Regulation of Plasmodesmatal Permeability and Stomatal Patterning by the Glycosyltransferase-Like Protein KOBITO1    

Abstract

The differentiation of stomata provides a convenient model for studying pattern formation in plant tissues. Stomata formation is induced by a set of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors and inhibited by a signal transduction pathway initiated by TOO MANY MOUTHS (TMM) and ERECTA family (ERf) receptors. The formation of a proper stomata pattern is also dependent upon the restriction of symplastic movement of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors into neighboring cells, especially in the backgrounds where the function of the TMM/ERf signaling pathway is compromised. Here, we describe a novel mutant of KOBITO1 in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The kob1-3 mutation leads to the formation of stomata clusters in the erl1 erl2 background but not in the wild type. Cell-to-cell mobility assays demonstrated an increase in intercellular protein trafficking in kob1-3, including increased diffusion of SPEECHLESS, suggesting that the formation of stomata clusters is due to an escape of cell fate-specifying factors from stomatal lineage cells. While plasmodesmatal permeability is increased in kob1-3, we did not detect drastic changes in callose accumulation at the neck regions of the plasmodesmata. Previously, KOBITO1 has been proposed to function in cellulose biosynthesis. Our data demonstrate that disruption of cellulose biosynthesis in the erl1 erl2 background does not lead to the formation of stomata clusters, indicating that cellulose biosynthesis is not a major determining factor for regulating plasmodesmatal permeability. Analysis of KOBITO1 structure suggests that it is a glycosyltransferase-like protein. KOBITO1 might be involved in a carbohydrate metabolic pathway that is essential for both cellulose biosynthesis and the regulation of plasmodesmatal permeability.

Functional Analysis of Cellulose and Xyloglucan in the Walls of Stomatal Guard Cells of Arabidopsis

“…Our finding that cesa3 je5 mutant seedlings have an approximately 3-fold increase in paired stomata over wild-type controls (Supplemental Fig. S8) supports the hypothesis that perturbation of cellulose production can lead to stomatal cluster formation, an idea proposed in a previous study of the glycosyltransferaselike protein KOBITO1, which is involved in cellulose biosynthesis (Kong et al, 2012). However, exactly how cellulose biosynthesis is involved in regulating stomatal patterning requires further investigation.…”

Putative Glycosyltransferases and Other Plant Golgi Apparatus Proteins Are Revealed by LOPIT Proteomics

“…S4). A recent study also identified KOBITO1 as a putative GT and proposed a function in a carbohydrate metabolic process essential for proper plasmodesmata closure (Kong et al, 2012).…”

A mutation in the catalytic subunit of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol transamidase disrupts growth, fertility and stomata formation in Arabidopsis.

“…2B). One of the potential causes of stomata cluster formation is an increase in plasmodesmata conductivity as in chorus and kobito1-3, two mutants with stomata clustering and multiple other developmental defects (Guseman et al, 2010;Kong et al, 2012). The accumulation of callose at the neck regions of plasmodesmata has a strong impact on conductivity; a decrease in callose deposition leads to plasmodesma opening (Iglesias and Meins, 2000;Levy et al, 2007;Guseman et al, 2010).…”