Evidence for secretion of vacuolar alpha-mannosidase, class I chitinase, and class I beta-1,3-glucanase in suspension cultures of tobacco cells.

We have investigated the possibility that vacuolar proteins can be secreted into the medium of cultured cells of Nicotiana tabacum L. Time-course and balance-sheet experiments showed that a large fraction, up to ca. 19%, of vacuolar alpha-mannosidase (EC 3.2.1.24) and vacuolar class I chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) in suspension cultures accumulated in the medium within one week after subculturing. This effect was most pronounced in media containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Under comparable conditions only a small fraction, 1.8-5.1% of the total protein and ca. 1% of malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37), which is localized primarily in the mitochondria and cytoplasm, accumulated in the medium. Pulse-chase experiments showed that newly synthesized vacuolar class I isoforms of chitinase and beta-1,3-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39) were released into the medium. Post-translational processing, but not the release of these proteins, was delayed by the secretion inhibitor brefeldin A. Only forms of the proteins present in the vacuole, i.e. mature chitinase and pro-beta-1,3-glucanase and mature beta-1,3-glucanase, were chased into the medium of tobacco cell-suspension cultures. Our results provide strong evidence that vacuolar alpha-mannosidase, chitinase and beta-1,3-glucanase can be secreted into the medium. They also suggest that secretion of chitinase and beta-1,3-glucanase might be via a novel pathway in which the proteins pass through the vacuolar compartment.