Synthesis and import of GDP-l-fucose into the Golgi affect plant-water relations

center dot Land plants evolved multiple adaptations to restrict transpiration. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not sufficiently understood.center dot We used an ozone-sensitivity forward genetics approach to identify Arabidopsis thaliana mutants impaired in gas exchange regulation.center dot High water loss from detached leaves and impaired decrease of leaf conductance in response to multiple stomata-closing stimuli were identified in a mutant of MURUS1 (MUR1), an enzyme required for GDP-L-fucose biosynthesis. High water loss observed in mur1 was independent from stomatal movements and instead could be linked to metabolic defects. Plants defective in import of GDP-L-Fuc into the Golgi apparatus phenocopied the high water loss of mur1 mutants, linking this phenotype to Golgi-localized fucosylation events. However, impaired fucosylation of xyloglucan, N-linked glycans, and arabinogalactan proteins did not explain the aberrant water loss of mur1 mutants.center dot Partial reversion of mur1 water loss phenotype by borate supplementation and high water loss observed in boron uptake mutants link mur1 gas exchange phenotypes to pleiotropic consequences of L-fucose and boron deficiency, which in turn affect mechanical and morphological properties of stomatal complexes and whole-plant physiology. Our work emphasizes the impact of fucose metabolism and boron uptake on plant-water relations.

Automated summary

Land plants have evolved multiple adaptations to control transpiration, but the molecular mechanisms behind these adaptations are not fully understood. In this study, researchers used an ozone-sensitivity forward genetics approach to identify mutants in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana that are impaired in the regulation of gas exchange. Through experiments on these mutants, they found that a mutation in the MURUS1 gene led to high water loss and impaired leaf conductance in response to stomata-closing stimuli. They discovered that this high water loss was not due to stomatal movements but instead was linked to metabolic defects. The researchers also found that boron deficiency played a role in the water loss phenotype of the MURUS1 mutants, affecting the mechanical and morphological properties of stomatal complexes and overall plant physiology. This study highlights the importance of fucose metabolism and boron uptake in plant-water relations.