Jasmonate response locus JAR1 and several related Arabidopsis genes encode enzymes of the firefly luciferase superfamily that show activity on jasmonic, salicylic, and indole-3-acetic acids in an assay for adenylation

Jasmonic acid (JA) and related cyclopentanones are critical plant signaling molecules, but their mode of action at the molecular level is unclear. A map-based approach was used to identify the defective gene in the Arabidopsis JA response mutant jar1-1. JAR1 is 1 of 19 closely related Arabidopsis genes that are similar to the auxin-induced soybean GH3 gene. Analysis of fold predictions for this protein family suggested that JAR1 might belong to the acyl adenylate-forming firefly luciferase superfamily. These enzymes activate the carboxyl groups of a variety of substrates for their subsequent biochemical modification. An ATP-PPi isotope exchange assay was used to demonstrate adenylation activity in a glutathione S-transferase-JAR1 fusion protein. Activity was specific for JA, suggesting that covalent modification of JA is important for its function. Six other Arabidopsis genes were specifically active on indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and one was active on both IAA and salicylic acid. These findings suggest that the JAR1 gene family is involved in multiple important plant signaling pathways.