Non-specific phospholipase Cs and their potential for crop improvement

Non-specific phospholipases C (NPCs), a family of enzymes found in plants and microbes but not yet in animals, play important roles in various biological processes in plants. NPCs hydrolyze different glycerophospholipids to generate diacylglycerol (DAG) and phosphate-containing head groups, and some NPCs are shown to use other membrane lipids, including sphingophospholipids and galactolipids. The structure resolution of NPC4 provides mechanistic insights into the broad substrate uses of NPCs. The subcellular associations and expression patterns of specific NPCs play an important role in access of the enzyme to substrates and biological functions. NPCs may modulate various processes via their products, including DAG, DAG-derived phosphatidic acid, ceramide, and phosphocholine, and/or their interactions with proteins; however, detailed mechanisms of their actions require further investigation. Recent explorations of NPCs in crop plants indicate promising potentials of NPCs in crop improvement, such as enhancing seed and storage lipid production with reduced inputs of phosphorus fertilizer.