Highly purified pea chloroplast RNA polymerase transcribes both rRNA and mRNA genes

Plastid RNA polymerases: orchestration of enzymes with different evolutionary origins controls chloroplast biogenesis during the plant life cycle

Chloroplasts are the sunlight-collecting organelles of photosynthetic eukaryotes that energetically drive the biosphere of our planet. They are the base for all major food webs by providing essential photosynthates to all heterotrophic organisms including humans. Recent research has focused largely on an understanding of the function of these organelles, but knowledge about the biogenesis of chloroplasts is rather limited. It is known that chloroplasts develop from undifferentiated precursor plastids, the proplastids, in meristematic cells. This review focuses on the activation and action of plastid RNA polymerases, which play a key role in the development of new chloroplasts from proplastids. Evolutionarily, plastids emerged from the endosymbiosis of a cyanobacterium-like ancestor into a heterotrophic eukaryote. As an evolutionary remnant of this process, they possess their own genome, which is expressed by two types of plastid RNA polymerase, phage-type and prokaryotic-type RNA polymerase. The protein subunits of these polymerases are encoded in both the nuclear and plastid genomes. Their activation and action therefore require a highly sophisticated regulation that controls and coordinates the expression of the components encoded in the plastid and nucleus. Stoichiometric expression and correct assembly of RNA polymerase complexes is achieved by a combination of developmental and environmentally induced programmes. This review highlights the current knowledge about the functional coordination between the different types of plastid RNA polymerases and provides working models of their sequential expression and function for future investigations.

Essential nucleoid proteins in early chloroplast development

The plastid transcription machinery can be biochemically purified at different organisational levels as soluble RNA polymerase, transcriptionally active chromosome, or nucleoid. Recent proteomic studies have uncovered several novel proteins in these structures and functional genomic studies have indicated that a lack of many of these proteins results in chlorotic phenotypes of varying degree. The most severe cases exhibit complete albino phenotypes, which led to the conclusion that the proteins that were lacking had important regulatory roles in plastid gene expression and chloroplast development. In this opinion article, we propose an alternative model in which the structural establishment of a transcriptional subdomain within the nucleoid represents an early developmental bottleneck that leads to abortion of proper chloroplast biogenesis if disturbed.

CpLEPA is critical for chloroplast protein synthesis under suboptimal conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana

LEPA is one of the most conserved translation factors and is found from bacteria to higher plants. However, the physiological function of the chloroplast LEPA homolog in higher plants remains unknown. Herein, we demonstrate the physiological role of cpLEPA in enabling efficient photosynthesis in higher plants. The cplepa-1 mutant displays slightly high chlorophyll fluorescence and pale green phenotypes under normal growth conditions. The growth of the cplepa-1 mutant is reduced when grown on soil, and greater reduction is observed under intense light illumination. Photosynthetic activity is impaired in the cplepa-1 mutants, which is reflected in the decreased steady-state levels of chloroplast proteins. In vivo protein labeling experiments explained the decrease in the steady-state levels of chloroplast proteins. An abnormal association of the chloroplast-encoded mRNAs with ribosomes suggests that the protein synthesis deficiencies in cplepa-1 are due to defects in translation initiation in the chloroplasts. The cpLEPA protein appears to be an essential translation factor that promotes the efficiency of chloroplast protein synthesis.

S1 domain-containing STF modulates plastid transcription and chloroplast biogenesis in Nicotiana benthamiana

• In this study, we examined the biochemical and physiological functions of Nicotiana benthamiana S1 domain-containing Transcription-Stimulating Factor (STF) using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), cosuppression, and overexpression strategies. • STF : green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein colocalized with sulfite reductase (SiR), a chloroplast nucleoid-associated protein also present in the stroma. Full-length STF and its S1 domain preferentially bound to RNA, probably in a sequence-nonspecific manner. • STF silencing by VIGS or cosuppression resulted in severe leaf yellowing caused by disrupted chloroplast development. STF deficiency significantly perturbed plastid-encoded multimeric RNA polymerase (PEP)-dependent transcript accumulation. Chloroplast transcription run-on assays revealed that the transcription rate of PEP-dependent plastid genes was reduced in the STF-silenced leaves. Conversely, the exogenously added recombinant STF protein increased the transcription rate, suggesting a direct role of STF in plastid transcription. Etiolated seedlings of STF cosuppression lines showed defects in the light-triggered transition from etioplasts to chloroplasts, accompanied by reduced light-induced expression of plastid-encoded genes. • These results suggest that STF plays a critical role as an auxiliary factor of the PEP transcription complex in the regulation of plastid transcription and chloroplast biogenesis in higher plants.

Identification of essential subunits in the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase complex reveals building blocks for proper plastid development

The major RNA polymerase activity in mature chloroplasts is a multisubunit, Escherichia coli-like protein complex called PEP (for plastid-encoded RNA polymerase). Its subunit structure has been extensively investigated by biochemical means. Beside the "prokaryotic" subunits encoded by the plastome-located RNA polymerase genes, a number of additional nucleus-encoded subunits of eukaryotic origin have been identified in the PEP complex. These subunits appear to provide additional functions and regulation modes necessary to adapt transcription to the varying functional situations in chloroplasts. However, despite the enormous progress in genomic data and mass spectrometry techniques, it is still under debate which of these subunits belong to the core complex of PEP and which ones represent rather transient or peripheral components. Here, we present a catalog of true PEP subunits that is based on comparative analyses from biochemical purifications, protein mass spectrometry, and phenotypic analyses. We regard reproducibly identified protein subunits of the basic PEP complex as essential when the corresponding knockout mutants reveal an albino or pale-green phenotype. Our study provides a clearly defined subunit catalog of the basic PEP complex, generating the basis for a better understanding of chloroplast transcription regulation. In addition, the data support a model that links PEP complex assembly and chloroplast buildup during early seedling development in vascular plants.

Chloroplast His-to-Asp signal transduction: a potential mechanism for plastid gene regulation in Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae)

Background

Maintenance of homeostasis requires that an organism perceive selected physical and chemical signals within an informationally dense environment. Functionally, an organism uses a variety of signal transduction arrays to amplify and convert these perceived signals into appropriate gene transcriptional responses. These changes in gene expression serve to modify selective metabolic processes and thus optimize reproductive success. Here we analyze a chloroplast-encoded His-to-Asp signal transduction circuit in the stramenopile Heterosigma akashiwo (Hada) Hada ex Y. Hara et Chihara [syn. H. carterae (Hulburt) F.J.R. Taylor]. The presence, structure and putative function of this protein pair are discussed in the context of their evolutionary homologues.

Results

Bioinformatic analysis of the Heterosigma akashiwo chloroplast genome sequence revealed the presence of a single two-component His-to-Asp (designated Tsg1/Trg1) pair in this stramenopile (golden-brown alga). These data represent the first documentation of a His-to-Asp array in stramenopiles and counter previous reports suggesting that such regulatory proteins are lacking in this taxonomic cluster. Comparison of the 43 kDa H. akashiwo Tsg1 with bacterial sensor kinases showed that the algal protein exhibits a moderately maintained PAS motif in the sensor kinase domain as well as highly conserved H, N, G₁ and F motifs within the histidine kinase ATP binding site. Molecular modelling of the 27 kDa H. akashiwo Trg1 regulator protein was consistent with a winged helix-turn-helix identity – a class of proteins that is known to impact gene expression at the level of transcription. The occurrence of Trg1 protein in actively growing H. akashiwo cells was verified by Western analysis. The presence of a PhoB-like RNA polymerase loop in Trg1 and its homologues in the red-algal lineage support the hypothesis that Trg1 and its homologues interact with a sigma 70 (σ⁷⁰) subunit (encoded by rpoD) of a eubacterial type polymerase. Sequence analysis of H. akashiwo rpoD showed this nuclear-encoded gene has a well-defined 4.2 domain, a region that augments RNA polymerase interaction with transcriptional regulatory proteins and also serves in -35 promoter recognition. The presence/loss of the His-to-Asp pairs in primary and secondary chloroplast lineages is assessed.

