ORCID IDs: 0000-0002-7823-5489 (D.L.); 0000-0002-4512-9508 (P.J.); 0000-0002-1025-9484 (H.J.J.); 0000-0001-9022-4515 (G.S.)Diphosphorylated inositol polyphosphates, also referred to as inositol pyrophosphates, are important signaling molecules that regulate critical cellular activities in many eukaryotic organisms, such as membrane trafficking, telomere maintenance, ribosome biogenesis, and apoptosis. In mammals and fungi, two distinct classes of inositol phosphate kinases mediate biosynthesis of inositol pyrophosphates: Kcs1/IP6K-and Vip1/PPIP5K-like proteins. Here, we report that PPIP5K homologs are widely distributed in plants and that Arabidopsis thaliana VIH1 and VIH2 are functional PPIP5K enzymes. We show a specific induction of inositol pyrophosphate InsP 8 by jasmonate and demonstrate that steady state and jasmonate-induced pools of InsP 8 in Arabidopsis seedlings depend on VIH2. We identify a role of VIH2 in regulating jasmonate perception and plant defenses against herbivorous insects and necrotrophic fungi. In silico docking experiments and radioligand binding-based reconstitution assays show highaffinity binding of inositol pyrophosphates to the F-box protein COI1-JAZ jasmonate coreceptor complex and suggest that coincidence detection of jasmonate and InsP 8 by COI1-JAZ is a critical component in jasmonate-regulated defenses.

In plants, phosphate (P i ) homeostasis is regulated by the interaction of PHR transcription factors with stand-alone SPX proteins, which act as sensors for inositol pyrophosphates. In this study, we combined different methods to obtain a comprehensive picture of how inositol (pyro)phosphate metabolism is regulated by P i and dependent on the inositol phosphate kinase ITPK1. We found that inositol pyrophosphates are more responsive to P i than lower inositol phosphates, a response conserved across kingdoms. Using the capillary electrophoresis electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (CE-ESI-MS) we could separate different InsP 7 isomers in Arabidopsis and rice, and identify 4/6-InsP 7 and a PP-InsP 4 isomer hitherto not reported in plants. We found that the inositol pyrophosphates 1/3-InsP 7 , 5-InsP 7 , and InsP 8 increase several fold in shoots after P i resupply and that tissue-specific accumulation of inositol pyrophosphates relies on ITPK1 activities and MRP5-dependent InsP 6 compartmentalization. Notably, ITPK1 is critical for P i -dependent 5-InsP 7 and InsP 8 synthesis in planta and its activity regulates P i starvation responses in a PHRdependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ITPK1-mediated conversion of InsP 6 to 5-InsP 7 requires high ATP concentrations and that Arabidopsis ITPK1 has an ADP phosphotransferase activity to dephosphorylate specifically 5-InsP 7 under low ATP. Collectively, our study provides new insights into P i -dependent changes in nutritional and energetic states with the synthesis of regulatory inositol pyrophosphates.

Diphospho-myo-inositol polyphosphates, also termed inositol pyrophosphates, are molecular messengers containing at least one high-energy phosphoanhydride bond and regulate a wide range of cellular processes in eukaryotes. While inositol pyrophosphates InsP7 and InsP8 are present in different plant species, both the identity of enzymes responsible for InsP7 synthesis and the isomer identity of plant InsP7 remain unknown. This study demonstrates that Arabidopsis ITPK1 and ITPK2 catalyze the phosphorylation of phytic acid (InsP6) to the symmetric InsP7 isomer 5-InsP7 and that the InsP6 kinase activity of ITPK enzymes is evolutionarily conserved from humans to plants. We also show by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance that plant InsP7 is structurally identical to the in vitro InsP6 kinase products of ITPK1 and ITPK2. Our findings lay the biochemical and genetic basis for uncovering physiological processes regulated by 5-InsP7 in plants.

Inositol phosphates (IPs) comprise a network of phosphorylated molecules that play multiple signaling roles in eukaryotes. IPs synthesis is believed to originate with IP3 generated from PIP2 by phospholipase C (PLC). Here, we report that in mammalian cells PLC-generated IPs are rapidly recycled to inositol, and uncover the enzymology behind an alternative “soluble” route to synthesis of IPs. Inositol tetrakisphosphate 1-kinase 1 (ITPK1)—found in Asgard archaea, social amoeba, plants, and animals—phosphorylates I(3)P1 originating from glucose-6-phosphate, and I(1)P1 generated from sphingolipids, to enable synthesis of IP6. We also found using PAGE mass assay that metabolic blockage by phosphate starvation surprisingly increased IP6 levels in a ITPK1-dependent manner, establishing a route to IP6 controlled by cellular metabolic status, that is not detectable by traditional [3H]-inositol labeling. The presence of ITPK1 in archaeal clades thought to define eukaryogenesis indicates that IPs had functional roles before the appearance of the eukaryote.

