Ruonan Jing

Seed storage proteins (SSPs), which accumulate specifically during seed development, constitute a major source of plant-derived protein in the human diet. Despite their critical role in determining crop quality, the molecular mechanisms underlying the intracellular trafficking of SSPs remain poorly understood. Here, we characterize the rice glutelin precursor accumulation16 (gpa16) mutant, which exhibits defective dense vesicle (DV)-mediated post-Golgi trafficking of proglutelins, resulting in their overaccumulation in the apoplast. GPA16 encodes OsOSCA2.4, a member of the reduced hyperosmolality-induced Ca2+ increase channel (OSCA) family. OsOSCA2.4 localizes to post-Golgi compartments including the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and prevacuolar compartment (PVC) in vegetative tissue, and DVs in the endosperm. The OsOSCA2.4(P397L) variant disrupts the formation of the Rab5a molecular module, a process influenced by intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Ca2+ imaging assays indicate that OsOSCA2.4 functions as a regulator of Ca2+ homeostasis of PVCs/DVs, the primary sites of Rab5a module activity. Genetic analyses reveal functional redundancy between OsOSCA2.4 and OsOSCA4.1 in modulating post-Golgi trafficking of proglutelins. Collectively, our findings identify OSCA-mediated Ca2+ homeostasis as a previously unrecognized regulatory layer governing post-Golgi trafficking of SSPs and uncover an unexpected role for OSCA proteins in vesicular trafficking in eukaryotes.

Autophagy is a highly conserved cellular program in eukaryotic cells which mediates the degradation of cytoplasmic components through the lysosome, also named the vacuole in plants. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the fusion of autophagosomes with the vacuole remain unclear. Here, we report the functional characterization of a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant with defects in storage protein transport in endosperm cells and accumulation of numerous autophagosomes in root cells. Cytological and immunocytochemical experiments showed that this mutant exhibits a defect in the fusion between autophagosomes and vacuoles. The mutant harbors a loss‐of‐function mutation in the rice homolog of Arabidopsis thaliana MONENSIN SENSITIVITY1 (MON1). Biochemical and genetic evidence revealed a synergistic interaction between rice MON1 and AUTOPHAGY‐RELATED 8a in maintaining normal growth and development. In addition, the rice mon1 mutant disrupted storage protein sorting to protein storage vacuoles. Furthermore, quantitative proteomics verified that the loss of MON1 function influenced diverse biological pathways including autophagy and vacuolar transport, thus decreasing the transport of autophagic and vacuolar cargoes to vacuoles. Together, our findings establish a molecular link between autophagy and vacuolar protein transport, and offer insights into the dual functions of the MON1–CCZ1 (CAFFEINE ZINC SENSITIVITY1) complex in plants.

Protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) are unique organelles that accumulate storage proteins in plant seeds. Although morphological evidence points to the existence of multiple PSV-trafficking pathways for storage protein targeting, the molecular mechanisms that regulate these processes remain mostly unknown. Here, we report the functional characterization of the rice (Oryza sativa) glutelin precursor accumulation7 (gpa7) mutant, which over-accumulates 57-kDa glutelin precursors in dry seeds. Cytological and immunocytochemistry studies revealed that the gpa7 mutant exhibits abnormal accumulation of storage prevacuolar compartment-like structures, accompanied by the partial mistargeting of glutelins to the extracellular space. The gpa7 mutant was altered in the CCZ1 locus, which encodes the rice homolog of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) CALCIUM CAFFEINE ZINC SENSITIVITY1a (CCZ1a) and CCZ1b. Biochemical evidence showed that rice CCZ1 interacts with MONENSIN SENSITIVITY1 (MON1) and that these proteins function together as the Rat brain 5 (Rab5) effector and the Rab7 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). Notably, loss of CCZ1 function promoted the endosomal localization of vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 9 (VPS9), which is the GEF for Rab5 in plants. Together, our results indicate that the MON1–CCZ1 complex is involved in post-Golgi trafficking of rice storage protein through a Rab5- and Rab7-dependent pathway.

Dense vesicles (DVs) are Golgi-derived plant-specific carriers that mediate post-Golgi transport of seed storage proteins in angiosperms. How this process is regulated remains elusive. Here, we report a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant, named glutelin precursor accumulation8 (gpa8) that abnormally accumulates 57-kDa proglutelins in the mature endosperm. Cytological analyses of the gpa8 mutant revealed that proglutelin-containing DVs were mistargeted to the apoplast forming electron-dense aggregates and paramural bodies in developing endosperm cells. Differing from previously reported gpa mutants with post-Golgi trafficking defects, the gpa8 mutant showed bent Golgi bodies, defective trans-Golgi network (TGN), and enlarged DVs, suggesting a specific role of GPA8 in DV biogenesis. We demonstrated that GPA8 encodes a subunit E isoform 1 of vacuolar H⁺-ATPase (OsVHA-E1) that mainly localizes to TGN and the tonoplast. Further analysis revealed that the luminal pH of the TGN and vacuole is dramatically increased in the gpa8 mutant. Moreover, the colocalization of GPA1 and GPA3 with TGN marker protein in gpa8 protoplasts was obviously decreased. Our data indicated that OsVHA-E1 is involved in endomembrane luminal pH homeostasis, as well as maintenance of Golgi morphology and TGN required for DV biogenesis and subsequent protein trafficking in rice endosperm cells.

GPA5 functions as a plant-specific effector of Rab5a required for mediating tethering and membrane fusion of dense vesicles with protein storage vacuoles in ric