Transmembrane Signaling via Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Bisphosphate Hydrolysis in Plants

Recent investigations have confirmed the presence of the polyphosphoinositides, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)), as well as inositol phospholipid-specific phospholipase C in higher plant and microalgal cells. In addition, it has been shown that stimulation of some photosynthetic cell types by environmental or hormonal challenge is accompanied by degradation of the polyphosphoinositides. The products of phospholipase C-catalyzed PIP(2) hydrolysis, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, appear to be capable of releasing organelle-bound Ca(2+) and stimulating protein kinase C-like activity in vitro. However, a direct cause and effect relationship between stimulated PIP(2) breakdown and changes in intracellular calcium, protein phosphorylation, or cell function has not yet been unequivocally established. Despite a number of technical difficulties slowing progress in this field, it is likely that photosynthetic organisms will soon be shown to transmit physiologically significant extracellular signals across their plasma membranes by a PIP(2)-mediated transduction mechanism.