Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A distinctly regulated protein repair L-isoaspartylmethyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Plant Molecular Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Protein-L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate) O-methyltransferases (EC 2.1.1.77) that catalyze the transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine to abnormal L-isoaspartyl and D-aspartyl residues in a variety of peptides and proteins are widely distributed in procaryotes and eucaryotes. These enzymes participate in the repair of spontaneous protein damage by facilitating the conversion of L-isoaspartyl and D-aspartyl residues to normal L-aspartyl residues. In this work, we have identified an L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase activity in Arabidopsis thaliana, a dicotyledonous plant of the mustard family. The highest levels of activity were detected in seeds. Using degenerate oligonucleotides corresponding to two highly conserved amino acid regions shared among the Escherichia coli, wheat, and human enzymes, we isolated and sequenced a full-length genomic clone encoding the A. thaliana methyltransferase. Several methyltransferase cDNAs were also characterized, including ones that would encode full-length polypeptides of 230 amino acid residues. Messenger RNAs for the A. thaliana enzyme were found in a variety of tissues that did not contain significant amounts of active enzyme suggesting the possibility of translational or posttranslational controls on methyltransferase levels. We have identified a putative abscisic acid-response element (ABRE) in the 5′-untranslated region of the A. thaliana L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase gene and have shown that the expression of the mRNA is responsive to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), but not to the environmental stresses of salt or drought. The expression of the A. thaliana enzyme appears to be regulated in a distinct fashion from that seen in wheat or in animal tissues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aswad DW, Johnson BA: The unusual substrate specificity of eukaryotic protein carboxyl methyltransferases. Trends Biochem Sci 12: 155–159 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bailey JL: Techniques in Protein Chemistry, Elsevier Publishing Co, New York, pp. 340–346 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Black M: Involvement of ABA in the physiology of developing and mature seeds. In: Davies WJ (ed) Abscisic Acid Physiology and Biochemistry, pp. 99–124. BIOS Scientific Publishers, Oxford, UK (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bostock RM, Quatrano RS: Interaction between osmotic stress and abscisic acid. Plant Physiol 98: 1356–1363 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bray EA: Regulation of gene expression by endogenous ABA during drought stress. In: Davies WJ (ed) Abscisic Acid Physiology and Biochemistry, pp. 81–98. BIOS Scientific Publishers, Oxford, UK (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Brennan TV, Anderson JW, Jai Z, Waygood EB, Clarke S: Repair of spontaneously deamidated HPr phosphocarrier protein catalyzed by the L-isoaspartate-(D-aspartate) O-methyltransferase. J Biol Chem 269: 24586–24595 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Church GM, Gilbert W: Genomic sequencing. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 81: 1991–1995 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Clarke S: Protein carboxyl methyltransferases: Two distinct classes of enzymes. Annu Rev Biochem 54: 479–506 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Flores S, Tobin EM: Benzyladenine modulation of the expression of two genes for nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins in Lemna gibba: apparent post-transcriptional regulation. Planta 168: 340–349 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fu J, Ding L, Clarke S: Purification, gene cloning, and sequence analysis of an L-isoaspartyl protein carboxyl methyltransferase from Escherichia coli. J Biol Chem 266: 14562–14572 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Galletti P, Ciardiello A, Ingrosso D, Di Donato A, D'Alessio G: Repair of isopeptide bonds by protein carboxyl O-methyltransferase: Seminal ribonuclease as a model system. Biochemistry 27: 1752–1757 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Galus A, Lagos A, Romanik EA, O'Connor CM: Structural analysis of transcripts for the protein L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase reveals multiple transcription initiation sites and a distinct pattern of expression in mouse testis: Identification of a 5′-flanking sequence with promoter activity. Arch Biochem Biophys 312: 524–533 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Gaubier P, Raynal M, Hull G, Huestis GM, Grellet F, Arenas C, Pages M, Delseny M: Two Different Em-like genes are expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds during maturation. Mol Gen Genet 238: 409–418 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Geiger T, Clarke S: Deamidation, isomerization, and racemization at asparaginyl and aspartyl residues in peptides: succinimide-linked reactions that contribute to protein degradation. J Biol Chem 262: 785–794 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  15. George-Nascimento C, Lowenson J, Borissenko M, Calderon M, Medina-Selby A, Kuo J, Clarke S, Randolph A: Replacement of a labile aspartyl residue increases the stability of human epidermal growth factor. Biochemistry 29: 9584–9591 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Giraudat J, Hauge BM, Valon C, Smalle J, Parcy F, Goodman HM: Isolation of the Arabidopsis ABI3 gene by positional cloning. Plant Cell 4: 1251–1261 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Hanley BA, Schuler MA: Plant intron sequences: evidence for distinct groups of introns. Nucl Acids Res 16: 7159–7176 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Ingrosso D, Fowler AV, Bleibaum J, Clarke S: Sequence of the D-aspartyl/L-isoaspartyl protein methyltransferase from human erythrocytes. J Biol Chem 264: 20131–20139 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Johnson BA, Murray EDJr, Clarke S, Glass DB, Aswad DW: Protein carboxyl methyltransferase facilitates conversion of atypical L-isoaspartyl peptides to normal L-aspartyl peptides. J Biol Chem 262: 5622–5629 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Johnson BA, Langmack EL, Aswad DW: Partial repair of deamidation-damaged calmodulin by protein carboxyl methyltransferase. J Biol Chem 262: 12283–12287 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Joshi CP: An inspection of the domain between putative TATA box and translation start site in 79 plant genes. Nucl Acids Res 15: 6643–6653 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kagan RM, Clarke S: Widespread occurrence of three sequence motifs in diverse S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferases suggests a common structure for these enzymes. Arch Biochem Biophys 310: 417–427 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kagan RM, Clarke S: Protein L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans: genomic structure and substrate specificity. Biochemistry 34: 10794–10806 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kirby KS, Cook EA: Isolation of deoxyribonucleic acid from mammalian tissues. Biochem J 104: 254–257 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Koornneef M, Jorna ML, Brinkhorst-van der Swan DLC, Karseen CM: The isolation of abscisic acid (ABA) deficient mutants by selection of induced revertants in nongerminating gibberellin sensitive lines of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Theor Appl Genet 61: 385–393 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Koornneef M, Feuling G, Karssen CM: The isolation and characterization of abscisic acid-insensitive mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Physiol Plant 61: 377–383 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Ladino CA, O'Connor CM: Methylation of atypical protein aspartyl residues during the stress response of HeLa cells. J Cell Physiol 154: 297–304 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Lehrach H, Diamond D, Wozney JM, Boedtker H: RNA molecular weight determinations by gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions, a critical reexamination. Biochemistry 16: 4743–4751 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Li C, Clarke S: A protein methyltransferase specific for altered aspartyl residues is important in Escherichia coli stationary-phase survival and heat-shock resistance. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89: 9885–9889 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Logemann J, Schell J, Willmitzer L: Improved method for the isolation of RNA from plant tissues. Anal Biochem 163: 16–20 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Lowenson J, Clarke S: Spontaneous degradation and enzymatic repair of aspartyl and asparaginyl residues in aging red cell proteins analyzed by computer simulation. Gerontology 37: 128–151 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Lowenson J, Clarke S: Recognition of D-aspartyl residues in polypeptides by the erythrocyte L-isoaspartyl/D-aspartyl protein methyltransferase. J Biol Chem 267: 5985–5995 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Marcotte WRJr, Bayley CC, Quatrano RS: Regulation of a wheat promoter by abscisic acid in rice protoplasts. Nature 335: 454–457 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Marcotte WRJr, Russell SH, Quatrano RS: Abscisic acid-responsive sequences from the Em gene of wheat. Plant Cell 1: 969–976 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Martin W, Lydiate D, Brinkmann H, Forkmann G, Saedler H, Cerff R: Molecular phylogenies in angiosperm evolution. Mol Biol Evol 10: 140–62 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  36. McFadden PN, Clarke S: Conversion of isoaspartyl peptides to normal peptides by coupled enzymatic/nonenzymatic reactions: implications for the cellular repair of damaged proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84: 2595–2599 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Meyerowitz EM: A. thaliana. Annu Rev Gen 21: 93–111 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  38. Mizobuchi M, Murao K, Takeda R, Kakimoto Y: Tissue-specific expression of isoaspartyl protein carboxyl methyltransferase gene in rat brain and testis. J Neurochem 62: 322–328 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  