scholarly journals Maize Defective Kernel605 Encodes a Canonical DYW-Type PPR Protein that Edits a Conserved Site of nad1 and Is Essential for Seed Nutritional Quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 61 (11) ◽  
pp. 1954-1966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaijian Fan ◽  
Yixuan Peng ◽  
Zhenjing Ren ◽  
Delin Li ◽  
Sihan Zhen ◽  
...  

Abstract Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins involved in mitochondrial RNA cytidine (C)-to-uridine (U) editing mostly result in stagnant embryo and endosperm development upon loss of function. However, less is known about PPRs that are involved in farinaceous endosperm formation and maize quality. Here, we cloned a maize DYW-type PPR Defective Kernel605 (Dek605). Mutation of Dek605 delayed seed and seedling development. Mitochondrial transcript analysis of dek605 revealed that loss of DEK605 impaired C-to-U editing at the nad1-608 site and fails to alter Ser203 to Phe203 in NAD1 (dehydrogenase complex I), disrupting complex I assembly and reducing NADH dehydrogenase activity. Meanwhile, complexes III and IV in the cytochrome pathway, as well as AOX2 in the alternative respiratory pathway, are dramatically increased. Interestingly, the dek605 mutation resulted in opaque endosperm and increased levels of the free amino acids alanine, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. The down- and upregulated genes mainly involved in stress response-related and seed dormancy-related pathways, respectively, were observed after transcriptome analysis of dek605 at 12 d after pollination. Collectively, these results indicate that Dek605 specifically affects the single nad1-608 site and is required for normal seed development and resulted in nutritional quality relevant amino acid accumulation.

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (18) ◽  
pp. 5495-5505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Liu ◽  
Shi-Kai Cao ◽  
Aqib Sayyed ◽  
Huan-Huan Yang ◽  
Jiao Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract C-to-U RNA editing in plant mitochondria requires the participation of many nucleus-encoded factors, most of which are pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins. There is a large number of PPR proteins and the functions many of them are unknown. Here, we report a mitochondrion-localized DYW-subgroup PPR protein, PPR27, which functions in the editing of multiple mitochondrial transcripts in maize. The ppr27 mutant is completely deficient in C-to-U editing at the ccmFN-1357 and rps3-707 sites, and editing at six other sites is substantially reduced. The lack of editing at ccmFN-1357 causes a deficiency of CcmFN protein. As CcmFN functions in the maturation pathway of cytochrome proteins that are subunits of mitochondrial complex III, its deficiency results in an absence of cytochrome c1 and cytochrome c proteins. Consequently, the assembly of mitochondrial complex III and super-complex I+III2 is decreased, which impairs the electron transport chain and respiration, leading to arrests in embryogenesis and endosperm development in ppr27. In addition, PPR27 was found to physically interact with ZmMORF1, which interacts with ZmMORF8, suggesting that these three proteins may facilitate C-to-U RNA editing via the formation of a complex in maize mitochondria. This RNA editing is essential for complex III assembly and seed development in maize.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 4047 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Liu ◽  
Shi-Kai Cao ◽  
Aqib Sayyed ◽  
Chunhui Xu ◽  
Feng Sun ◽  
...  

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein comprises a large family, participating in various aspects of organellar RNA metabolism in land plants. There are approximately 600 PPR proteins in maize, but the functions of many PPR proteins remain unknown. In this study, we defined the function of PPR18 in the cis-splicing of nad4 intron 1 in mitochondria and seed development in maize. Loss function of PPR18 seriously impairs embryo and endosperm development, resulting in the empty pericarp (emp) phenotype in maize. PPR18 encodes a mitochondrion-targeted P-type PPR protein with 18 PPR motifs. Transcripts analysis indicated that the splicing of nad4 intron 1 is impaired in the ppr18 mutant, resulting in the absence of nad4 transcript, leading to severely reduced assembly and activity of mitochondrial complex I and dramatically reduced respiration rate. These results demonstrate that PPR18 is required for the cis-splicing of nad4 intron 1 in mitochondria, and critical to complex I assembly and seed development in maize.


2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 1734-1746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenjing Ren ◽  
Kaijian Fan ◽  
Ting Fang ◽  
Jiaojiao Zhang ◽  
Li Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins play crucial roles in intron splicing, which is important for RNA maturation. Identification of novel PPR protein with the function of intron splicing would help to understand the RNA splicing mechanism. In this study, we identified the maize empty pericarp602 (emp602) mutants, the mature kernels of which showed empty pericarp phenotype. We cloned the Emp602 gene from emp602 mutants and revealed that Emp602 encodes a mitochondrial-localized P-type PPR protein. We further revealed that Emp602 is specific for the cis-splicing of mitochondrial Nad4 intron 1 and intron 3, and mutation of Emp602 led to the loss of mature Nad4 transcripts. The loss of function of Emp602 nearly damaged the assembly and accumulation of complex I and arrested mitochondria formation, which arrested the seed development. The failed assembly of complex I triggers significant upregulation of Aox expression in emp602 mutants. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of mitochondrial-related genes, e.g. the genes associated with mitochondrial inner membrane presequence translocase complex and electron carrier activity, were extensively upregulated in emp602 mutant. These results demonstrate that EMP602 functions in the splicing of Nad4 intron 1 and intron 3, and the loss of function of Emp602 arrested maize seed development by disrupting the mitochondria complex I assembly.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (15) ◽  
pp. 3795-3808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenguang Zhu ◽  
Guangpu Jin ◽  
Peng Fang ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Xuzhen Feng ◽  
...  

Abstract The splicing of organelle-encoded mRNA in plants requires proteins encoded in the nucleus. The mechanism of splicing and the factors involved are not well understood. Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are known to participate in such RNA–protein interactions. Maize defective kernel 41 (dek41) is a seedling-lethal mutant that causes developmental defects. In this study, the Dek41 gene was cloned by Mutator tag isolation and allelic confirmation, and was found to encode a P-type PPR protein that targets mitochondria. Analysis of the mitochondrial RNA transcript profile revealed that dek41 mutations cause reduced splicing efficiency of mitochondrial nad4 intron 3. Immature dek41 kernels exhibited severe reductions in complex I assembly and NADH dehydrogenase activity. Up-regulated expression of alternative oxidase genes and deformed inner cristae of mitochondria in dek41, as revealed by TEM, indicated that proper splicing of nad4 is essential for correct mitochondrial functioning and morphology. Consistent with this finding, differentially expressed genes in the dek41 endosperm included those related to mitochondrial function and activity. Our results indicate that DEK41 is a PPR protein that affects cis-splicing of mitochondrial nad4 intron 3 and is required for correct mitochondrial functioning and maize kernel development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ru Chang Ren ◽  
Xu Wei Yan ◽  
Ya Jie Zhao ◽  
Yi Ming Wei ◽  
Xiaoduo Lu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins compose a large protein family whose members are involved in both RNA processing in organelles and plant growth. Previous reports have shown that E-subgroup PPR proteins are involved in RNA editing. However, the additional functions and roles of the E-subgroup PPR proteins are unknown. Results In this study, we developed and identified a new maize kernel mutant with arrested embryo and endosperm development, i.e., defective kernel (dek) 55 (dek55). Genetic and molecular evidence suggested that the defective kernels resulted from a mononucleotide alteration (C to T) at + 449 bp within the open reading frame (ORF) of Zm00001d014471 (hereafter referred to as DEK55). DEK55 encodes an E-subgroup PPR protein within the mitochondria. Molecular analyses showed that the editing percentage of 24 RNA editing sites decreased and that of seven RNA editing sites increased in dek55 kernels, the sites of which were distributed across 14 mitochondrial gene transcripts. Moreover, the splicing efficiency of nad1 introns 1 and 4 and nad4 intron 1 significantly decreased in dek55 compared with the wild type (WT). These results indicate that DEK55 plays a crucial role in RNA editing at multiple sites as well as in the splicing of nad1 and nad4 introns. Mutation in the DEK55 gene led to the dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I. Moreover, yeast two-hybrid assays showed that DEK55 interacts with two multiple organellar RNA-editing factors (MORFs), i.e., ZmMORF1 (Zm00001d049043) and ZmMORF8 (Zm00001d048291). Conclusions Our results demonstrated that a mutation in the DEK55 gene affects the mitochondrial function essential for maize kernel development. Our results also provide novel insight into the molecular functions of E-subgroup PPR proteins involved in plant organellar RNA processing.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (18) ◽  
pp. 4705-4720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Hao ◽  
Yunlong Wang ◽  
Mingming Wu ◽  
Xiaopin Zhu ◽  
Xuan Teng ◽  
...  

