pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) reductase, post-translational regulation, proline synthesis, pyridine nucleotide pools, substrate preference.-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) reductase (P5CR) catalyses the final step of proline synthesis in plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, protein levels are correlated neither to the corresponding mRNA copy numbers, nor to intracellular proline concentrations. The occurrence of post-translational regulatory mechanisms has therefore been hypothesized, but never assessed.The purification of A. thaliana P5CR was achieved through either a six-step protocol from cultured cells, or heterologous expression of AtP5CR in Escherichia coli. The protein was characterized with respect to structural, kinetic, and biochemical properties.P5CR was able to use either NADPH or NADH as the electron donor, with contrasting affinities and maximum reaction rates. The presence of equimolar concentrations of NADP + completely suppressed the NADH-dependent activity, whereas the NADPH-dependent reaction was mildly affected. Proline inhibited only the NADH-dependent reaction. At physiological values, increasing concentrations of salt progressively inhibited the NADH-dependent activity, but were stimulatory of the NADPH-dependent reaction. The biochemical properties of A. thaliana P5CR suggest a complex regulation of enzyme activity by the redox status of the pyridine nucleotide pools, and the concentrations of proline and chloride in the cytosol. Data support a to date underestimated role of P5CR in controlling stress-induced proline accumulation.

A series of N-substituted derivatives of aminomethylenebisphosphonic acid were evaluated as potential inhibitors of delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (EC 1.5.1.2), the enzyme that catalyzes the last step in proline biosynthesis, partially purified from Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cultured cells. At millimolar concentrations, three compounds out of 26 were found to interfere with the catalytic mechanism. One of them, namely, 3,5-dichloropyridyl-aminomethylenebisphosphonic acid, retained such inhibitory activity in the micromolar range. Kinetic analyses ruled out the possibility that the inhibition could simply rely upon the chelating properties of bisphosphonates and showed mechanisms of a noncompetitive type against NADH and an uncompetitive type against delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid, with KI values of 199 +/- 6 and 10.3 +/- 1.5 microM, respectively. A computer-aided docking analysis, performed on the basis of the crystal structure of the enzyme from Streptococcus pyogenes, suggested that this phosphonate may interact with amino acid residues near the binding site of delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid, thus blocking the substrate in a pocket and preventing its interaction with NADH. Because in higher plants the step catalyzed by delta1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase is shared by all pathways leading to proline synthesis, such a compound may represent a lead structure to be exploited for the design of new substances endowed with herbicidal activity.

Analogues of previously studied phenyl-substituted aminomethylene-bisphosphonic acids were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of Arabidopsis thaliana δ(1)-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase. With the aim of improving their effectiveness, two main modifications were introduced into the inhibitory scaffold: the aminomethylenebisphosphonic moiety was replaced with a hydroxymethylenebisphosphonic group, and the length of the molecule was increased by replacing the methylene linker with an ethylidene chain. In addition, chlorine atoms in the phenyl ring were replaced with various other substituents. Most of the studied derivatives showed activity in the micromolar to millimolar range, with two of them being more effective than the lead compound, with concentrations inhibiting 50% of enzyme activity as low as 50 μM. Experimental evidence supporting the ability of these inhibitors to interfere with proline synthesis in vivo is also shown.

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BACKGROUND: Aiming at the rational design of new herbicides, the availability of the threedimensional structure of the target enzyme greatly enhances the optimisation of lead compounds and the design of derivatives with increased activity. Among the most widely exploited herbicide targets is glutamine synthetase. Recently, the structure of a cytosolic form of the maize enzyme has been described, making it possible to verify whether steric, electronic and hydrophobic features of a compound are in agreement with inhibitor-protein interaction geometry.

BACKGROUND: Dual-target inhibitors may contribute to the management of herbicide-resistant weeds and avoid or delay the selection of resistant biotypes. Some aminobisphosphonates inhibit the activity of both glutamine synthetase and 1 -pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) reductase in vitro, but the relevance of the latter in vivo has yet to be proven. This study aimed at demonstrating that these compounds can also block proline synthesis in planta.RESULTS: Two aminophosphonates, namely 3,5-dichlorophenylamino-methylenebisphosphonic acid and 3,5-dibromophenyl aminomethylenebis phosphonic acid (Br 2 PAMBPA), showed inverse effectiveness against the two partially purified target enzymes from rapeseed. The compounds showed equipotency in inhibiting the growth of rapeseed seedlings and cultured cells. The analysis of amino acid content in treated cells showed a strong reduction in glutamate and glutamate-related amino acid pools, but a milder effect on free proline. In the case of Br 2 PAMBPA, toxic P5C levels accumulated in treated seedlings, proving that the inhibition of P5C reductase takes place in situ.CONCLUSIONS: Phenyl-substituted aminobisphosphonates may be regarded as true dual-target inhibitors. Their use to develop new active principles for crop protection could consequently represent a tool to address the problem of target-site resistance among weeds.

A series of isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones (phthalides), analogues of the naturally occurring phytotoxin cryphonectric acid, were designed, synthesized, and fully characterized by NMR, IR, and MS analyses. Their synthesis was achieved via condensation, aromatization, and acetylation reactions. The measurement of the electron transport chain in spinach chloroplasts showed that several derivatives are capable of interfering with the photosynthetic apparatus. Few of them were found to inhibit the basal rate, but a significant inhibition was brought about only at concentrations exceeding 50 μM. Some other analogues acted as uncouplers or energy transfer inhibitors, with a remarkably higher effectiveness. Isobenzofuranone addition to the culture medium inhibited the growth of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus , with patterns consistent with the effects measured in vitro upon isolated chloroplasts. The most active derivatives, being able to completely suppress algal growth at 20 μM, may represent structures to be exploited for the design of new active ingredients for weed control.

Alternariol and monomethylalternariol are natural phytotoxins produced by some fungal strains, such as Nimbya and Alternaria. These substances confer virulence to phytopathogens, yet no information is available concerning their mode of action. Here we show that in the micromolar range alternariol 9-methyl ether is able to inhibit the electron transport chain (IC50 = 29.1 ± 6.5 μM) in isolated spinach chloroplasts. Since its effectiveness is limited by poor solubility in water, several alternariol analogues were synthesized using different aromatic aldehydes. The synthesized 6H-benzo[c]cromen-6-ones, 5H-chromene[4,3-b]pyridin-5-one, and 5H-chromene[4,3-c]pyridin-5-one also showed inhibitory properties, and three 6H-benzo[c]cromen-6-ones were more effective (IC50 = 12.8-22.8 μM) than the lead compound. Their addition to the culture medium of a cyanobacterial model strain was found to inhibit algal growth, with a relative effectiveness that was consistent with their activity in vitro. In contrast, the growth of a nonphotosynthetic plant cell culture was poorly affected. These compounds may represent a novel lead for the development of new active principles targeting photosynthesis.