Conclusion

His-to-Asp signal transduction components are found in most rhodophytic chloroplasts, as well as in their putative cyanobacterial progenitors. The evolutionary conservation of these proteins argues that they are important for the maintenance of chloroplast homeostasis. Our data suggest that chloroplast gene transcription may be impacted by the interaction of the His-to-Asp regulator protein (which is less frequently lost than the sensor protein) with the RNA polymerase σ⁷⁰ subunit.

Eukaryotic transcription factors in plastids--Bioinformatic assessment and implications for the evolution of gene expression machineries in plants

The expression of genes in higher plant chloroplasts includes a complex transcriptional regulation which can be explained only in part with the action of the actually known components of the transcriptional machinery. This suggests the existence of still unknown important regulatory factors which influence chloroplast transcription. In order to test if such factors could exist we performed in silico analyses of Arabidopsis genes encoding putative transcription factors looking for putative N-terminal chloroplast transit peptides in the amino acid sequences. Our results suggest that 48 (and maybe up to 100) transcription factors of eukaryotic origin are likely to be imported into plastids. None of them has been described yet. This set of transcription factors highly expands the actually known regulation capacity of the chloroplast transcription machinery and provides a possible explanation for the complex initiation patterns of chloroplast transcripts. As consequence of a massive import of eukaryotic transcription factors a comprehensive reconstruction of the ancient prokaryotic gene expression machinery must be assumed resulting in a novel compatible combination of eukaryotic and prokaryotic protein components. In turn, the opposite process has been induced in the nucleus by the integration of prokaryotic components of the plastid ancestor via its loss of genes during endosymbiosis. Thus, a mutual exchange of regulatory factors, i.e. transcription factors occurred which resulted in the unique signalling network of today's plants. An evolutionary model of how this could have emerged during endosymbiosis in a timely coordinated manner is proposed.

Plastid RNA polymerases, promoters, and transcription regulators in higher plants

Plastids are semiautonomous plant organelles exhibiting their own transcription-translation systems that originated from a cyanobacteria-related endosymbiotic prokaryote. As a consequence of massive gene transfer to nuclei and gene disappearance during evolution, the extant plastid genome is a small circular DNA encoding only ca. 120 genes (less than 5% of cyanobacterial genes). Therefore, it was assumed that plastids have a simple transcription-regulatory system. Later, however, it was revealed that plastid transcription is a multistep gene regulation system and plays a crucial role in developmental and environmental regulation of plastid gene expression. Recent molecular and genetic approaches have identified several new players involved in transcriptional regulation in plastids, such as multiple RNA polymerases, plastid sigma factors, transcription regulators, nucleoid proteins, and various signaling factors. They have provided novel insights into the molecular basis of plastid transcription in higher plants. This review summarizes state-of-the-art knowledge of molecular mechanisms that regulate plastid transcription in higher plants.

Oncogenic Ras and Akt signaling contribute to glioblastoma formation by differential recruitment of existing mRNAs to polysomes

In order to determine the global effects of oncogenic Ras and Akt signaling pathways on translational efficiencies, we compared the gene expression profiles of total cellular mRNA and mRNA associated with polysomes. We found that the immediate effect of Ras and Akt signaling blockade on transcription was relatively modest; however, the profile of mRNA associated with polysomes was substantially altered. These observations indicate that the immediate effect of Ras and Akt signaling regulates the recruitment of specific mRNAs to ribosomes to a far greater extent than they regulate the production of mRNAs by transcriptional effects. The mRNAs most affected are those encoding proteins that regulate growth, transcription regulation, cell to cell interactions, and morphology. These data support a model whereby Ras and Akt signaling primarily lead to cellular transformation by altering the transcriptome and producing a radical shift in the composition of mRNAs associated with actively translating polysomes.

Organellar RNA polymerases of higher plants

The nuclear genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana contains a small gene family consisting of three genes encoding RNA polymerases of the single-subunit bacteriophage type. There is evidence that similar gene families also exist in other plants. Two of these RNA polymerases are putative mitochondrial enzymes, whereas the third one may represent the nuclear-encoded RNA polymerase (NEP) active in plastids. In addition, plastid genes are transcribed from another, entirely different multisubunit eubacterial-type RNA polymerase, the core subunits of which are encoded by plastid genes [plastid-encoded RNA polymerase (PEP)]. This core enzyme is complemented by one of several nuclear-encoded sigma-like factors. The development of photosynthetically active chloroplasts requires both PEP and NEP. Most NEP promoters show certain similarities to mitochondrial promoters in that they include the sequence motif 5'-YRTA-3' near the transcription initiation site. PEP promoters are similar to bacterial promoters of the -10/-35 sigma 70 type.

Regulation of rDNA transcription in chloroplasts: promoter exclusion by constitutive repression

Spinach chloroplasts contain two types of RNA polymerases. One is multimeric and Escherichia coli-like. The other one is not E. coli-like and might represent a monomeric enzyme of 110 kD. The quantitative relation of the two polymerases changes during plant development. This raises the question, how are plastid genes transcribed that contain E. coli-like and non-E. coli-like promoter elements during developmental phases when both enzymes are present? Transcription of the spinach plastid rrn operon promoter is initiated at three sites: P1, PC, and P2. P1 and P2 are preceded by E. coli-like promoter elements that are recognized by E. coli RNA polymerase in vitro. However, in vivo, transcription starts exclusively at PC. We analyzed different promoter constructions using in vitro transcription and gel mobility-shift studies to understand why P1 and P2 are not used in vivo. Our results suggest that the sequence-specific DNA-binding factor CDF2 functions as a repressor for transcription initiation of the E. coli-like enzyme at P1 and P2. We propose a mechanism of constitutive repression to keep the rrn operon in all developmental phases under the transcriptional control of the non-E. coli-like RNA polymerase.

Separation of two classes of plastid DNA-dependent RNA polymerases that are differentially expressed in mustard (Sinapis alba L.) seedlings

Chloroplast and etioplast in vitro transcription systems from mustard have different functional properties, which is reflected in differences in phosphorylation status. Here we report another transcription control mechanism, which involves two plastid DNA-dependent RNA polymerases designated as peak A and peak B enzymes. Both are large multi-subunit complexes, but differ in their native molecular mass (> 700 kDa for peak A and ca. 420 kDa for peak B) and in their polypeptide composition. The A enzyme is composed of at least 13 polypeptides, while the B enzyme contains only four putative subunits. Peak B activity is inhibited by rifampicin, whereas that of peak A is resistant. RNA polymerase activity was compared for plastids from cotyledons of 4-day-old seedlings that were grown either under continuous light (chloroplasts) or in darkness (etioplasts), or were first dark-grown and then transferred to light for 16 h ('intermediate-type' plastids). While the total activity was approximately the same in all three cases, enzyme B was the predominant activity obtained from etioplasts and enzyme A that obtained from chloroplasts. Both had equal activity in preparations from the 'intermediate-type' plastid form. Both activation/inactivation and differential gene expression seem to play a role in the regulation of the plastid transcription machinery.

Nascent transcript-binding protein of the pea chloroplast transcriptionally active chromosome

This study describes the nascent RNA-binding protein of the pea chloroplast transcriptional complex. The protein has been identified by photoaffinity labelling of the transcriptionally active chromosome (TAC) which utilizes the endogenous plastid DNA as template. UV irradiation of lysed chloroplast or the isolated TAC under conditions optimized for transcription photocross-links nascent radiolabelled transcripts (up to 250 nucleotides in length) to a 48 kDa protein. The photoaffinity labelling of the transcript-binding protein is dependent on UV irradiation, is maximal after about 30 min of irradiation, and is completely dependent on transcriptional activity; no cross-linkage has been observed with pre-synthesized RNA. Cross-linkage is influenced by salts and inhibitors in accordance with their effects on transcription. The photoconjugate is composed of protein and RNA moieties, and can be hydrolysed by several proteases. However, the cross-linked transcript is protected from nucleases until the protein is removed. Manganese enhances photoaffinity labelling of the transcript-binding protein, and this is paralleled by an increase in total transcriptional activity of TAC. This protein was isolated by 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the sequence of 15 amino acid residues at the amino terminus was determined. The nascent transcript-binding protein appears to be involved in the transcription of all three classes of chloroplast genes. We also found a polypeptide of identical molecular weight to get cross-linked to nascent transcripts in chloroplasts isolated from other legumes such as Cicer arietenum, Vigna radiata and Phaseolus vulgaris, and monocots like Zea mays, Oryza sativa and Pennisetum americanum.

