Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.09.16.300020v1?rss=1 Authors: Sagi, M., Kurmanbayeva, A., Bekturova, A., Soltabayeva, A., Srivastava, S., Oshanova, D., Nurbekova, Z. Abstract: The role of the cytosolic O-acetylserine-(thiol) lyase A (OASTLA), chloroplastic OASTLB and mitochondrion OASTLC in plant resistance/sensitivity to selenate was studied in Arabidopsis plants. Impairment in OASTLA and B resulted in reduced biomass, chlorophyll and soluble protein levels compared with impaired OASTL C and Wild-Type treated with selenate. The lower organic-Se and protein-Se levels followed by decreased organic-S, S in proteins and total glutathione in oastlA and oastlB compared to Wild-Type and oastlC are indicative that Se accumulation is not the main cause for the stress symptoms, but rather the interference of Se with the S-reduction pathway. The increase in sulfite oxidase, adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase, sulfite reductase and OASTL activity levels, followed by enhanced sulfite and sulfide, indicate a futile anabolic S-starvation response to selenate-induced organic-S catabolism in oastlA and oastlB compared to Wild-Type and oastlC. Additionally, the catabolic pathway of L-cysteine degradation was enhanced by selenate, and similar to L-cysteine producing activity, oastlA and B exhibited a significant decrease in L-cysteine desulfhydrase (DES) activity, compared with WT, indicating a major role of OASTLs in L-cysteine degradation. This notion was further evidenced by sulfide dependent DES in-gel activity, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation with specific antibodies and identification of unique peptides in activity bands generated by OASTLA, B and C. Similar responses of the OASTLs in Seleno-Cysteine degradation was demonstrated in selenate stressed plants. Notably, no L-cysteine and L-Seleno-Cysteine DES activity bands but those related to OASTLs were evident. These results indicate the significance of OASTLs in degrading L-cysteine and L-SelenoCysteine in Arabidopsis. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info