1
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Závodník M, Pavlištová V, Machelová A, Lyčka M, Mozgová I, Caklová K, Dvořáčková M, Fajkus J. KU70 and CAF-1 in Arabidopsis: Divergent roles in rDNA stability and telomere homeostasis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:1922-1936. [PMID: 38493352 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Deficiency in chromatin assembly factor-1 (CAF-1) in plants through dysfunction of its components, FASCIATA1 and 2 (FAS1, FAS2), leads to the specific and progressive loss of rDNA and telomere repeats in plants. This loss is attributed to defective repair mechanisms for the increased DNA breaks encountered during replication, a consequence of impaired replication-dependent chromatin assembly. In this study, we explore the role of KU70 in these processes. Our findings reveal that, although the rDNA copy number is reduced in ku70 mutants when compared with wild-type plants, it is not markedly affected by diverse KU70 status in fas1 mutants. This is consistent with our previous characterisation of rDNA loss in fas mutants as a consequence part of the single-strand annealing pathway of homology-dependent repair. In stark contrast to rDNA, KU70 dysfunction fully suppresses the loss of telomeres in fas1 plants and converts telomeres to their elongated and heterogeneous state typical for ku70 plants. We conclude that the alternative telomere lengthening pathway, known to be activated in the absence of KU70, overrides progressive telomere loss due to CAF-1 dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Závodník
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Brno, CZ-61265, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Pavlištová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Adéla Machelová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Lyčka
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Iva Mozgová
- Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Karolína Caklová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Dvořáčková
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-61137, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-62500, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Brno, CZ-61265, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ-61137, Czech Republic
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2
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Štefanovie B, Jenner LP, Bozděchová L, Fajkus P, Sýkorová E, Fajkus J, Paleček JJ. Characterisation of the Arabidopsis thaliana telomerase TERT-TR complex. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 114:56. [PMID: 38743198 PMCID: PMC11093817 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-024-01461-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Most eukaryotic organisms employ a telomerase complex for the maintenance of chromosome ends. The core of this complex is composed of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA (TR) subunits. The TERT reverse transcriptase (RT) domain synthesises telomeric DNA using the TR template sequence. The other TERT domains contribute to this process in different ways. In particular, the TERT RNA-binding domain (TRBD) interacts with specific TR motif(s). Using a yeast 3-hybrid system, we show the critical role of Arabidopsis thaliana (At) TRBD and embryophyta-conserved KRxR motif in the unstructured linker preceding the TRBD domain for binding to the recently identified AtTR subunit. We also show the essential role of the predicted P4 stem and pseudoknot AtTR structures and provide evidence for the binding of AtTRBD to pseudoknot and KRxR motif stabilising interaction with the P4 stem structure. Our results thus provide the first insight into the core part of the plant telomerase complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Štefanovie
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Leon P Jenner
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Bozděchová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Kralovopolska 135, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan J Paleček
- Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic.
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3
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Barcenilla BB, Meyers AD, Castillo-González C, Young P, Min JH, Song J, Phadke C, Land E, Canaday E, Perera IY, Bailey SM, Aquilano R, Wyatt SE, Shippen DE. Arabidopsis telomerase takes off by uncoupling enzyme activity from telomere length maintenance in space. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7854. [PMID: 38030615 PMCID: PMC10686995 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41510-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Spaceflight-induced changes in astronaut telomeres have garnered significant attention in recent years. While plants represent an essential component of future long-duration space travel, the impacts of spaceflight on plant telomeres and telomerase have not been examined. Here we report on the telomere dynamics of Arabidopsis thaliana grown aboard the International Space Station. We observe no changes in telomere length in space-flown Arabidopsis seedlings, despite a dramatic increase in telomerase activity (up to 150-fold in roots), as well as elevated genome oxidation. Ground-based follow up studies provide further evidence that telomerase is induced by different environmental stressors, but its activity is uncoupled from telomere length. Supporting this conclusion, genetically engineered super-telomerase lines with enhanced telomerase activity maintain wildtype telomere length. Finally, genome oxidation is inversely correlated with telomerase activity levels. We propose a redox protective capacity for Arabidopsis telomerase that may promote survivability in harsh environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borja Barbero Barcenilla
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Alexander D Meyers
- Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
- NASA Postdoctoral Program, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Kennedy Space Center FL, Merritt Island, FL, 32899, USA
| | - Claudia Castillo-González
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Pierce Young
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ji-Hee Min
