Cho MH, Shears SB, Boss WF (1993) Plant Physiol 103: 637-647

Changes in phosphatidylinositol metabolism in response to hyperosmotic stress in Daucus carota L. cells grown in suspension culture.

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) cells plasmolyzed within 30 s after adding sorbitol to increase the osmotic strength of the medium from 0.2 to 0.4 or 0.6 osmolal. However, there was no significant change in the polyphosphorylated inositol phospholipids or inositol phosphates or in inositol phospholipid metabolism within 30 s of imposing the hyperosmotic stress. Maximum changes in phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate (PIP) metabolism were detected at 5 min, at which time the cells appeared to adjust to the change in osmoticum. There was a 30% decrease in [3H]inositol-labeled PIP. The specific activity of enzymes involved in the metabolism of the inositol phospholipids also changed. The plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase decreased 50% and PIP-phospholipase C (PIP-PLC) increased 60% compared with the control values after 5 min of hyperosmotic stress. The PIP-PLC activity recovered to control levels by 10 min; however, the PI kinase activity remained below the control value, suggesting that the cells had reached a new steady state with regard to PIP biosynthesis. If cells were pretreated with okadaic acid, the protein phosphatase 1 and 2A inhibitor, the differences in enzyme activity resulting from the hyperosmotic stress were no longer evident, suggesting that an okadaic acid-sensitive phosphatase was activated in response to hyperosmotic stress. Our work suggests that, in this system, PIP is not involved in the initial response to hyperosmotic stress but may be involved in the recovery phase.