γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants

TLDR: This review compares and contrast the plant ‘GABA receptor’ with mammalian GABAA receptors in terms of their molecular identity, predicted topology, mode of action, and signalling roles, and explores the potential interactions between GABA and other signalling molecules.

Abstract: The role of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a signal in animals has been documented for over 60 years. In contrast, evidence that GABA is a signal in plants has only emerged in the last 15 years, and it was not until last year that a mechanism by which this could occur was identified—a plant ‘GABA receptor’ that inhibits anion passage through the aluminium-activated malate transporter family of proteins (ALMTs). ALMTs are multigenic, expressed in different organs and present on different membranes. We propose GABA regulation of ALMT activity could function as a signal that modulates plant growth, development, and stress response. In this review, we compare and contrast the plant ‘GABA receptor’ with mammalian GABAA receptors in terms of their molecular identity, predicted topology, mode of action, and signalling roles. We also explore the implications of the discovery that GABA modulates anion flux in plants, its role in signal transduction for the regulation of plant physiology, and predict the possibility that there are other GABA interaction sites in the N termini of ALMT proteins through in silico evolutionary coupling analysis; we also explore the potential interactions between GABA and other signalling molecules.

Figures

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Table 1 GABA distribution in different plant organs and species. GABA has been found in all organs in plants, including embryo, cotyledon, roots, shoot, flowers, fruit, nodule, xylem and phloem. FW = fresh weight, DW = dry weight, *GABA gradient exists from top to bottom in pistils of flowers.

Table 2 Effect of mutations on residues important for GABA binding.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Full text

SUBMITTED VERSION
Sunita A. Ramesh, Stephen D. Tyerman, Matthew Gilliham, Bo Xu
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 2017; 74(9):1577-1603
© Springer International Publishing 2016
This is a pre-print of an article published in Few-Body Systems. The final authenticated
version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00018-016-2415-7
http://hdl.handle.net/2440/124330
PERMISSIONS
https://www.springer.com/gp/open-access/publication-policies/self-archiving-policy
Self-archiving for articles in subscription-based journals
Springer journals’ policy on preprint sharing.
By signing the Copyright Transfer Statement you still retain substantial rights, such as self-
archiving:
Author(s) are permitted to self-archive a pre-print and an author’s accepted manuscript version
of their Article.
a. A pre-print is the author’s version of the Article before peer-review has taken place
("Pre-Print”). Prior to acceptance for publication, Author(s) retain the right to make a
Pre-Print of their Article available on any of the following: their own personal, self-
maintained website; a legally compliant pre-print server such as but not limited to arXiv
and bioRxiv. Once the Article has been published, the Author(s) should update the
acknowledgement and provide a link to the definitive version on the publisher’s website:
“This is a pre-print of an article published in [insert journal title]. The final authenticated
version is available online at: https://doi.org/[insert DOI]”.
27 April 2020

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants
--Manuscript Draft--
Manuscript Number:
Full Title: γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants
Article Type: Invited review
Corresponding Author: Bo Xu, Ph.D
University of Adelaide - Waite Campus
Glen Osmond, SA AUSTRALIA
Corresponding Author Secondary
Information:
Corresponding Author's Institution: University of Adelaide - Waite Campus
Corresponding Author's Secondary
Institution:
First Author: Sunita A Ramesh, Ph.D
First Author Secondary Information:
Order of Authors: Sunita A Ramesh, Ph.D
Stephen D Tyerman, Ph.D
Matthew Gilliham, Ph.D
Bo Xu, Ph.D
Order of Authors Secondary Information:
Funding Information: Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy
Biology, Australian Research Council
(CE140100008)
Prof. Stephen D Tyerman
A/Prof. Matthew Gilliham
University of Adelaide
(FT130100709)
A/Prof. Matthew Gilliham
Abstract: The role of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a signal in animals has been documented
over the past 6 decades. In contrast, evidence that GABA is a signal in plants has only
emerged in the last 15 years, and it was not until last year that a mechanism by which
this could occur was identified - a plant 'GABA receptor' that inhibits anion passage
through the Aluminium Activated Malate Transporter family of proteins (ALMTs).
ALMTs are multigenic, expressed in different organs and present on different
membranes. We propose GABA regulation of ALMT activity could function as a signal
that modulates plant growth, development and stress response. In this review, we
compare and contrast the plant 'GABA receptor' with mammalian GABAA receptors in
terms of their molecular identity, structure, mode of action and signalling roles. We also
explore the implications of the discovery that GABA modulates anion flux in plants, its
role in signal transduction for the regulation of plant physiology, the possibility that
there may be other GABA binding sites and regions in the ALMT proteins (eg amino
acid residues such as arginine and tyrosine) and explore the potential interactions
between GABA and other signalling molecules.
Suggested Reviewers: Barry J Shelp, Ph.D
Professor of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph
bshelp@uoguelph.ca
Prof. Shelp is a well-known expertise in GABA research in plant biology
Enrico Martinoia, Ph.D
Professor, Universitat Zurich
enrico.martinoia@botinst.uzh.ch
Prof. Martinoia is an expert in the field of ion transport and plant physiology
José Feijó, Ph.D
Professor, University Maryland
Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation

