Narciclasine alters chloroplast membrane structure and inhibits 5‐aminolevulinic acid and chlorophyll binding protein accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum) leaves

Abstract

Narciclasine (NCS), an Amaryllidaceae alkaloid from Narcissus tazetta bulbs, is a potent plant growth inhibitor. It shows a broad range of inhibitory effects on seed germination and seedling growth in wheat (Triticum aestivum). In this study, the chlorophyll content of light-grown wheat seedlings was markedly reduced in the presence of NCS. In etiolated wheat leaf sections, the greening process initiated upon illumination was inhibited by NCS. The block of chlorophyll accumulation in the presence of NCS was most probably due to the block of the formation of 5-aminolevulinic acid, an essential chlorophyll precursor. Western blot analysis showed that the formation of light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein (LHCII) was also inhibited by NCS. Electron microscopy studies provided direct observation that the formation of chloroplast and internal membrane † Corresponding author. systems were blocked when etioplasts were illuminated in the presence of NCS. Thus, our study showed that NCS inhibited chlorophyll and chloroplast protein accumulation, concomitantly chloroplast formation.

Narciclasine, a potential allelochemical, affects subcellular trafficking of auxin transporter proteins and actin cytoskeleton dynamics in Arabidopsis roots

“…We first reported that the natural compound NCS has allelopathic potential and inhibits auxin action including auxin signaling and transport (Bi et al 1998(Bi et al , 2003Na et al 2011a, b;Hu et al 2012Hu et al , 2014. In the present study, we showed that short-term NCS exposure resulted in the inhibition of subcellular trafficking of PIN and AUX1 proteins and accumulation of intracellular agglomerations (NCS bodies) ( Fig.…”

Chapter 3 Chemical and Biological Aspects of Narcissus Alkaloids

“…Narciclasine, present in daffodil mucilage, can delay tepal senescence in cut Iris flowers by attenuation of protease activity, which, in turn, is apparently related to the inhibition of the protein synthesis involved in senescence (519). The formation of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein (LHCP) is also inhibited by this alkaloid (521). It also blocks the for mation of chloroplasts, markedly reducing the chlorophyll content of light-grown wheat seedlings, probably due to the inhibition of the formation of 5-aminolevulinic acid, an essential chlorophyll precursor (520).…”

Narciclasine modulates polar auxin transport in Arabidopsis roots

“…Previous research showed that NCS possesses antimitotic (Ceriotti, 1967) and antiviral functions (Gabrielsen et al, 1992), and inhibits protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte and yeast cell-free systems (Carrasco et al, 1975). In plants, this compound showed a broad range of inhibitory effects on seed germination and seedling growth in rice and Chinese cabbage (Bi et al, 1998), and on the accumulation of chlorophylls and chloroplast proteins (Bi et al, 2003). However, how the NCS affects these processes is unknown.…”