Enhanced Expression of Vacuolar H+-ATPase Subunit E in the Roots Is Associated with the Adaptation of Broussonetia papyrifera to Salt Stress

PLOS ONE, October 2012

23133565

Min Zhang, Yanming Fang, Zhenhai Liang, Libin Huang

Vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (V-H(+)-ATPase) may play a pivotal role in maintenance of ion homeostasis inside plant cells. In the present study, the expression of V-H(+)-ATPase genes was analyzed in the roots and leaves of a woody plant, Broussonetia papyrifera, which was stressed with 50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl. Moreover, the expression and distribution of the subunit E protein were investigated by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. These showed that treatment of B. papyrifera with NaCl distinctly changed the hydrolytic activity of V-H(+)-ATPase in the roots and leaves. Salinity induced a dramatic increase in V-H(+)-ATPase hydrolytic activity in the roots. However, only slight changes in V-H(+)-ATPase hydrolytic activity were observed in the leaves. In contrast, increased H(+) pumping activity of V-H(+)-ATPase was observed in both the roots and leaves. In addition, NaCl treatment led to an increase in H(+)-pyrophosphatase (V-H(+)-PPase) activity in the roots. Moreover, NaCl treatment triggered the enhancement of mRNA levels for subunits A, E and c of V-H(+)-ATPase in the roots, whereas only subunit c mRNA was observed to increase in the leaves. By Western blot and immunocytological analysis, subunit E was shown to be augmented in response to salinity stress in the roots. These findings provide evidence that under salt stress, increased V-H(+)-ATPase activity in the roots was positively correlated with higher transcript and protein levels of V-H(+)-ATPase subunit E. Altogether, our results suggest an essential role for V-H(+)-ATPase subunit E in the response of plants to salinity stress.