Abstract Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins constitute one of the largest protein families in land plants. Recent studies revealed the functions of PPR proteins in organellar RNA metabolism and plant development, but the functions of most PPR proteins, especially PPRs localized in the nucleus, remain largely unknown. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a rice mutant named floury and growth retardation1 (fgr1). fgr1 showed floury endosperm with loosely arranged starch grains, decreased starch and amylose contents, and retarded seedling growth. Map-based cloning showed that the mutant phenotype was caused by a single nucleotide substitution in the coding region of Os08g0290000. This gene encodes a nuclear-localized PPR protein, which we named OsNPPR1, that affected mitochondrial function. In vitro SELEX and RNA-EMSAs showed that OsNPPR1 was an RNA protein that bound to the CUCAC motif. Moreover, a number of retained intron (RI) events were detected in fgr1. Thus, OsNPPR1 was involved in regulation of mitochondrial development and/or functions that are important for endosperm development. Our results provide novel insights into coordinated interaction between nuclear-localized PPR proteins and mitochondrial function.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ru Chang Ren ◽  
Xu Wei Yan ◽  
Ya Jie Zhao ◽  
Yi Ming Wei ◽  
Xiaoduo Lu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins is a large protein family, which participate in RNA processing in organelles and plant growth. Previous reports have generally considered E-subgroup PPR proteins as an editing factors for RNA editing. However, the underlying mechanisms and effects of E-subgroup PPR proteins remain to be investigated.Results In this study, we recognized and identified a new maize kernel mutant with arrested embryo and endosperm development, defective kernel 55 (dek55). Genetic and molecular evidences suggest that the defective kernels resulted from a mononucleotide alteration (C to T) at + 449 in the open reading frame (ORF) of Zm00001d014471 (hereafter referred to as DEK55). DEK55 encodes an E-subgroup PPR protein within mitochondria. Molecular analyses suggest that DEK55 plays crucial roles in RNA editing at multiple sites of ribosomal protein S13, ATP synthase subunit1, NADH dehydrogenase-6 (nad6), and nad9 transcripts as well as in splicing of nad1 and nad4. The mutation of DEK55 lead to the dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I.Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the DEK55 mutation is responsible for the dek55 mutant phenotypes, as it affects mitochondrial function that is essential for maize kernel development. This study also provides novel insight into the molecular function of E-subgroup PPR proteins in plant organellar RNA metabolism.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ru Chang Ren ◽  
Xu Wei Yan ◽  
Ya Jie Zhao ◽  
Yi Ming Wei ◽  
Xiaoduo Lu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins compose a large protein family whose members are involved in both RNA processing in organelles and plant growth. Previous reports have shown that E-subgroup PPR proteins are involved in RNA editing. However, the additional functions and roles of the E-subgroup PPR proteins are unknown. Results: In this study, we developed and identified a new maize kernel mutant with arrested embryo and endosperm development, i.e., defective kernel (dek) 55 (dek55). Genetic and molecular evidence suggested that the defective kernels resulted from a mononucleotide alteration (C to T) at +449 bp within the open reading frame (ORF) of Zm00001d014471 (hereafter referred to as DEK55). DEK55 encodes an E-subgroup PPR protein within the mitochondria. Molecular analyses showed that the editing percentage of 24 RNA editing sites decreased and that of seven RNA editing sites increased in dek55 kernels, the sites of which were distributed across 14 mitochondrial gene transcripts. Moreover, the splicing efficiency of nad1 introns 1 and 4 and nad4 intron 1 significantly decreased in dek55 compared with the wild type (WT). These results indicate that DEK55 plays a crucial role in RNA editing at multiple sites as well as in the splicing of nad1 and nad4 introns. Mutation in the DEK55 gene led to the dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I. Moreover, yeast two-hybrid assays showed that DEK55 interacts with two multiple organellar RNA-editing factors (MORFs), i.e., ZmMORF1 (Zm00001d049043) and ZmMORF8 (Zm00001d048291).Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that a mutation in the DEK55 gene affects the mitochondrial function essential for maize kernel development. Our results also provide novel insight into the molecular functions of E-subgroup PPR proteins involved in plant organellar RNA processing.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ru Chang Ren ◽  
Xu Wei Yan ◽  
Ya Jie Zhao ◽  
Yi Ming Wei ◽  
Xiaoduo Lu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins form a large protein family that participates in RNA processing in organelles and plant growth. Previous reports regard E-subgroup PPR proteins as editing factors for RNA editing. However, additional functions and roles of the E-subgroup PPR proteins remain to be investigated.Results: In this study, we developed and identified a new maize kernel mutant with arrested embryo and endosperm development, i.e., defective kernel 55 (dek55). Genetic and molecular evidence suggested that the defective kernels was a result of a mononucleotide alteration (C to T) at +449 bp in the open reading frame (ORF) of Zm00001d014471 (hereafter referred to as DEK55). DEK55 encodes an E-subgroup PPR protein within mitochondria. Molecular analyses showed that the editing ratio of 24 RNA editing sites was decreased and that of seven RNA editing sites was increased in dek55 mutant kernels, which were distributed in 14 mitochondrial gene transcripts. Meanwhile, the splicing efficiency of the nad1 introns 1 and 4 and nad4 intron 1 was significantly decreased in dek55 compared with that of wild-type (WT). These results indicate that DEK55 plays a crucial role in RNA editing at multiple sites as well as in the splicing of nad1 and nad4 introns. Mutation in the DEK55 gene led to the dysfunction of mitochondrial complex I. Yeast two-hybrid assays showed that the DEK55 interacts with two multiple organellar RNA editing factors (MORFs), i.e., ZmMORF1 (Zm00001d049043) and ZmMORF8 (Zm00001d048291), respectively.Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that a mutation in the DEK55 gene affects the mitochondrial function essential for maize kernel development. Our results also provide novel insight into the molecular functions of the E-subgroup PPR proteins in plant organellar RNA processing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Wang ◽  
Xin-Yuan Liu ◽  
Zi-Qin Huang ◽  
Yan-Yan Li ◽  
Yan-Zhuo Yang ◽  
...  

The conversion of cytidines to uridines (C-to-U) at specific sites in mitochondrial and plastid transcripts is a post-transcriptional processing event that is important to the expression of organellar genes. Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are involved in this process. In this study, we report the function of a previously uncharacterized PPR-DYW protein, Empty pericarp17 (EMP17), in the C-to-U editing and kernel development in maize. EMP17 is targeted to mitochondria. The loss-function of EMP17 arrests maize kernel development, abolishes the editing at ccmFC-799 and nad2-677 sites, and reduces the editing at ccmFC-906 and -966 sites. The absence of editing causes amino acid residue changes in CcmFC-267 (Ser to Pro) and Nad2-226 (Phe to Ser), respectively. As CcmFC functions in cytochrome c (Cytc) maturation, the amount of Cytc and Cytc1 protein is drastically reduced in emp17, suggesting that the CcmFC-267 (Ser to Pro) change impairs the CcmFC function. As a result, the assembly of complex III is strikingly decreased in emp17. In contrast, the assembly of complex I appears less affected, suggesting that the Nad2-226 (Phe to Ser) change may have less impact on Nad2 function. Together, these results indicate that EMP17 is required for the C-to-U editing at several sites in mitochondrial transcripts, complex III biogenesis, and seed development in maize.


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