jfeijo@umd.edu
Prof. Feijó is a well-known researcher focusing on ion trasnport and amino acid
signaling in plant developmental biology
Sergey Shabala, Ph.D
Professor, University of Tasmania
Sergey.Shabala@utas.edu.au
Prof. Shabala is an excellent scientist in biophysics and plant ion transport in abiotic
stress tolerance
Opposed Reviewers:
Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation

1
γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signalling in plants
1
2
Sunita A Ramesh
1
, Stephen D Tyerman
1
, Matthew Gilliham
1
, Bo Xu
1*
3
4
1
Plant Transport and Signalling Lab, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology and School of
5
Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Research Institute, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia
6
7
*author to correspond: b.xu@adelaide.edu.au
8
9
10
Manuscript Click here to download Manuscript
Ramesh_et_al_2016_CMLS_review_20160831.pdf
Click here to view linked References
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65

2
Abstract
11
12
The role of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) as a signal in animals has been documented over the past 6 decades. In
13
contrast, evidence that GABA is a signal in plants has only emerged in the last 15 years, and it was not until last
14
year that a mechanism by which this could occur was identified – a plant ‘GABA receptor’ that inhibits anion
15
passage through the Aluminium Activated Malate Transporter family of proteins (ALMTs). ALMTs are
16
multigenic, expressed in different organs and present on different membranes. We propose GABA regulation of
17
ALMT activity could function as a signal that modulates plant growth, development and stress response. In this
18
review, we compare and contrast the plant ‘GABA receptor’ with mammalian GABA
A
receptors in terms of their
19
molecular identity, structure, mode of action and signalling roles. We also explore the implications of the
20
discovery that GABA modulates anion flux in plants, its role in signal transduction for the regulation of plant
21
physiology, the possibility that there may be other GABA binding sites and regions in the ALMT proteins (eg
22
amino acid residues such as arginine and tyrosine) and explore the potential interactions between GABA and other
23
signalling molecules.
24
25
26
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What are the contributions in this paper?

The authors propose GABA regulation of ALMT activity could function as a signal that modulates plant growth, development and stress response. In this review, the authors compare and contrast the plant 'GABA receptor ' with mammalian GABAA receptors in terms of their molecular identity, structure, mode of action and signalling roles. The authors also explore the implications of the discovery that GABA modulates anion flux in plants, its role in signal transduction for the regulation of plant physiology, the possibility that there may be other GABA binding sites and regions in the ALMT proteins ( eg amino acid residues such as arginine and tyrosine ) and explore the potential interactions between GABA and other signalling molecules. Suggested Reviewers: Barry J Shelp, Ph. D Professor of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph bshelp @ uoguelph. 

Q2. What is the name of the plant?

No Unknownα pyrones P. methysticum, cinnamon,cloves, and ginger,Positive modulators Facilitates cell to cellcommunication[297] No UnknownApigenin Matricaria recutita(Chamomile), parsley,celery, celeriacAnxiolytic properties Possible chemo-preventiverole in Leukemia[301-303] No UnknownFlumazenil Synthetic Benzodiazepine receptorantagonistAnaesthesia reversalBenzodiazepine overdose[304,305]