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Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase during Maturation and Germination Sorghum Seeds: Enzyme Activity and Regulation

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Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a species of great socio-economic and ecological importance for countries in arid and semi-arid climate. In C4 plants like sorghum, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC, EC 4.1.1.31) plays a key role in seed development and germination. In this work, the PEPC activity shows an increase followed by a decrease at the early and later stages of maturation, respectively. In germinating seeds, the PEPC activity quickly increases after soaking. The L-malate test and the ratio of PEPC activity determined at pH 8.0 and 7.1, indicates, that PEPC is phosphorylated at the early stages of maturation then becomes dephosphorylated at the later stages and during seed germination, PEPC takes back its phosphorylated form. The determination of the affinity constant showed different KM depending on the seed developmental stage. As there is no PEPC-C4 isoform in developing sorghum seeds, this result indicates that the different KM observed during seed maturation could be a result of a post-translational regulation such as phosphorylation or ubiquitination of a pre-existing isoform. This regulation enhances the PEPC activity at early stages of seed development.

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Abbreviations

CAM:

crassulacean acid metabolism

DPA:

days post-anthesis

DPI:

days post-imbibition

EDTA:

ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid

EGTA:

ethylene-bis(oxyethylenenitrilo) tetraacetic acid

HEPES:

4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethanesulfonic acid

MDH:

malate dehydrogenase

MOPS:

4-morpholinepropanesulfonic acid

PEP:

phosphoe-nolpyruvate

PEPC:

phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase

PEPC-K:

PEPC protein kinase

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Biochimie et Génétique Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Tanger, BP 416, Tanger, 90000, Maroc

    Y. Bouargalne, R. Ben Mrid, R. El Omari & M. Nhiri

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  1. Y. Bouargalne
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  2. R. Ben Mrid
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  3. R. El Omari
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  4. M. Nhiri
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Correspondence to M. Nhiri.

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Bouargalne, Y., Mrid, R.B., El Omari, R. et al. Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase during Maturation and Germination Sorghum Seeds: Enzyme Activity and Regulation. Russ J Plant Physiol 65, 824–832 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443718060031

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443718060031

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