A Regulatory Hierarchy of the Arabidopsis Branched-Chain Amino Acid Metabolic Network

The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) Ile, Val and Leu are essential nutrients that humans and other animals obtain from plants. However, total and relative amounts of plant BCAAs rarely match animal nutritional needs, and improvement requires a better understanding of the mechanistic basis for BCAA homeostasis. We present an in vivo regulatory model of BCAA homeostasis derived from analysis of feedback-resistant Arabidopsis thaliana mutants for the three allosteric committed enzymes in the biosynthetic network: threonine deaminase (also named L-O-methylthreonine resistant 1, OMR1), acetohydroxyacid synthase small subunit 2 (AHASS2) and isopropylmalate synthase 1 (IPMS1). In this model, OMR1 exerts primary control on Ile accumulation and functions independently of AHAS and IPMS. AHAS and IPMS regulate Val and Leu homeostasis, where AHAS affects total Val+Leu and IPMS controls partitioning between these amino acids. In addition, analysis of feedback-resistant and loss-of-function single and double mutants revealed that each AHAS and IPMS isoenzyme contributes to homeostasis rather than being functionally redundant. The characterized feedback-resistant mutations caused increased free BCAA levels in both seedlings and seeds. These results add to our understanding of the basis of in vivo BCAA homeostasis and inform approaches to improve the amount and balance of these essential nutrients in crops.