Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gibberellin precursor is involved in spore germination in the moss Physcomitrella patens

  • Rapid Communication
  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gibberellins are ent-kaurene derived phytohormones that are involved in seed germination, stem elongation, and flower induction in seed plants, as well as in antheridia formation and spore germination in ferns. Although ubiquitous in vascular plants, the occurrence and potential function(s) of gibberellins in bryophytes have not yet been resolved. To determine the potential role of gibberellin and/or gibberellin-like compounds in mosses, the effect of AMO-1618 on spores of Physcomitrella patens (Hedw.) B.S.G. was tested. AMO-1618, which inhibited ent-kaurene and gibberellin biosynthesis in angiosperms, also inhibited the bifunctional copalyl diphosphate synthase (E.C. 5.5.1.13)/ent-kaurene synthase (E.C. 4.2.3.19) of P. patens. AMO-1618 also caused a decrease in spore germination rates of P. patens, and this inhibitory effect was less pronounced in the presence of ent-kaurene. These results suggest that ent-kaurene biosynthesis is required by P. patens spores to germinate, implying the presence of gibberellin-like phytohormones in mosses.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Abbreviations

AMO-1618:

2′Isopropyl-4′-(trimethylammonium chloride)-5′-methylphenyl piperidine-1-carboxylate

GA:

Gibberellin

GGPP:

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate

LB:

Luria-Bertani

IPTG:

Isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside

DTT:

Dithiothreitol

GC–MS:

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

m/z:

Mass to charge ratio

References

  • Anterola A, Shanle EK (2008) Genomic insights in moss gibberellin biosynthesis. Bryologist 111:218–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashton NW, Cove DJ (1977) The isolation and preliminary characterisation of auxotrophic and analogue mutants of the moss Physcomitrella patens. Mol Gen Genet 154:87–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asprey GF, Benson-Evans K, Lyon AG (1958) Effect of gibberellin and indoleacetic acid on seta elongation in Pellia epiphylla. Nature (London, UK) 181:1351

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bottini R, Cassan F, Piccoli P (2004) Gibberellin production by bacteria and its involvement in plant growth promotion and yield increase. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 65:497–503

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fall RR, West CA (1971) Purification and properties of kaurene synthetase from Fusarium moniliforme. J Biol Chem 246:6913–6928

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frost RG, West CA (1977) Properties of kaurene synthetase from Marah macrocarpus. Plant Physiol 59:22–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi K, Kawaide H, Notomi M, Sakigi Y, Matsuo A, Nozaki H (2006) Identification and functional analysis of bifunctional ent-kaurene synthase from the moss Physcomitrella patens. FEBS Lett 580:6175–6181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hedden P, Phillips AL, Rojas MC, Carrera E, Tudzynski B (2001) Gibberellin biosynthesis in plants and fungi: a case of convergent evolution? J Plant Growth Regul 20:319–331

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hirano K, Nakajima M, Asano K, Nishiyama T, Sakakibara H, Kojima M, Katoh E, Xiang H, Tanahashi T, Hasebe M, Banks JA, Ashikari M, Kitano H, Ueguchi-Tanaka M, Matsuoka M (2007) The GID1-mediated gibberellin perception mechanism is conserved in the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii but not in the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens. Plant Cell 19:3058–3079

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johri MM (2004) Possible origin of hormonal regulation in green plants. Proc Indian Natl Sci Acad 70:335–365

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawaide H, Imai R, Sassa T, Kamiya Y (1997) ent-Kaurene synthetase from the fungus Phaeosphaeria sp. L487. cDNA isolation, characterization, and bacterial expression of a bifunctional diterpene cyclase in fungal gibberellin biosynthesis. J Biol Chem 272:21706–21712

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Macmillan J (2001) Occurrence of gibberellins in vascular plants, fungi, and bacteria. J Plant Growth Regul 20:387–442

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melstrom CE, Maravolo NC, Stroemer JR (1974) Endogenous gibberellins in Marchantia polymorpha and their possible physiological role in thallus elongation and orthogeotropic growth. Bryologist 77:33–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naef U (1966) Dark-germination and antheridium formation in Anemia phyllitidis. Physiol Plant 19:1079–1088

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nishiyama T, Fujita T, Shin-I T, Seki M, Nishide H, Uchiyama I, Kamiya A, Carninci P, Hayashizaki Y, Shinozaki K, Kohara Y, Hasebe M (2003) Comparative genomics of Physcomitrella patens gametophytic transcriptome and Arabidopsis thaliana: implication for land plant evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100:8007–8012

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oyama N, Yamauchi T, Yamane H, Yamaguchi I, Schraudolf H, Mander LN, Murofushi N (1996) Gibberellins and antheridiogens in prothallia and sporophytes of Anemia phyllitidis. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 60:301–304

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rademacher W (2000) Growth retardants: effects on gibberellin biosynthesis and other metabolic pathways. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 51:501–531

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schraudolf H (1964) Relative activity of the gibberellins in inducing formation of antheridia in Anemia phyllitidis. Nature (London, UK) 201:98–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stowe BB, Yamaki T (1957) History and physiological action of the gibberellins. Ann Rev Plant Physiol 8:181–216

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takeno K (1991) Antheridiogen, gibberellin, and the control of sex differentiation in gametophytes of the fern Lygodium japonicum. In: Takahashi N, Phinney B, MacMillan J (eds) Gibberellins. Springer, New York, pp 389–397

    Google Scholar 

  • Tudzynski B (2005) Gibberellin biosynthesis in fungi: genes, enzymes, evolution, and impact on biotechnology. Appl Microbiol Biotech 66:597–611

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vandenbussche F, Fierro AC, Wiedemann G, Reski R, van der Straeten D (2007) Evolutionary conservation of plant gibberellin signalling pathway components. BMC Plant Biol. doi:10.1186/1471-2229-7-65

  • Weinberg ES, Voeller BR (1969) Induction of fern spore germination. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 64:835–842

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yabuta T, Sumiki Y (1938) On the crystal of gibberellin, a substance to promote plant growth. J Agric Chem Soc Jpn 14:1526

    Google Scholar 

  • Yasumura Y, Crumpton-Taylor M, Fuentes S, Harberd NP (2007) Step-by-step acquisition of the gibberellin-DELLA growth-regulatory mechanism during land-plant evolution. Curr Biol 17:1225–1230

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is funded by Southern Illinois University through a SEED grant to A.A. and a REACH award to E.S. We thank Dr. Robert Coates (University of Illinois) for the ent-kaurene and 16α-hydroxykaurane standards, and Dr. Dale Vitt (Southern Illinois University) and Dr. Pierre-Francois Perroud (Washington University in St Louis) for the Physcomitrella patens used in this study. Support was provided by NSF (to K.R.) through the Assembling the Tree of Life Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA

    Aldwin Anterola, Erin Shanle, Katayoun Mansouri, Scott Schuette & Karen Renzaglia

Authors
  1. Aldwin Anterola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Erin Shanle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Katayoun Mansouri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Scott Schuette
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Karen Renzaglia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aldwin Anterola.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Anterola, A., Shanle, E., Mansouri, K. et al. Gibberellin precursor is involved in spore germination in the moss Physcomitrella patens . Planta 229, 1003–1007 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-008-0875-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-008-0875-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation