Interactions between plasma membrane aquaporins modulate their water channel activity

Plant Cell. 2004 Jan;16(1):215-28. doi: 10.1105/tpc.017194. Epub 2003 Dec 11.

Abstract

Plant plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) cluster in two evolutionary subgroups, PIP1 and PIP2, with different aquaporin activities when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Maize ZmPIP1;1 and ZmPIP1;2 do not increase the osmotic water permeability coefficient (Pf), whereas ZmPIP2;1, ZmPIP2;4, and ZmPIP2;5 do. Here, we show that coexpression of the nonfunctional ZmPIP1;2 and the functional ZmPIP2;1, ZmPIP2;4, or ZmPIP2;5 resulted in an increase in Pf that was dependent on the amount of injected ZmPIP1;2 complementary RNA. Confocal analysis of oocytes expressing ZmPIP1;2-green fluorescent protein (GFP) alone or ZmPIP1;2-GFP plus ZmPIP2;5 showed that the amount of ZmPIP1;2-GFP present in the plasma membrane was significantly greater in coexpressing cells. Nickel affinity chromatography purification of ZmPIP2;1 fused to a His tag coeluted with ZmPIP1;2-GFP demonstrated physical interaction and heteromerization of both isoforms. Interestingly, coexpression of ZmPIP1;1 and ZmPIP2;5 did not result in a greater increase in Pf than did the expression of ZmPIP2;5 alone, but coexpression of the ZmPIP1;1 and ZmPIP1;2 isoforms induced a Pf increase, indicating that PIP1 isoform heteromerization is required for both of them to act as functional water channels. Mutational analysis demonstrated the important role of the C-terminal part of loop E in PIP interaction and water channel activity induction. This study has revealed a new mechanism of plant aquaporin regulation that might be important in plant water relations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Aquaporins / chemistry
  • Aquaporins / genetics
  • Aquaporins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Oocytes / metabolism
  • Osmotic Pressure
  • Permeability
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Protein Isoforms / chemistry
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Water / physiology*
  • Xenopus laevis
  • Zea mays / genetics*

Substances

  • Aquaporins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • major intrinsic protein, plant
  • Water
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins