Skip to main content
PMC home page
Plant Physiology logoLink to Plant Physiology
. 1994 Nov;106(3):1187–1193. doi: 10.1104/pp.106.3.1187

Choline-O-Sulfate Biosynthesis in Plants (Identification and Partial Characterization of a Salinity-Inducible Choline Sulfotransferase from Species of Limonium (Plumbaginaceae).

J Rivoal 1, A D Hanson 1
PMCID: PMC159648  PMID: 12232402

Abstract

Choline-O-sulfate is a compatible osmolyte accumulated under saline conditions by members of the halophytic genus Limonium and other Plumbaginaceae. A choline sulfotransferase (EC 2.8.2.6) responsible for the formation of choline-O-sulfate was characterized in Limonium species. A simple radiometric assay was developed in which [14C]choline was used as substrate, and the h [14C]choline-O-sulfate product was isolated by ion-exchange chromatography. The choline sulfotransferase activity was soluble, required 3[prime]-phosphoadenosine-5[prime]-phosphosulfate as the sulfate donor, and showed a pH optimum at 9.0. Apparent Km values were 25 [mu]M for choline and 5.5 [mu]M for 3[prime]-phosphoadenosine-5[prime]-phosphosulfate. Choline sulfotransferase activity was detected in various Limonium species but was very low or absent from species that do not accumulate choline-O-sulfate. In roots and leaves of Limonium perezii, the activity was increased at least 4-fold by salinization with 40% (v/v) artificial sea water. Choline sulfotransferase activity was also induced in cell cultures of L. perezii following salt shock with 20% (v/v) artificial sea water or osmotic shock with 19% (w/v) polyethylene glycol 6000. Labeling experiments with [14C]choline confirmed that the enzyme induced in cell cultures was active in vivo.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.2 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bradford M. M. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem. 1976 May 7;72:248–254. doi: 10.1006/abio.1976.9999. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Fitzgerald J. W., Luschinski P. C. Further studies on the formation of choline sulfate by bacteria. Can J Microbiol. 1977 May;23(5):483–490. doi: 10.1139/m77-072. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Gegenheimer P. Preparation of extracts from plants. Methods Enzymol. 1990;182:174–193. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(90)82016-u. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hanson A. D., May A. M., Grumet R., Bode J., Jamieson G. C., Rhodes D. Betaine synthesis in chenopods: Localization in chloroplasts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Jun;82(11):3678–3682. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.11.3678. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hanson A. D., Rathinasabapathi B., Chamberlin B., Gage D. A. Comparative Physiological Evidence that beta-Alanine Betaine and Choline-O-Sulfate Act as Compatible Osmolytes in Halophytic Limonium Species. Plant Physiol. 1991 Nov;97(3):1199–1205. doi: 10.1104/pp.97.3.1199. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hanson A. D., Rathinasabapathi B., Rivoal J., Burnet M., Dillon M. O., Gage D. A. Osmoprotective compounds in the Plumbaginaceae: a natural experiment in metabolic engineering of stress tolerance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1994 Jan 4;91(1):306–310. doi: 10.1073/pnas.91.1.306. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lucas J. J., Burchiel S. W., Segel I. H. Choline sulfatase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1972 Dec;153(2):664–672. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(72)90385-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. ORSI B. A., SPENCER B. CHOLINE SULPHOKINASE (SULPHOTRANSFERASE). J Biochem. 1964 Jul;56:81–91. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jbchem.a127963. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ramaswamy S. G., Jakoby W. B. Sulfotransferase assays. Methods Enzymol. 1987;143:201–207. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(87)43038-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Rhodes D., Rich P. J., Myers A. C., Reuter C. C., Jamieson G. C. Determination of Betaines by Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry : Identification of Glycine Betaine Deficient Genotypes of Zea mays. Plant Physiol. 1987 Jul;84(3):781–788. doi: 10.1104/pp.84.3.781. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Rivoal J., Hanson A. D. Evidence for a Large and Sustained Glycolytic Flux to Lactate in Anoxic Roots of Some Members of the Halophytic Genus Limonium. Plant Physiol. 1993 Feb;101(2):553–560. doi: 10.1104/pp.101.2.553. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Spencer B., Harada T. The role of choline sulphate in the sulphur metabolism of fungi. Biochem J. 1960 Nov;77(2):305–315. doi: 10.1042/bj0770305. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Summers P. S., Weretilnyk E. A. Choline Synthesis in Spinach in Relation to Salt Stress. Plant Physiol. 1993 Dec;103(4):1269–1276. doi: 10.1104/pp.103.4.1269. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Tarczynski M. C., Jensen R. G., Bohnert H. J. Stress protection of transgenic tobacco by production of the osmolyte mannitol. Science. 1993 Jan 22;259(5094):508–510. doi: 10.1126/science.259.5094.508. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Varin L., Ibrahim R. K. Novel flavonol 3-sulfotransferase. Purification, kinetic properties, and partial amino acid sequence. J Biol Chem. 1992 Jan 25;267(3):1858–1863. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Weigel P., Weretilnyk E. A., Hanson A. D. Betaine aldehyde oxidation by spinach chloroplasts. Plant Physiol. 1986 Nov;82(3):753–759. doi: 10.1104/pp.82.3.753. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Plant Physiology are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES