The mevalonate pathway (MVA) plays critical roles in multiple cellular processes in both animals and plants. A forward genetic screen of Arabidopsis thaliana using Ca2+ imaging-identified mevalonate kinase (MVK) as a critical component of plant purinergic signaling. MVK interacts directly with the plant extracellular ATP (eATP) receptor P2K1 and is phosphorylated by P2K1 in response to eATP. Mutation of P2K1-mediated phosphorylation sites in MVK eliminates the ATP-induced cytoplasmic calcium response and suppresses pathogen defense. The data demonstrate that the plasma membrane associated P2K1 directly impacts plant cellular metabolism by phosphorylation of MVK, a key initial enzyme in the mevalonate pathway.
Published: February 11, 2022
Citation
Cho S., K. Toth, K. Daewon, P.H. Vo, C. Lin, P. Handakumbura, and A. Rivas-Ubach, et al. 2022.Activation of the plant mevalonate pathway by extracellular ATP.Nature Communications 13, no. 1:450.PNNL-SA-155234.doi:10.1038/s41467-022-28150-w