Cycloate, an inhibitor of fatty acid elongase, modulates the metabolism of very-long-side-chain alkylresorcinols in rye seedlings.
BACKGROUND
Cycloate inhibits the biosynthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids, the essential constituents of plant waxes and suberin. Fatty acids also serve as precursors of aliphatic carbon chains in resorcinolic lipids, which play a fundamental role in the plant defence system against fungal pathogens. In this study, the effect of cycloate on the biosynthesis of 5-n-alkylresorcinols in rye seedlings (Secale cereale L.) grown under various light and thermal conditions was examined.


RESULTS
The content of alkylresorcinols biosynthesised in rye was generally increased by the herbicide in both green and etiolated plants. The presence of cycloate also affected patterns of alkylresorcinol homologues in plants grown at 15 and 22 degrees C; very-long-side-chain compounds were less abundant, whereas both short-chain saturated and unsaturated homologues were generally accumulated. No cycloate-related effects caused by homologue pattern modifications were observed at elevated temperature.


CONCLUSIONS
This study extends present understanding of the mode of action of thiocarbamate herbicides. Cycloate markedly affected the biosynthesis of very-long-side-chain resorcinolic lipids in rye seedlings, confirming the existence of parallels in both fatty acid and alkylresorcinol biosynthetic pathways. The observed cycloate-driven accumulation of 5-n-alkylresorcinols may improve the resistance of cereals to infections caused by microbial pathogens.
Magnucka
Elzbieta G
EG
Agricultural Microbiology Lab, Department of Plant Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland. elzbieta.magnucka@up.wroc.pl
Suzuki
Yoshikatsu
Y
Pietr
Stanislaw J
SJ
Kozubek
Arkadiusz
A
Zarnowski
Robert
R
D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D012434:Secale / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006540:Herbicides; D010940:Plant Proteins; D013859:Thiocarbamates; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000081031:Fatty Acid Elongases; C017157:cycloate