Phospholipase C (PLC) is well known for its role in animal signaling, where it generates the second messengers, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG), by hydrolyzing the minor phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), upon receptor stimulation. In plants, PLC's role is still unclear, especially because the primary targets of both second messengers are lacking, i.e. the ligand-gated Ca2+ channel and protein kinase C, and because PIP2 levels are extremely low. Nonetheless, the Arabidopsis genome encodes nine PLCs. We used a reversed-genetic approach to explore PLC's function in Arabidopsis, and report here that PLC3 is required for proper root development, seed germination and stomatal opening. Two independent knock-down mutants, plc3-2 and plc3-3, were found to exhibit reduced lateral root densities by 10-20%. Mutant seeds germinated more slowly but were less sensitive to ABA to prevent germination. Guard cells of plc3 were also compromised in ABA-dependent stomatal closure. Promoter-β-glucuronidase (GUS) analyses confirmed PLC3 expression in guard cells and germinating seeds, and revealed that the majority is expressed in vascular tissue, most probably phloem companion cells, in roots, leaves and flowers. In vivo 32Pi labeling revealed that ABA stimulated the formation of PIP2 in germinating seeds and guard cell-enriched leaf peels, which was significantly reduced in plc3 mutants. Overexpression of PLC3 had no effect on root system architecture or seed germination, but increased the plant's tolerance to drought. Our results provide genetic evidence for PLC's involvement in plant development and ABA signaling, and confirm earlier observations that overexpression increases drought tolerance. Potential molecular mechanisms for the above observations are discussed.

Most Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria inject type III effector (T3E) proteins into plant cells to manipulate signaling pathways to the pathogen’s benefit. In resistant plants, specialized immune receptors recognize single T3Es or their biochemical activities, thus halting pathogen ingress. However, molecular function and mode of recognition for most T3Es remains elusive. Here, we show that the Xanthomonas T3E XopH possesses phytase activity, i.e., dephosphorylates phytate (myo-inositol-hexakisphosphate, InsP6), the major phosphate storage compound in plants, which is also involved in pathogen defense. A combination of biochemical approaches, including a new NMR-based method to discriminate inositol polyphosphate enantiomers, identifies XopH as a naturally occurring 1-phytase that dephosphorylates InsP6 at C1. Infection of Nicotiana benthamiana and pepper by Xanthomonas results in a XopH-dependent conversion of InsP6 to InsP5. 1-phytase activity is required for XopH-mediated immunity of plants carrying the Bs7 resistance gene, and for induction of jasmonate- and ethylene-responsive genes in N. benthamiana.

29The combinatorial phosphorylation of myo-inositol results in the generation of different inositol 30 phosphates (InsP), of which phytic acid (InsP6) is the most abundant species in eukaryotes. InsP6 31 is also the precursor of higher phosphorylated forms called inositol pyrophosphates (PP-InsPs), 32 such as InsP7 and InsP8, which are characterized by a diphosphate moiety and are also 33 ubiquitously found in eukaryotic cells. While PP-InsPs regulate various cellular processes in 34 animals and yeast, their biosynthesis and functions in plants has remained largely elusive 35 because plant genomes do not encode canonical InsP6 kinases. Recently, it was shown that 36 Arabidopsis ITPK1 catalyzes the phosphorylation of InsP6 to the natural 5-InsP7 isomer in vitro. 37 Here, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis ITPK1 contributes to the synthesis of InsP7 in planta. We 38 further find a critical role of ITPK1 in auxin-related processes including primary root elongation, 39 leaf venation, thermomorphogenic and gravitropic responses, and sensitivity towards 40 exogenously applied auxin. Notably, 5-InsP7 binds to recombinant auxin receptor complex, 41 consisting of the F-Box protein TIR1, ASK1 and the transcriptional repressor IAA7, with high 42 affinity. Furthermore, a specific increase in 5-InsP7 in a heterologous yeast expression system 43 results in elevated interaction of the TIR1 homologs AFB1 and AFB2 with various AUX/IAA-44 type transcriptional repressors. We also identified a physical interaction between ITPK1 and 45 TIR1, suggesting a dedicated channeling of an activating factor, such as 5-InsP7, to the auxin 46 receptor complex. Our findings expand the mechanistic understanding of auxin perception and 47 lay the biochemical and genetic basis to uncover physiological processes regulated by 5-InsP7. 48 49 degradation of Aux/IAA transcriptional repressors to activate AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 59 (ARF) transcription factors (Gray et al., 2001; Dharmasiri et al., 2005; Kepinski and Leyser, 60 2005; Prigge et al., 2020). Unexpectedly, in a crystal structure of the auxin receptor complex 61 consisting of insect-purified ASK1-TIR1 and an IAA7 degron peptide, insect-derived InsP6 62 occupied the core of the leucine-rich-repeat (LRR) domain of TIR1 (Tan et al., 2007). While the 63 functional importance of InsP6 in auxin perception remains elusive, this molecule serves as a 64 major phosphate store in seeds and as precursor of InsP7 and InsP8, in which the myo-inositol 65 ring contains one or more energy-rich diphosphate moieties. 66 PP-InsPs regulate a wide range of important biological functions, such as vesicular trafficking, 67 ribosome biogenesis, immune response, DNA repair, telomere length maintenance, phosphate 68 homeostasis, spermiogenesis, insulin signaling and cellular energy homeostasis in yeast and 69

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