Modifying expression of closely related UDP-glycosyltransferases from pea and Arabidopsis results in altered root development and function

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) play diverse roles in cellular metabolism by modifying the activities of structural and regulatory metabolites. Previous studies indicated that a Pisum sativum UDP-glycosyltransferase (PsUGT1) is essential for plant development, and suggested a role for this enzyme in the regulation of the cell division cycle. Here we report that recombinant PsUGT1 expressed in vitro exhibits activity on diverse flavonoids including kaempferol. In Arabidopsis expressing PsUGT1, gravity sensing is impaired, and this loss of function is corrected by exogenous addition of kaempferol. HPLC of tissue extracts of Arabidopsis expressing PsUGT1 revealed the accumulation of glycosides of kaempferol, but not of other related flavonoids. A search of the NCBI gene bank (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) using PsUGT1 revealed that six genes from the Arabidopsis AtUGT85A subfamily show similarities both in DNA and protein sequences (Woo et al. 2007). In the current study, we examined the hypothesis that one or more members of this family, like PsUGT1, is required for Arabidopsis development. Altered expression of AtUGT85A7, but not other AtUGT85A subfamily members, resulted in changes in life cycle, leaf morphology, auxin response, and root development, including loss of gravity sensing. The phenotypes of plants where AtUGT85A7 gene expression was suppressed, by RNAi mutagenesis, were very similar to those occurring in plants with altered expression of PsUGT1.