceramides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides