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The S-locus receptor kinase is inhibited by thioredoxins and activated by pollen coat proteins

Nature volume 410, pages 220–223 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

The self-incompatibility response in Brassica allows recognition and rejection of self-pollen by the stigmatic papillae. The transmembrane S-locus receptor kinase (SRK), a member of the receptor-like kinase superfamily in plants, mediates recognition of self-pollen on the female side1, whereas the S-locus cysteine-rich protein (SCR) is the male component of the self-incompatibility response2. SCR is presumably located in the pollen coat, and is thought to be the SRK ligand2,3. Although many receptor-like kinases have been isolated in plants, the mechanisms of signal transduction mediated by these molecules remain largely unknown. Here we show that SRK is phosphorylated in vivo within one hour of self-pollination. We also show that, in vitro, autophosphorylation of SRK is prevented by the stigma thioredoxin THL1 in the absence of a ligand. This inhibition is released in a haplotype-specific manner by the addition of pollen coat proteins. Our data indicate that SRK is inhibited by thioredoxins and activated by pollen coat proteins.

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Figure 1: SRK is phosphorylated 60 min after self-pollination in vivo, but is constitutively active in vitro.
Figure 2: Phosphorylation of SRK in vitro is inhibited by a soluble protein.
Figure 3: Thioredoxin inhibits SRK phosphorylation in vitro. a, Spirulina thioredoxin (SpTRX, 20 ng) has the same inhibitory effect as soluble stigma proteins (0.6 µg).
Figure 4: SRK is phosphorylated after adding an agonist in the presence of thioredoxin.

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Accessions

GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ

Data deposits

The GenBank accession number of BoTHL1 is AF273844.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J.-L. Giranton for production of baculovirus-insect cell microsomes and A.-M. Thierry for her technical assistance. J.M.C. is a member of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique and T.G. is a member of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.

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  1. Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, UMR 5667 CNRS-INRA-ENSL-UCBL Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyone, 46 Allée d’Italie, Lyon, Cedex 07 69364, France

    Didier Cabrillac, J. Mark Cock, Christian Dumas & Thierry Gaude

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  1. Didier Cabrillac
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Correspondence to Thierry Gaude.

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Cabrillac, D., Cock, J., Dumas, C. et al. The S-locus receptor kinase is inhibited by thioredoxins and activated by pollen coat proteins. Nature 410, 220–223 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35065626

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