Rapid stalk elongation in tulip ( Tulipa gesneriana L. cv. Apeldoorn) and the combined action of cold-induced invertase and the water-channel protein γTIP

Abstract

Many bulbous plants need a low-temperature treatment for flowering. Cold, for example, affects the elongation of the stalk, thereby influencing the quality of the cut flower. How the elongation of the stalk is promoted by cold and which physiological and biochemical mechanisms are involved have remained obscure. As invertase has been shown to be involved in the cold-induced elongation of the flower stalks of tulips (Lambrechts et al., 1994, Plant Physiol 104: 515-520), we further characterized this enzyme by cloning the cDNA and analysing its expression in various tissues of the tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L. cv. Apeldoorn) stalk. In addition, the role of sucrose synthase was investigated. Since turgor pressure is an important force driving cell elongation, the role of a water-channel protein (gammaTIP) was studied in relation to these two enzymes. The mRNA level of the invertase found was substantially up-regulated as a result of cold treatment. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of this invertase revealed the presence of a vacuolar targeting signal. Two different forms of sucrose synthase were found, the expression of one of them appeared to be restricted to the vascular tissue while the other form was present in the surrounding tissue. Both sucrose synthases were present in the stalk during the entire period of bulb storage and after planting, but their activities declined during stalk elongation. The expression of the gammaTIP gene was restricted mainly to the vascular tissue and its expression profile was identical to that of invertase. Simultaneous expression of invertase and gammaTIP possibly leads to an increase in osmotic potential and vacuolar water uptake, thus providing a driving force for stretching the stalk cells.

Evidence That High Activity of Vacuolar Invertase Is Required for Cotton Fiber and Arabidopsis Root Elongation through Osmotic Dependent and Independent Pathways, Respectively

“…S2). These are VIN hallmarks (Vitale and Chrispeels, 1992;Balk and de Boer, 1999;Sturm, 1999) that are absent from the two CWINs, OsCWI1 and NtCWIN1, included in the comparison. Furthermore, GhVIN1 displayed five distinctive amino acids (indicated by arrows in Supplemental Fig.…”

Identification and Characterization of the Duplicate Rice Sucrose Synthase Genes OsSUS5 and OsSUS7 Which Are Associated with the Plasma Membrane

“…Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using MEGA version 4 (Tamura et al, 2007) and the neighbor-joining method. The accession numbers of the sequences used to construct the phylogenetic tree are as follows: AtSUS1-AtSUS6 from Arabidopsis, At5g20830, At5g49190, At4g02280, At3g43190, At5g-37180, and At1g73370, respectively (Baud et al, 2004); Ag-SUS from Alnus glutinosa, X92378 (van Ghelue et al, 1996); BoSUS1-BoSUS4 from Bambusa oldhamii, AF412036, AF-412038, AF412037, and AF412039, respectively; BvSBSS1 and BvSBSS2 from sugar beet, AY457173 and EF660856, respectively (Hesse and Willmitzer, 1996;Klotz and Haagenson, 2008); ClSUS from Citrullus lanatus, AB018561; Cpss1 and Cpss2 from Craterostigma plantagineum, AJ131999 and AJ132000, respectively (Kleines et al, 1999); CrSUS from Chenopodium rubrum, X82504 (Godt et al, 1995); CitSUS1 and CitSUSA from citrus, AB022092 and AB022091 (Komatsu et al, 2002); DcSUS1 and DcSUS2 from carrot, X75332 and Y16091 (Sebkova et al, 1995;; GhSUS from Gossypium hirsutum, U73588; GmSUS from soybean, AF030231; HvSUS1 and HvSUS2 from barley, X65871 and X69931 (Sánchez de la Hoz et al, 1992); LeSUS1 and Le-SUS2 from tomato, L19762 and AJ011319 (Chengappa et al, 1999;Wang et al, 1993); MsSUS from Medicago sativa, AF049487; MtSUS1 from Medicago truncatula, AJ131943 (Hohnjec et al, 1999); MySUS from the tropical epiphytic CAM orchid Mokara Yellow, AF530568 (Li et al, 2004); OgSUS from the tropical epiphytic orchid Oncidium goldiana, AF530567; OsSUS1-OsSUS7 from rice, LOC_Os03g28330, LOC_Os06g 09450, LOC_Os07g42490, LOC_Os03g22120, LOC_Os04g 24430, LOC_Os02g58480, and LOC_Os04g17650, respectively (Hirose et al, 2008;Huang et al, 1996;Wang et al, 1992); PdSUS1 and PdSUS2 from Potamogeton distinctus, AB193515 and AB193516; PtSUS from Populus tremuloides, AY341026; PvSS from bean, AF315375 (Silvente et al, 2003); PsSUS1-PsSUS3 from pea, AJ012080, AJ001071, and AJ311496, respectively (Barratt et al, 2001;Craig et al, 1999); SoSusy2 from Saccharum officinarum, AY118266; StSUS2-StSUS4 from potato, AY205302, U24088, and U24087, respectively (Fu and Park, 1995;Salanoubat and Belliard, 1987); TaSUS1 and TaSUS2 from Triticum aestivum, AJ001117 and AJ000153; TgSUS1 and TgSUS2 from tulip, X96938 and X96939 (Balk and de Boer, 1999); VfSUS from fava bean, X69773; Vrvss1 from mung bean, D10266 …”

Soluble Invertase Expression Is an Early Target of Drought Stress during the Critical, Abortion-Sensitive Phase of Young Ovary Development in Maize

“…A role for vacuolar invertase has been implicated in a broad range of expanding young sinks such as elongating silks , tulip (Tulipa spp.) stalks (Balk and de Boer, 1999), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves (Hoffmann et al, 1997), carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) petals (Woodson and Wang, 1987), and carrot (Daucus carota) tap roots . Zinselmeier et al (1999) found that drought stress decreased ovary water potential and turgor unless plant stems were infused with Suc.…”