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Evidence for early evolution of sulfated peptide signaling in plant development
Devin V Tulio1, Alexandra M Shigenaga2,3, Shu-Zon Wu1
1Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
Plant Physiology
|July 2, 2026
Summary
The TYROSYL PROTEIN SULFOTRANSFERASE (TPST) enzyme is crucial for plant development. Sulfated peptide signaling, mediated by TPST, is essential for cell expansion and organ formation in plants.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Signaling
Background:
- Plant development relies on cell proliferation and expansion for tissue patterning.
- Cell-to-cell communication coordinating expansion is not fully understood.
- Sulfotyrosyl peptide signaling modulates organ growth in seed plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the role of TYROSYL PROTEIN SULFOTRANSFERASE (TPST) in non-vascular plant development.
- Determine if sulfated peptide signaling is essential for plant growth and organ formation.
Main Methods:
- Generated a null mutant (Δtpst) in Physcomitrium patens to study TPST function.
- Analyzed developmental deficits in Δtpst mutants, including size, filament formation, and gametophore development.
- Performed mutational analysis of TPST and rescued mutant phenotypes using sulfated peptides (PSY1).
Main Results:
- Δtpst mutants were smaller, produced fewer caulonemal filaments, and failed to form expanded gametophores.
- Gametophore development was severely impaired in Δtpst mutants, affecting cell division and expansion.
- Addition of sulfated PSY1 peptides from P. patens or Arabidopsis thaliana rescued all developmental defects in Δtpst mutants.
Conclusions:
- TPST activity is essential for cell expansion and overall development in Physcomitrium patens.
- Sulfated peptide signaling, mediated by TPST, is necessary for plant growth and organ formation.
- PSY signaling is evolutionarily conserved across plant species, as demonstrated by cross-species rescue experiments.
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