Genetic evidence for differences in the pathways of druse and prismatic calcium oxalate crystal formation in Medicago truncatula
Paul A. Nakata A B and Michele M. McConn AA USDA-ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates St., Houston, TX 77030-2600, USA.
B Corresponding author. Email: pnakata@bcm.tmc.edu
C This paper originates from an International Symposium in Memory of Vincent R. Franceschi, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA, June 2006.
Functional Plant Biology 34(4) 332-338 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP06268
Submitted: 26 October 2006 Accepted: 4 January 2007 Published: 19 April 2007
Abstract
Current evidence supports a single pathway of oxalate biosynthesis utilising ascorbic acid as the precursor. In this study, we begin to address the possibility that more than one pathway of oxalate biosynthesis and calcium oxalate formation occurs in Medicago truncatula Gaertn. (cv. Jemalong genotype A17). Like the wild type, developing leaves of the calcium oxalate defective (cod) 4 mutant contain prismatic crystals along the vascular strand, but this mutant also hyper-accumulates druse crystals within the mesophyll cells. A second mutant, cod5, fails to accumulate prismatic crystals along the vascular strand, but is capable of wild type druse crystal accumulation in maturing leaves. To assess whether a single pathway of oxalate biosynthesis and calcium oxalate formation occurs in M. truncatula, we generated and characterised the cod4/cod5 double mutant. Microscopic examination of the cod4/cod5 revealed that the double mutant exhibits both cod4 and cod5 mutant crystal phenotypes simultaneously, suggesting there are differences in the pathways leading to the two crystal types. Measured ascorbic acid levels and ascorbate induction studies were consistent with the acid as precursor to oxalate in druse crystal formation but not necessarily prismatic crystal formation. On the basis of these findings, we propose a working model depicting possible pathways of oxalate biosynthesis and calcium oxalate formation.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the USA Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, under Cooperative Agreement 58–6250–6-001. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the USA Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organisations imply endorsement by the USA government. We thank Ken Fraley for his help with statistical analysis and Kendal Hirschi for his comments on the manuscript. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Vincent R Franceschi.
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