3,4-Dehydro-L-proline Induces Programmed Cell Death in the Roots of Brachypodium distachyon

As cell wall proteins, the hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs) take part in plant growth and various developmental processes. To fulfil their functions, HRGPs, extensins (EXTs) in particular, undergo the hydroxylation of proline by the prolyl-4-hydroxylases. The activity of these enzymes can be inhibited with 3,4-dehydro-L-proline (3,4-DHP), which enables its application to reveal the functions of the HRGPs. Thus, to study the involvement of HRGPs in the development of root hairs and roots, we treated seedlings of Brachypodium distachyon with 250 µM, 500 µM, and 750 µM of 3,4-DHP. The histological observations showed that the root epidermis cells and the cortex cells beneath them ruptured. The immunostaining experiments using the JIM20 antibody, which recognizes the EXT epitopes, demonstrated the higher abundance of this epitope in the control compared to the treated samples. The transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed morphological and ultrastructural features that are typical for the vacuolar-type of cell death. Using the TUNEL test (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling), we showed an increase in the number of nuclei with damaged DNA in the roots that had been treated with 3,4-DHP compared to the control. Finally, an analysis of two metacaspases’ gene activity revealed an increase in their expression in the treated roots. Altogether, our results show that inhibiting the prolyl-4-hydroxylases with 3,4-DHP results in a vacuolar-type of cell death in roots, thereby highlighting the important role of HRGPs in root hair development and root growth.