The 110-kDa polypeptide of spinach plastid DNA-dependent RNA polymerase: single-subunit enzyme or catalytic core of multimeric enzyme complexes?

Highly purified RNA polymerase preparations from spinach chloroplasts contain seven major polypeptides of 150, 145, 110, 102, 80, 75, and 38 kDa. I find that RNA polymerase activity can be separated under defined conditions into three different fractions by heparin-Sepharose chromatography. Immunological analysis has shown that the first fraction contains RNA polymerase activity associated with all seven major polypeptides, and other studies have shown that some of these polypeptides (150, 145, 80, and 38 kDa) are associated with an RNA polymerase similar to the Escherichia coli enzyme. However, similar analyses of the remaining fractions show activity associated only with the 110-kDa polypeptide, suggesting the existence of a second kind of chloroplast RNA polymerase. Samples of this 110-kDa polypeptide purified by SDS/PAGE actively synthesize RNA in a reaction dependent on a supercoiled DNA template and the four ribonucleoside triphosphates. Hence, this polypeptide has all of the properties expected of a single-subunit RNA polymerase of the T7 bacteriophage type.

Sigma-like transcription factors from mustard (Sinapis alba L.) etioplast are similar in size to, but functionally distinct from, their chloroplast counterparts

Three proteins resembling bacterial sigma factors were previously isolated from mustard chloroplasts (K. Tiller, A. Eisermann and G. Link, Eur J Biochem 198: 93-99, 1991). These sigma-like factors (SLFs) confer DNA-binding and transcription specificity to a system consisting of Escherichia coli core RNA polymerase and cloned DNA regions that carry a chloroplast promoter. Sigma-like activity was now isolated also from etioplasts and could be assigned to three polypeptides of M(r) 67,000 (SLF67), 52,000 (SLF52) and 29,000 (SLF29), i.e. the same sizes as for the chloroplast SLFs. The purification scheme for the factors from either plastid type included an initial heparin-Sepharose and a final gel filtration step. For the etioplast factors, however, an additional phosphocellulose step was required to release these polypeptides from the RNA polymerase. The etioplast SLFs have similar, but not identical, salt requirements for DNA binding as compared to their chloroplast counterparts. Under conditions of maximum binding activity there is overall preference of etioplast SLFs for the psbA promoter over the trnQ and rps16 promoters.

Expression of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast tRNA(Glu) gene in a homologous in vitro transcription system is independent of upstream promoter elements

Chloroplast tRNA(Glu) is a bifunctional molecule involved in both the early steps of chlorophyll synthesis and chloroplast protein biosynthesis. Recently the enzymes involved in these processes have been characterized from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In order to investigate whether transcription of the gene for the tRNA(Glu) cofactor would be a possible point of regulation for the biosynthesis of chlorophyll, a homologous in vitro transcription system for C. reinhardtii chloroplast RNA polymerase was developed. The enzymatic activity was partially purified by ion-exchange chromatography to separate it from nuclear RNA polymerases. The highest rate of synthesis was found at pH 7.9, 40 mM KCl, 9 mM MgCl2 and with 25 micrograms plasmid DNA containing the chloroplast tRNA gene per milliliter. The activity was not sensitive to high amounts of alpha-amanitin (500 micrograms/ml) and rifampicin, but was clearly inhibited by heparin. This system was used to undertake a promoter analysis of one of the two identical tRNA(Glu) gene copies found in the C. reinhardtii chloroplast genome (trnE1). The analyzed tRNA gene behaved like a single transcription unit driven by its own promoter. The transcript terminated in a run of four consecutive T residues downstream of the gene. The nucleotide sequence in the 5' region of the gene revealed several potential promoter elements with homology to known chloroplast promoters of the "-10 and -35 region" and the "Euglena promoter" types. Surprisingly, deletion of the complete 5' region did not affect in vitro transcription, while partial deletions of the 5' and 3' coding region totally abolished transcription. This indicates the presence of an internal control region previously found for genes transcribed by nuclear RNA polymerase III. Protein binding studies with the coding region of trnE1 using gel retardation assays demonstrated the formation of two differently sized complexes. In vitro transcription of the tRNA(Glu) gene in extracts prepared from light and dark grown algae failed to demonstrate any significant influence of light on the transcription reaction.

Two distinct transcriptional activities of pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplasts share immunochemically related functional polypeptides

An RNA polymerase activity has been purified from pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplast extracts with a distinct transcriptional specificity for a chloroplast messenger gene. This activity (ms-RNA pol) differs from the pea RNA polymerase preparation reported by Sun, Shapiro, Wu & Tewari [(1986) Plant Mol. Biol. 6, 429-439], which specifically transcribes only the rRNA gene (rb-RNA pol). The specificity of transcription has been assessed by the synthesis in vitro of discrete transcripts of predicted sizes using cloned promoter regions of the chloroplast psbA and 16 S rRNA genes. The ms-RNA pol preparation, with polypeptides ranging in apparent molecular mass from 22 to 180 kDa, correctly initiates transcription from recombinant plasmids containing the psbA promoter and does not support 16 S rRNA promoter-directed transcription. The two activities differ also in their response to Mn2+ ions. To investigate whether the two transcriptional activities share common functional polypeptides, monoclonal antibodies were developed against the rb-RNA pol preparation. Three clones were selected on the basis of their ability to inhibit transcription in vitro of the 16 S rRNA gene by rb-RNA pol. The antibodies from these clones independently recognized three polypeptides with molecular masses of 27, 90 and 95 kDa on immunoblots. Antibodies cross-reacting with the 90 kDa polypeptide completely eliminated the specific retardation of an end-labelled 16 S rRNA promoter fragment in a mobility-shift assay, whereas the antibodies against the 95 kDa polypeptide resulted in the formation of a ternary complex (enzyme-DNA-antibody). The antibodies cross-reacting with the 27 kDa polypeptide, however, did not alter the mobility of the retarded DNA-enzyme complex on the gel. These antibodies also inhibited transcription in vitro of the psbA gene by ms-RNA pol and recognized polypeptides of identical molecular masses in the ms-RNA pol. These results show that the three polypeptides are functional components of the chloroplast transcriptional complex and appear to be involved in the transcription of both rRNA and mRNA genes. Transcriptional specificity is probably conferred by ancillary transcription factor(s) which remain to be identified.

Identification of the template binding polypeptide in the pea chloroplast transcriptional complex

We have identified the template-binding polypeptide in the pea chloroplast transcriptional complex by photoaffinity labelling. This polypeptide has an apparent molecular weight of about 150 kDa and binds to both, chloroplast ribosomal (16S rRNA) and messenger (psbA) promoters. The 16S rRNA and psbA promoters were amplified from chloroplast DNA by the polymerase chain reaction and labelled with a photoactive analogue of TTP, 5-bromodeoxy UTP, as well as with alpha-32P-dCTP. Using the filter-binding assay, the conditions for binding of the RNA polymerase complex to chloroplast promoters were optimized. The polypeptide directly interacting with the template was photo-crosslinked to it and resolved by denaturing gel electrophoresis. The photoaffinity labelling of the 150 kDa polypeptide was dependent on photoactivation by UV irradiation, and the presence of chloroplast promoters. Competition experiments showed that the protein formed a strong interaction with the plastid promoters which could not be displaced by lambda-phage DNA or synthetic polynucleotides. The photo-crosslinked and nuclease-treated promoter-polypeptide complex was resistant to further digestion with DNase and RNase, but could be hydrolyzed by Proteinase K. Binding of the promoters by the 150 kDa polypeptide could not be surpressed by transcription inhibitors like rifampicin and alpha-amanitin. However, heparin (0.001%) inhibited the formation of the enzyme-promoter complex, and interfered with the photoaffinity labelling of the 150 kDa polypeptide. The extent of photoaffinity labelling of 150 kDa polypeptide exhibits some degree of correlation to total transcriptional activity under various salt concentrations. The results demonstrate that the 150 kDa polypeptide is a functional template binding polypeptide of the pea chloroplast transcription complex.

Photoaffinity labelling of the pea chloroplast transcriptional complex by nascent RNA in vitro

We have used photoaffinity labelling to examine the chloroplast RNA polymerase components which come into contact with nascent transcripts during the in vitro transcription of plastid DNA. The transcripts were synthesized in the presence of a photoactive analogue (4-thio UTP) and alpha-32P-ATP, using enriched pea chloroplast RNA polymerase preparation and a recombinant plasmid containing the plastid 16S rRNA promoter. Brief irradiation of the transcriptional complex crosslinked the photoactive nascent RNA to proximal proteins. Labelling of the transcriptional complex was dependent on 4-thio UTP and template DNA. Two polypeptides of 51 and 54 kDa were consistently crosslinked to the nascent transcripts; about 60% of the total radioactivity of the crosslinked RNA was associated with these polypeptides. In some experiments, two additional polypeptides of 38 and 75 kDa were also found to be associated with about 13% and 17% of the total crosslinked RNA radioactivity, respectively. The UV-crosslinked transcriptional complexes were stable to either DNase or S1 nuclease hydrolysis but partially sensitive to RNase T1. Insensitivity of the complex to hydrolysis with RNase H suggested that the nascent transcripts were not crosslinked to the template. The complexes could also be hydrolysed by proteinase K and thermolysin. No crosslinkage was observed when labelled RNA molecules containing 4-thio UMP residues were added after synthesis to the polymerase preparation. This suggested that the method identified only those polypeptides which came into close contact with the transcript during its synthesis. Antibodies raised against the RNA-protein complex confirmed the presence of the polypeptides in the chloroplast RNA polymerase preparation on Western blots. Preincubation of these antibodies with the chloroplast RNA polymerase inhibited plastid DNA transcription. These data showed that the transcript-binding polypeptides were functional components of the chloroplast transcriptional complex.

Pea chloroplast DNA primase: characterization and role in initiation of replication

A DNA primase activity was isolated from pea chloroplasts and examined for its role in replication. The DNA primase activity was separated from the majority of the chloroplast RNA polymerase activity by linear salt gradient elution from a DEAE-cellulose column, and the two enzyme activities were separately purified through heparin-Sepharose columns. The primase activity was not inhibited by tagetitoxin, a specific inhibitor of chloroplast RNA polymerase, or by polyclonal antibodies prepared against purified pea chloroplast RNA polymerase, while the RNA polymerase activity was inhibited completely by either tagetitoxin or the polyclonal antibodies. The DNA primase activity was capable of priming DNA replication on single-stranded templates including poly(dT), poly(dC), M13mp19, and M13mp19 + 2.1, which contains the AT-rich pea chloroplast origin of replication. The RNA polymerase fraction was incapable of supporting incorporation of 3H-TTP in in vitro replication reactions using any of these single-stranded DNA templates. Glycerol gradient analysis indicated that the pea chloroplast DNA primase (115-120 kDa) separated from the pea chloroplast DNA polymerase (90 kDa), but is much smaller than chloroplast RNA polymerase. Because of these differences in size, template specificity, sensitivity to inhibitors, and elution characteristics, it is clear that the pea chloroplast DNA primase is an distinct enzyme form RNA polymerase. In vitro replication activity using the DNA primase fraction required all four rNTPs for optimum activity. The chloroplast DNA primase was capable of priming DNA replication activity on any single-stranded M13 template, but shows a strong preference for M13mp19 + 2.1. Primers synthesized using M13mp19 + 2.1 are resistant to DNase I, and range in size from 4 to about 60 nucleotides.