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Subcellular distribution of raffinose oligosaccharides and other metabolites in summer and winter leaves of Ajuga reptans (Lamiaceae)

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Abstract

Main conclusion

In Ajuga reptans, raffinose oligosaccharides accumulated during winter. Stachyose, verbascose, and higher RFO oligomers were exclusively found in the vacuole whereas one-fourth of raffinose was localized in the stroma.

Abstract

The evergreen labiate Ajuga reptans L. can grow at low temperature. The carbohydrate metabolism changes during the cold phase, e.g., raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) accumulate. Additionally, A. reptans translocates RFOs in the phloem. In the present study, subcellular concentrations of metabolites were studied in summer and winter leaves of A. reptans to gain further insight into regulatory instances involved in the cold acclimation process and into the function of RFOs. Subcellular metabolite concentrations were determined by non-aqueous fractionation. Volumes of the subcellular compartments of summer and winter leaves were analyzed by morphometric measurements. The metabolite content varied strongly between summer and winter leaves. Soluble metabolites increased up to tenfold during winter whereas the starch content was decreased. In winter leaves, the subcellular distribution showed a shift of carbohydrates from cytoplasm to vacuole and chloroplast. Despite this, the metabolite concentration was higher in all compartments in winter leaves compared to summer leaves because of the much higher total metabolite content in winter leaves. The different oligosaccharides did show different compartmentations. Stachyose, verbascose, and higher RFO oligomers were almost exclusively found in the vacuole whereas one-fourth of raffinose was localized in the stroma. Apparently, the subcellular distribution of the RFOs differs because they fulfill different functions in plant metabolism during winter. Raffinose might function in protecting chloroplast membranes during freezing, whereas higher RFO oligomers may exert protective effects on vacuolar membranes. In addition, the high content of RFOs in winter leaves may also result from reduced consumption of assimilates.

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Abbreviations

FW:

Fresh weight

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

RFO:

Raffinose family oligosaccharides

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Tim Kreutzer for technical assistance, Sarah Rau for help with analyzing the electron micrographs, Elisabeth Wesbuer for her excellent electron-microscopical assistance and Kira Tiedge for the critical reading of the manuscript. Comments from the anonymous reviewer have greatly helped to improve the previous version of the present manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molekulare Pflanzenforschung/Pflanzenbiochemie, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gaußstraße 20, 42119, Wuppertal, Germany

    Sarah Findling & Gertrud Lohaus

  2. Zentrum für Anatomie und Hirnforschung, Core Facility Elektronenmikroskopie, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf (UKD), 40204, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Klaus Zanger

  3. Botanical Institute II, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47 b, 50674, Cologne, Germany

    Stephan Krueger

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  1. Sarah Findling
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Correspondence to Gertrud Lohaus.

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Findling, S., Zanger, K., Krueger, S. et al. Subcellular distribution of raffinose oligosaccharides and other metabolites in summer and winter leaves of Ajuga reptans (Lamiaceae). Planta 241, 229–241 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-014-2183-2

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