39. Morris PC, Kumar A, Bowles DJ, Cuming AC: Osmotic stress and abscisic acid induce expression of the wheat Em genes. Eur J Biochem 190: 625–630 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  40. Mudgett MB, Clarke S: Characterization of plant L-isoaspartyl methyltransferases that may be involved in seed survival: purification, cloning, and sequence analysis of the wheat germ enzyme. Biochemistry 32: 11100–11111 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  41. Mudgett MB, Clarke S: Hormonal and environmental responsiveness of a developmentally regulated protein repair L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase in wheat. J Biol Chem 269: 25605–25612 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  42. Mundy J, Chua NH: Abscisic acid and water-stress induce the expression of a novel rice gene. EMBO J 7: 2279–2286 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  43. Mundy J, Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K, Chua NH: Nuclear proteins bind conserved elements in the abscisic acid-responsive promoter of a rice rab gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 87: 1406–1410 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  44. O'Connor CM: Regulation and subcellular distribution of a protein methyltransferase and its damaged aspartyl substrate sites in developing Xenopus oocytes. J Biol Chem 262: 10398–10403 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  45. O'Connor CM, Germain BJ, Guthrie KM, Aswad DW, Millette CF: Protein carboxyl methyltransferase activity specific for age-modified aspartyl residues in mouse testes and ovaries: evidence for translation during spermiogenesis. Gamete Res 22: 307–319 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  46. Ooms JJJ, Leon-Kloosterziel KM, Bartels D, Koornneef M, Karssen CM: Acquisition of desiccation tolerance and longevity in seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana. A comparative study using abscisic acid-insensitive abi3 mutants. Plant Physiol 102: 1185–1191 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  47. Quatrano RS, Marcotte WRJr, Guiltinan M: Regulation of Gene Expression by Abscisic acid. In: Verma DPS (ed) Control of Plant Gene Expression, pp. 69–87. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  48. Romanik EA, Ladino CA, Killoy LC, D'Ardenne SC, O'Connor CM: Genomic organization and tissue expression of the murine gene encoding the protein β-aspartate methyltransferase. Gene 118: 217–222 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  49. Ryder TB, Hedrick SA, Bell JN, Liang X, Clouse SD, Lamb CJ: Organization and differential activation of a gene family encoding the plant defense enzyme chalcone synthase in Phaseolus vulgaris. Mol Gen Genet 210: 219–233 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  50. Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T: Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd ed. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  51. Sanger F, Nicklen S, Coulson AR: DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74: 5463–5467 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  52. Schulze-Lefert P, Dangl JL, Beker-Andre M, Hahlbrock K, Schulz W: Inducible in vivo DNA footprints define sequences necessary for UV light activation of the parsley chalcone synthase gene. EMBO J 8: 651–656 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  53. Stephenson RC, Clarke S: Succinimide formation in aspartyl and asparaginyl-containing peptides as a model for the degradation of proteins. J Biol Chem 264: 6164–6170 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  54. Tabor S, Richardson CC: Selective inactivation of the exonuclease activity of bacteriophage T7 DNA Polymerase by in vitro mutagenesis. J Biol Chem 264: 6647–6458 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  55. Troitsky AV, Melekhovets YuF, Rakhimova GM, Bobrova VK, Valiejo-Roman KM, Antonov AS: Angiosperm origin and early stages of seed plant evolution deduced from rRNA sequence comparisons. J Mol Evol 32: 253–261 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  56. Webb DM, Knapp SJ: DNA extraction from a previously recalcitrant plant genus. Plant Mol Biol Rep 8: 180–185 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  57. Williamson JD, Quatrano RS, Cuming AC: Em polypeptide and its messenger RNA levels are modulated by abscisic acid during embryogenesis in wheat. Eur J Biochem 152: 501–507 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  58. Zhou MY, Xue D, Gomez-Sanchez EP, Gomez-Sanchez CE: Improved downward capillary transfer for blotting of DNA and RNA. Biotechnology 16: 58–59 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, 90095-1569, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Mary Beth Mudgett & Steven Clarke

Authors
  1. Mary Beth Mudgett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Steven Clarke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mudgett, M.B., Clarke, S. A distinctly regulated protein repair L-isoaspartylmethyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana . Plant Mol Biol 30, 723–737 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00019007

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00019007

Key words

Search

Navigation