The Grapevine VvPMEI1 Gene Encodes a Novel Functional Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitor Associated to Grape Berry Development

Abstract

Pectin is secreted in a highly methylesterified form and partially de-methylesterified in the cell wall by pectin methylesterases (PMEs). PME activity is expressed during plant growth, development and stress responses. PME activity is controlled at the post-transcriptional level by proteins named PME inhibitors (PMEIs). We have identified, expressed and characterized VvPMEI1, a functional PME inhibitor of Vitis vinifera. VvPMEI1 typically affects the activity of plant PMEs and is inactive against microbial PMEs. The kinetics of PMEI-PME interaction, studied by surface plasmon resonance, indicates that the inhibitor strongly interacts with PME at apoplastic pH while the stability of the complex is reduced by increasing the pH. The analysis of VvPMEI1 expression in different grapevine tissues and during grape fruit development suggests that this inhibitor controls PME activity mainly during the earlier phase of berry development. A proteomic analysis performed at this stage indicates a PME isoform as possible target of VvPMEI1.

Transcriptome analysis reveals delaying of the ripening and cell‐wall degradation of kiwifruit by hydrogen sulfide

“…35 Over-expression of PMEI in Arabidopsis and tobacco resulted in a lower level of PME activity and a higher degree of pectin esterification. 36,37 In peach, the high expression of PMEI led to a decrease in PME activity in fruit during ripening. 38 The kiwifruit PMEI is active against PME, forming a 1:1 non-covalent complex.…”

Three Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitors Protect Cell Wall Integrity for Arabidopsis Immunity to Botrytis

“…Group 1 included the functional AdPMEI expressed in kiwi fruits (Balestrieri et al, 1990;Giovane et al, 1995), the pollen-specific AtPMEI1 and AtPMEI2 (Raiola et al, 2004), and At5g46960 (henceforth AtPMEI12). The same group also contained SolyPMEI (Reca et al, 2012) and VvPMEI1 (Lionetti et al, 2015c), two PMEIs from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and grapevine (Vitis vinifera), respectively, both involved in fruit development.…”

“…PMEs belong to a large multigene family (67 putative isoforms in Arabidopsis) whose members display different modes of action and produce HG with different distribution and degree of methylesters in a locally regulated manner, not yet completely understood (Wang et al, 2013). PME activity can be tightly regulated by PME inhibitors (PMEIs) identified in numerous plant species (Sénéchal et al, 2014;Lionetti et al, 2015c). PMEIs belong to the large multigene family PF04043 (http://pfam.xfam.org/family/PF04043; 69 genes in Arabidopsis), which also includes the structurally related invertase inhibitors (INHs).…”

A Pectin Methylesterase Inhibitor Enhances Resistance to Verticillium Wilt

“…Moreover, the possible 332 contribution of GhPMEI3 in controlling GhPME2 and GhPME31 activity in silenced 333 cotton plants during V. dahliae infection was evaluated. The GhPME2 and GhPME31 334 activity levels were determined in CK and in GhP1, GhP2, and GhP3 silenced plants 335 after V. dahliae inoculation, using biochemical assays (Lionetti et al, 2015). The 336 increase in PME activity observed in silenced plants was higher than in CK plants 337 (Fig.…”

“…We chose α3 helix, GhPMEI3 may be unable to participate in interactions with INHs, but might 383 participate in the formation of enzyme-inhibitor complexes (Lionetti et al, 2015).…”