Plastid Transcriptomics: An Important Tool For Plastid Functional Genomics

Plastids in higher plants carry out specialized roles such as photosynthesis, nitrogen assimilation, biosynthesis of amino acids, fatty acids, isoprenoids, and various metabolites. Plastids arise from undifferentiated precursors known as proplastids, which are found in the root and shoot meristems. They are highly dynamic as they change their number, morphology, and physiology according to the tissue they are present. In addition to housing various metabolic activities, plastids also serve as a global sensor for both internal and external environmental cues including different stresses, and help plants to respond/adjust accordingly. They relay information to the nucleus, which then responds by changing the expression levels of specific genes. It has been shown that plants with impaired plastid functions exhibit abnormalities. One of the sources emanating these signals to the nucleus is plastid transcription. Normal plastid functioning is therefore critical for plant survival. Despite immense significance for plant acclimation, the plastid transcriptome is largely an unstudied research area. In this review, we discuss the importance of plastid transcriptomics for the acclimation of plants under changing environmental conditions and summarize the key literature published in this field.

Cytokinins and Abscisic Acid Regulate the Expression of the Genes for Plastid Transcription Apparatus during Heat Shock

The treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana plants with exogenous cytokinin (CK) followed by heat shock (HS) activated the expression of the genes for the plastid transcription machinery but adversely affected the plant viability. Abscisic acid (ABA), conversely, promoted maintaining the resistance to HS and had differentially affected different components of the plastid transcriptional complex. This hormone suppressed the accumulation of transcripts of PEP genes and the genes encoding PAP proteins, which are involved in DNA-RNA metabolism. However, it had no effect or activated the expression of NEP genes and PAP genes, which are involved in the redox regulation, as well as the genes encoding the stress-inducible trans-factor (SIG5) and the plastid transcription Ser/Thr protein kinase (spCK2). Thus, for the adaptation of plants to elevated temperatures, both increase and decrease in the expression of the genes for the plastid transcriptional machinery with the involvement of various regulatory systems, including phytohormones, are equally significant.