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Low temperature regulates sucrose-phosphate synthase activity in Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. by decreasing its sensitivity to Pi and increased activation by glucose-6-phosphate

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Abstract

Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. is widely distributed from Mexico to the Antarctic. C. quitensis is a freezing resistant species that accumulates sucrose in response to cold. We tested the hypothesis that low temperature modifies the kinetic properties of C. quitensis sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) to increase its activity and ability to synthesize sucrose during cold acclimation. Cold acclimation caused a fourfold increment in sucrose concentration and a 100% increase in SPS activity, without changes in the level of SPS protein. Cold acclimation did not affect the optimal temperature and pH for SPS activity. However, it caused a tenfold increase in the inhibition constant (K i) for inorganic phosphate (Pi) calculated as a function of fructose-6-phosphate (Fruc-6-P). SPS from cold acclimated plants also exhibited a higher reduction of its Michaelis constant (K m) for glucose-6-phosphate (Gluc-6-P) with respect to non-acclimated plants. We suggest that the increase in C. quitensis SPS K i for Pi and the increase in activation by Gluc-6-P in response to cold keep SPS activated, leading to high sucrose accumulation. This may be an important adaptation that allows efficient accumulation of sucrose during the harsh Antarctic summer.

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Acknowledgements

Permits to collect plant material in protected areas in the Maritime Antarctic were provided by Instituto Antártico Chileno. The authors thank the financial support of DIUC 205.111.042-1S. Luisa Bascuñán thanks MECESUP UCO 0214 for a graduate fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepcion, Chile

    Luisa Bascuñán-Godoy, Luis J. Corcuera & León A. Bravo

  2. Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile

    Elena Uribe

  3. Instituto de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Alejandra Zúñiga-Feest

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  1. Luisa Bascuñán-Godoy
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  2. Elena Uribe
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  3. Alejandra Zúñiga-Feest
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  4. Luis J. Corcuera
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  5. León A. Bravo
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Correspondence to León A. Bravo.

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Bascuñán-Godoy, L., Uribe, E., Zúñiga-Feest, A. et al. Low temperature regulates sucrose-phosphate synthase activity in Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. by decreasing its sensitivity to Pi and increased activation by glucose-6-phosphate. Polar Biol 29, 1011–1017 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0144-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0144-3

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