PII in Higher Plants: a Modern Role for an Ancient Protein

PII in prokaryotic organisms is a crucial integrator of cellular carbon, nitrogen and energy levels. In higher plants, however, its role remains significantly less clear. Previous findings suggest that PII-N-acetylglutamate kinase (NAGK) complex formation controls l-arginine biosynthesis, whereas other work implicates PII in regulating chloroplastic NO2(-) uptake. Together, these findings indicate that PII has evolved from a central metabolic role in prokaryotes towards a more specialized role in eukaryotes. Furthermore, recent genomic and bioinformatic findings reveal tissue-specific expression of PII in higher plants, with transcriptional expression patterns suggestive of a link between PII and storage protein production during seed development. This review focuses on the unique structural, biochemical and biological aspects of PII in higher plants.