title: Brassica juncea nitric oxide synthase like activity is stimulated by PKC activators and calcium suggesting modulation by PKC-like kinase.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule having varied physiological and regulatory roles in biological systems. The fact that nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is responsible for NO generation in animals, prompted major search for a similar enzyme in plants. Arginine dependent NOS like activity (BjNOSla) was detected in Brassica juncea seedlings using oxyhemoglobin and citrulline assays. BjNOSla showed 25% activation by NADPH (0.4 mM) and 40% by calcium (0.4 mM) but the activity was flavin mononucleotide (FMN), flavin dinucleotide (FAD) and calmodulin (CaM) independent. Pharmacological approach using mammalian NOS inhibitors, NBT (300 μM) and l-NAME (5 mM), showed significant inhibition (100% and 67% respectively) supporting that the BjNOSla operates via the oxidative pathway. Most of the BjNOSla activity (80%) was confined to shoot while root showed only 20% activity. Localization studies by NADPH-diaphorase and DAF-2DA staining showed the presence of BjNOSla in guard cells. Kinetic analysis showed positive cooperativity with calcium as reflected by a decreased K(m) (∼13%) and almost two fold increase in V(max). PMA (438 nM), a kinase activator, activated BjNOSla ∼1.9 fold while its inactive analog 4αPDD was ineffective. Calcium and PMA activated the enzyme to ∼3 folds. Interestingly, 1,2-DG6 (2.5 μM) and PS (1 μM) with calcium activated the enzyme activity to ∼7 fold. A significant inhibition of BjNOSla by PKC inhibitors-staurosporine (∼90%) and calphostin-C (∼40%), further supports involvement of PKC-like kinase. The activity was also enhanced by abiotic stress conditions (7-46%). All these findings suggest that BjNOSla generates NO via oxidative pathway and is probably regulated by phosphorylation.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Plant Physiology and Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India.
authors.forename: Pooja Saigal
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Talwar
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Arun Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Maurya
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deswal
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002956:Citrulline; D004357:Drug Synergism; D020536:Enzyme Activators / Q000494:pharmacology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D009149:Mustard Plant / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009249:NADP / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D036226:Seedlings / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D020536:Enzyme Activators; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D002956:Citrulline; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009249:NADP; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D002118:Calcium; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester