FISSION1A, an Arabidopsis tail-anchored protein, is localized to three subcellular compartments

Talk to your neighbors in an emergency: Stromule-mediated chloroplast-nucleus communication in plant immunity

Hypersensitive response-programmed cell death (HR-PCD) is a response mounted by plants to defend themselves against pathogens. Communication between the chloroplast and the nucleus is critical for the progression of HR-PCD. Tubular protrusions of chloroplasts, known as stromules, are tightly associated with the HR-PCD progression. There is emerging evidence that signaling molecules originating from chloroplasts are transferred to the nucleus through stromules. The translocation of signaling molecules from the chloroplast to the nucleus might trigger defense responses, including transcriptional reprogramming. In this review, we discuss the possible functions of stromules in the rapid transfer of signaling molecules in the chloroplast-nucleus communication.

Looking for a safe haven: tail-anchored proteins and their membrane insertion pathways

Insertion of membrane proteins into the lipid bilayer is a crucial step during their biosynthesis. Eukaryotic cells face many challenges in directing these proteins to their predestined target membrane. The hydrophobic signal peptide or transmembrane domain (TMD) of the nascent protein must be shielded from the aqueous cytosol and its target membrane identified followed by transport and insertion. Components that evolved to deal with each of these challenging steps range from chaperones to receptors, insertases, and sophisticated translocation complexes. One prominent translocation pathway for most proteins is the signal recognition particle (SRP)-dependent pathway which mediates co-translational translocation of proteins across or into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. This textbook example of protein insertion is stretched to its limits when faced with secretory or membrane proteins that lack an amino-terminal signal sequence or TMD. Particularly, a large group of so-called tail-anchored (TA) proteins that harbor a single carboxy-terminal TMD require an alternative, post-translational insertion route into the ER membrane. In this review, we summarize the current research in TA protein insertion with a special focus on plants, address challenges, and highlight future research avenues.

Organelle extensions in plant cells

The life strategy of plants includes their ability to respond quickly at the cellular level to changes in their environment. The use of targeted fluorescent protein probes and imaging of living cells has revealed several rapidly induced organelle responses that create the efficient sub-cellular machinery for maintaining homeostasis in the plant cell. Several organelles, including plastids, mitochondria, and peroxisomes, extend and retract thin tubules that have been named stromules, matrixules, and peroxules, respectively. Here, I combine all these thin tubular forms under the common head of organelle extensions. All extensions change shape continuously and in their elongated form considerably increase organelle outreach into the surrounding cytoplasm. Their pleomorphy reflects their interactions with the dynamic endoplasmic reticulum and cytoskeletal elements. Here, using foundational images and time-lapse movies, and providing salient information on some molecular and biochemically characterized mutants with increased organelle extensions, I draw attention to their common role in maintaining homeostasis in plant cells.

Quality control pathways of tail-anchored proteins

Tail-anchored (TA) proteins have an N-terminal domain in the cytosol and a C-terminal transmembrane domain anchored to a variety of organelle membranes. TA proteins are recognized by targeting factors at the transmembrane domain and C-terminal sequence and are guided to distinct membranes. The promiscuity of targeting sequences and the dysfunction of targeting pathways cause mistargeting of TA proteins. TA proteins are under surveillance by quality control pathways. For resident TA proteins at mitochondrial and ER membranes, intrinsic instability or stimuli induced degrons of the cytosolic and transmembrane domains are sensed by quality control factors to initiate degradation of TA proteins. These pathways are summarized as TA protein degradation-Cytosol (TAD-C) and TAD-Membrane (TAD-M) pathways. For mistargeted and a subset of solitary TA proteins at mitochondrial and peroxisomal membranes, a unique pathway has been revealed in recent years. Msp1/ATAD1 is an AAA-ATPase dually-localized to mitochondrial and peroxisomal membranes. It directly recognizes mistargeted and solitary TA proteins and dislocates them out of membrane. Dislocated substrates are subsequently ubiquitinated by the ER-resident Doa10 ubiquitin E3 ligase complex for degradation. We summarize and discuss the substrate recognition, dislocation and degradation mechanisms of the Msp1 pathway.

An RK/ST C-Terminal Motif is Required for Targeting of OEP7.2 and a Subset of Other Arabidopsis Tail-Anchored Proteins to the Plastid Outer Envelope Membrane

Tail-anchored (TA) proteins are a unique class of integral membrane proteins that possess a single C-terminal transmembrane domain and target post-translationally to the specific organelles at which they function. While significant advances have been made in recent years in elucidating the mechanisms and molecular targeting signals involved in the proper sorting of TA proteins, particularly to the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, relatively little is known about the targeting of TA proteins to the plastid outer envelope. Here we show that several known or predicted plastid TA outer envelope proteins (OEPs) in Arabidopsis possess a C-terminal RK/ST sequence motif that serves as a conserved element of their plastid targeting signal. Evidence for this conclusion comes primarily from experiments with OEP7.2, which is a member of the Arabidopsis 7 kDa OEP family. We confirmed that OEP7.2 is localized to the plastid outer envelope and possesses a TA topology, and its C-terminal sequence (CTS), which includes the RK/ST motif, is essential for proper targeting to plastids. The CTS of OEP7.2 is functionally interchangeable with the CTSs of other TA OEPs that possess similar RK/ST motifs, but not with those that lack the motif. Further, a bioinformatics search based on a consensus sequence led to the identification of several new OEP TA proteins. Collectively, this study provides new insight into the mechanisms of TA protein sorting in plant cells, defines a new targeting signal element for a subset of TA OEPs and expands the number and repertoire of TA proteins at the plastid outer envelope.

Mechanisms of Tail-Anchored Membrane Protein Targeting and Insertion

Proper localization of membrane proteins is essential for the function of biological membranes and for the establishment of organelle identity within a cell. Molecular machineries that mediate membrane protein biogenesis need to not only achieve a high degree of efficiency and accuracy, but also prevent off-pathway aggregation events that can be detrimental to cells. The posttranslational targeting of tail-anchored proteins (TAs) provides tractable model systems to probe these fundamental issues. Recent advances in understanding TA-targeting pathways reveal sophisticated molecular machineries that drive and regulate these processes. These findings also suggest how an interconnected network of targeting factors, cochaperones, and quality control machineries together ensures robust membrane protein biogenesis.

Endoplasmic reticulum-localized CCX2 is required for osmotolerance by regulating ER and cytosolic Ca2+ dynamics in Arabidopsis

Ca²⁺ signals in plant cells are important for adaptive responses to environmental stresses. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis CATION/Ca²⁺ EXCHANGER2 (CCX2), encoding a putative cation/Ca²⁺ exchanger that localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is strongly induced by salt and osmotic stresses. Compared with the WT, AtCCX2 loss-of-function mutant was less tolerant to osmotic stress and displayed the most noteworthy phenotypes (less root/shoot growth) during salt stress. Conversely, AtCCX2 gain-of-function mutants were more tolerant to osmotic stress. In addition, AtCCX2 partially suppresses the Ca²⁺ sensitivity of K667 yeast triple mutant, characterized by Ca²⁺ uptake deficiency. Remarkably, Cameleon Ca²⁺ sensors revealed that the absence of AtCCX2 activity results in decreased cytosolic and increased ER Ca²⁺ concentrations in comparison with both WT and the gain-of-function mutants. This was observed in both salt and nonsalt osmotic stress conditions. It appears that AtCCX2 is directly involved in the control of Ca²⁺ fluxes between the ER and the cytosol, which plays a key role in the ability of plants to cope with osmotic stresses. To our knowledge, Atccx2 is unique as a plant mutant to show a measured alteration in ER Ca²⁺ concentrations. In this study, we identified the ER-localized AtCCX2 as a pivotal player in the regulation of ER Ca²⁺ dynamics that heavily influence plant growth upon salt and osmotic stress.

Peroxisome Mitochondria Inter-relations in Plants

A large amount of ultrastructural, biochemical and molecular analysis indicates that peroxisomes and mitochondria not only share the same subcellular space but also maintain considerable overlap in their proteins, responses and functions. Recent approaches using imaging of fluorescent proteins targeted to both organelles in living plant cells are beginning to show the dynamic nature of their interactivity. Based on the observations of living cells, mitochondria respond rapidly to stress by undergoing fission. Mitochondrial fission is suggested to release key membrane-interacting members of the FISSION1 and DYNAMIN RELATED PROTEIN3 families and appears to be followed by the formation of thin peroxisomal extensions called peroxules. In a model we present the peroxules as an intermediate state prior to the formation of tubular peroxisomes, which, in turn are acted upon by the constriction-related proteins released by mitochondria and undergo rapid constriction and fission to increase the number of peroxisomes in a cell. The fluorescent protein aided imaging of peroxisome-mitochondria interaction provides visual evidence for their cooperation in maintenance of cellular homeostasis in plants.

Plant mitochondrial membranes: adding structure and new functions to respiratory physiology

The membranes of mitochondria are focal points of cellular physiology and respiratory energy transformation. Recent discoveries have started painting a refined picture of plant mitochondrial membranes as platforms in which structure and function have evolved in an interconnected and dynamically regulated manner. Hosting ancillary functions that interact with other mitochondrial properties gives mitochondria the characteristics of multitasking and integrated molecular mega machines. We review recent insights into the makeup and the plasticity of the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes, their intimate relationship with respiratory function and regulation, and their properties in mediating solute transport. Synthesizing recent research advances we hypothesize that plant mitochondrial membranes are a privileged location for incorporation of a wide range of processes, some of which collaborate with respiratory function, including plant immunity, metabolic regulation and signal transduction, to underpin flexibility in the acclimation to changing environments.

DRP3 and ELM1 are required for mitochondrial fission in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha

Mitochondria increase in number by the fission of existing mitochondria. Mitochondrial fission is needed to provide mitochondria to daughter cells during cell division. In Arabidopsis thaliana, four kinds of genes have been reported to be involved in mitochondrial fission. Two of them, DRP3 (dynamin-related protein3) and FIS1 (FISSION1), are well conserved in eukaryotes. The other two are plant-specific ELM1 (elongated mitochondria1) and PMD (peroxisomal and mitochondrial division). To better understand the commonality and diversity of mitochondrial fission factors in land plants, we examined mitochondrial fission-related genes in a liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha. As a bryophyte, M. polymorpha has features distinct from those of the other land plant lineages. We found that M. polymorpha has single copies of homologues for DRP3, FIS1 and ELM1, but does not appear to have a homologue of PMD. Citrine-fusion proteins with MpDRP3, MpFIS1 and MpELM1 were localized to mitochondria in M. polymorpha. MpDRP3- and MpELM1-defective mutants grew slowly and had networked mitochondria, indicating that mitochondrial fission was blocked in the mutants, as expected. However, knockout of MpFIS1 did not affect growth or mitochondrial morphology. These results suggest that MpDRP3 and MpELM1 but neither MpFIS1 nor PMD are needed for mitochondrial fission in M. polymorpha.

Mitochondrial outer membrane forms bridge between two mitochondria in Arabidopsis thaliana

Mitochondria are double-membrane organelles that move around and change their shapes dynamically. In plants, the dynamics of the outer membrane is not well understood. We recently demonstrated that mitochondria had tubular protrusions of the outer membrane with little or no matrix, called MOPs (mitochondrial outer-membrane protrusions; MOPs). Here we show that a MOP can form a bridge between two mitochondria in Arabidopsis thaliana. The bridge does not appear to involve the inner membranes. Live imaging revealed stretching of the MOP bridge, demonstrating the flexibility of the outer membrane. Mitochondria frequently undergo fission and fusion. These observations raise the possibility that MOPs bridges have a role in these processes.

High Light Intensity Leads to Increased Peroxule-Mitochondria Interactions in Plants

Peroxules are thin protrusions from spherical peroxisomes produced under low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress. Whereas, stress mitigation favors peroxule retraction, prolongation of the ROS stress leads to the elongation of the peroxisome into a tubular form. Subsequently, the elongated form becomes constricted through the binding of proteins such as dynamin related proteins 3A and 3B and eventually undergoes fission to increase the peroxisomal population within a cell. The events that occur in the short time window between peroxule initiation and the tubulation of the entire peroxisome have not been observed in living plant cells. Here, using fluorescent protein aided live-imaging, we show that peroxules are formed after only 4 min of high light (HL) irradiation during which there is a perceptible increase in the cytosolic levels of hydrogen peroxide. Using a stable, double transgenic line of Arabidopsis thaliana expressing a peroxisome targeted YFP and a mitochondrial targeted GFP probe, we observed sustained interactions between peroxules and small, spherical mitochondria. Further, it was observed that the frequency of HL-induced interactions between peroxules and mitochondria increased in the Arabidopsis anisotropy1 mutant that has reduced cell wall crystallinity and where we show accumulation of higher H₂O₂ levels than wild type plants. Our observations suggest a testable model whereby peroxules act as interaction platforms for ROS-distressed mitochondria that may release membrane proteins and fission factors. These proteins might thus become easily available to peroxisomes and facilitate their proliferation for enhancing the ROS-combating capability of a plant cell.

Overexpression of a NF-YB3 transcription factor from Picea wilsonii confers tolerance to salinity and drought stress in transformed Arabidopsis thaliana

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a highly conserved transcription factor comprising NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC subunits. To date, the roles of NF-Y subunit in plant still remain elusive. In this study, a subunit NF-YB (PwNF-YB3), was isolated from Picea wilsonii Mast. and its role was studied. PwNF-YB3 transcript was detected in all vegetative and reproductive tissues with higher levels in stem and root and was greatly induced by salinity, heat and PEG but not by cold and ABA treatment. Over-expression of PwNF-YB3 in Arabidopsis showed a significant acceleration in the onset of flowering and resulted in more vigorous seed germination and significant tolerance for seedlings under salinity, drought and osmotic stress compared with wild type plants. Transcription levels of salinity-responsive gene (SOS3) and drought-induced gene (CDPK1) were substantially higher in transgenic Arabidopsis than in wild-type plants. Importantly, CBF pathway markers (COR15B, KIN1, LEA76), but not ABA pathway markers CBF4, were greatly induced under condition of drought. The nuclear localization showed that NF-YB3 acted as a transcription factor. Taken together, the data provide evidence that PwNF-YB3 positively confers significant tolerance to salt, osmotic and drought stress in transformed Arabidopsis plants probably through modulating gene regulation in CBF-dependent pathway.

Fluorescent Protein Aided Insights on Plastids and their Extensions: A Critical Appraisal

Multi-colored fluorescent proteins targeted to plastids have provided new insights on the dynamic behavior of these organelles and their interactions with other cytoplasmic components and compartments. Sub-plastidic components such as thylakoids, stroma, the inner and outer membranes of the plastid envelope, nucleoids, plastoglobuli, and starch grains have been efficiently highlighted in living plant cells. In addition, stroma filled membrane extensions called stromules have drawn attention to the dynamic nature of the plastid and its interactions with the rest of the cell. Use of dual and triple fluorescent protein combinations has begun to reveal plastid interactions with mitochondria, the nucleus, the endoplasmic reticulum and F-actin and suggests integral roles of plastids in retrograde signaling, cell to cell communication as well as plant-pathogen interactions. While the rapid advances and insights achieved through fluorescent protein based research on plastids are commendable it is necessary to endorse meaningful observations but subject others to closer scrutiny. Here, in order to develop a better and more comprehensive understanding of plastids and their extensions we provide a critical appraisal of recent information that has been acquired using targeted fluorescent protein probes.

Plant mitochondrial dynamics and the role of membrane lipids

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that are continuously shaped by the antagonistic fission and fusion processes. The major machineries of mitochondrial fission and fusion, as well as mechanisms that regulate the function of key players in these processes have been analyzed in different experimental systems. In plants however, the mitochondrial fusion machinery is still largely unknown, and the regulatory mechanisms of the fission machinery are just beginning to be elucidated. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying plant mitochondrial dynamics and regulation of some of the key factors, especially the roles of membrane lipids such as cardiolipin.

New insights into the targeting of a subset of tail-anchored proteins to the outer mitochondrial membrane

Tail-anchored (TA) proteins are a unique class of functionally diverse membrane proteins defined by their single C-terminal membrane-spanning domain and their ability to insert post-translationally into specific organelles with an Ncytoplasm-Corganelle interior orientation. The molecular mechanisms by which TA proteins are sorted to the proper organelles are not well-understood. Herein we present results indicating that a dibasic targeting motif (i.e., -R-R/K/H-X({X≠E})) identified previously in the C terminus of the mitochondrial isoform of the TA protein cytochrome b 5, also exists in many other A. thaliana outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM)-TA proteins. This motif is conspicuously absent, however, in all but one of the TA protein subunits of the translocon at the outer membrane of mitochondria (TOM), suggesting that these two groups of proteins utilize distinct biogenetic pathways. Consistent with this premise, we show that the TA sequences of the dibasic-containing proteins are both necessary and sufficient for targeting to mitochondria, and are interchangeable, while the TA regions of TOM proteins lacking a dibasic motif are necessary, but not sufficient for localization, and cannot be functionally exchanged. We also present results from a comprehensive mutational analysis of the dibasic motif and surrounding sequences that not only greatly expands the functional definition and context-dependent properties of this targeting signal, but also led to the identification of other novel putative OMM-TA proteins. Collectively, these results provide important insight to the complexity of the targeting pathways involved in the biogenesis of OMM-TA proteins and help define a consensus targeting motif that is utilized by at least a subset of these proteins.