Graminicide insensitivity correlates with herbicide-binding co-operativity on acetyl-CoA carboxylase isoforms

The sensitivity of grass species to important classes of graminicide herbicides inhibiting ACCase (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) is associated with a specific inhibition of the multifunctional ACCase located in the plastids of grasses. In contrast, the multisubunit form of ACCase found in the chloroplasts of dicotyledonous plants is insensitive and the minor cytosolic multifunctional isoforms of the enzyme in both types of plants are also less sensitive to inhibition. We have isolated, separated and characterized the multifunctional ACCase isoforms found in exceptional examples of grasses that are either inherently insensitive to these graminicides, or from biotypes showing acquired resistance to their use. Major and minor multifunctional enzymes were isolated from cell suspension cultures of Festuca rubra and the 'Notts A1'-resistant biotype of Alopecurus myosuroides, and their properties compared with those isolated from cells of wild-type sensitive A. myosuroides or from sensitive maize. Purifications of up to 300-fold were necessary to separate the two isoforms. The molecular masses (200-230 kDa) and K-m values for all three substrates (ATP, bicarbonate and acetyl-CoA) were similar for the different ACCases, irrespective of their graminicide sensitivity. Moreover, we found no correlation between the ability of isoforms to carboxylate propionyl-CoA and their sensitivity to graminicides. However, insensitive purified forms of ACCase were characterized by herbicide-binding co-operativity, whereas, in contrast, sensitive forms of the enzymes were not. Our studies on isolated individual isoforms of ACCase from grasses support and extend previous indications that herbicide binding co-operativity is the only kinetic property that differentiates naturally or selected insensitive enzymes from the typical sensitive forms usually found in grasses.