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jiarui Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Chinmay Phadke
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Eric Land
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Emma Canaday
- Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Imara Y Perera
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Roberto Aquilano
- National Technological University, Rosario Regional Faculty, Zeballos 1341, S2000, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Sarah E Wyatt
- Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
| | - Dorothy E Shippen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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4
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Telomerase Interaction Partners-Insight from Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010368. [PMID: 35008793 PMCID: PMC8745574 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase, an essential enzyme that maintains chromosome ends, is important for genome integrity and organism development. Various hypotheses have been proposed in human, ciliate and yeast systems to explain the coordination of telomerase holoenzyme assembly and the timing of telomerase performance at telomeres during DNA replication or repair. However, a general model is still unclear, especially pathways connecting telomerase with proposed non-telomeric functions. To strengthen our understanding of telomerase function during its intracellular life, we report on interactions of several groups of proteins with the Arabidopsis telomerase protein subunit (AtTERT) and/or a component of telomerase holoenzyme, POT1a protein. Among these are the nucleosome assembly proteins (NAP) and the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) system, which reveal new insights into the telomerase interaction network with links to telomere chromatin assembly and replication. A targeted investigation of 176 candidate proteins demonstrated numerous interactions with nucleolar, transport and ribosomal proteins, as well as molecular chaperones, shedding light on interactions during telomerase biogenesis. We further identified protein domains responsible for binding and analyzed the subcellular localization of these interactions. Moreover, additional interaction networks of NAP proteins and the DOMINO1 protein were identified. Our data support an image of functional telomerase contacts with multiprotein complexes including chromatin remodeling and cell differentiation pathways.
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5
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Eekhout T, Dvorackova M, Pedroza Garcia JA, Nespor Dadejova M, Kalhorzadeh P, Van den Daele H, Vercauteren I, Fajkus J, De Veylder L. G2/M-checkpoint activation in fasciata1 rescues an aberrant S-phase checkpoint but causes genome instability. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 186:1893-1907. [PMID: 34618100 PMCID: PMC8331141 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The WEE1 and ATM AND RAD3-RELATED (ATR) kinases are important regulators of the plant intra-S-phase checkpoint; consequently, WEE1KO and ATRKO roots are hypersensitive to replication-inhibitory drugs. Here, we report on a loss-of-function mutant allele of the FASCIATA1 (FAS1) subunit of the chromatin assembly factor 1 (CAF-1) complex that suppresses the phenotype of WEE1- or ATR-deficient Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants. We demonstrate that lack of FAS1 activity results in the activation of an ATAXIA TELANGIECTASIA MUTATED (ATM)- and SUPPRESSOR OF GAMMA-RESPONSE 1 (SOG1)-mediated G2/M-arrest that renders the ATR and WEE1 checkpoint regulators redundant. This ATM activation accounts for the telomere erosion and loss of ribosomal DNA that are described for fas1 plants. Knocking out SOG1 in the fas1 wee1 background restores replication stress sensitivity, demonstrating that SOG1 is an important secondary checkpoint regulator in plants that fail to activate the intra-S-phase checkpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Eekhout
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Martina Dvorackova
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - José Antonio Pedroza Garcia
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Martina Nespor Dadejova
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pooneh Kalhorzadeh
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Hilde Van den Daele
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Ilse Vercauteren
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Jiri Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lieven De Veylder
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9052 Gent, Belgium
- Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, 9052 Gent, Belgium
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6
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D'Amico-Willman KM, Anderson ES, Gradziel TM, Fresnedo-Ramírez J. Relative Telomere Length and Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) Expression Are Associated with Age in Almond ( Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D.A.Webb). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:189. [PMID: 33498228 PMCID: PMC7909263 DOI: 10.3390/plants10020189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
While all organisms age, our understanding of how aging occurs varies among species. The aging process in perennial plants is not well-defined, yet can have implications on production and yield of valuable fruit and nut crops. Almond exhibits an age-related disorder known as non-infectious bud failure (BF) that affects vegetative bud development, indirectly affecting kernel yield. This species and disorder present an opportunity to address aging in a commercially relevant and vegetatively propagated perennial crop. The hypothesis tested in this study was that relative telomere length and/or telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression can serve as biomarkers of aging in almond. Relative telomere lengths and expression of TERT, a subunit of the enzyme telomerase, were measured via qPCR methods using bud and leaf samples collected from distinct age cohorts over a two-year period. Results from this work show a marginal but significant association between both relative telomere length and TERT expression, and age, suggesting that as almonds age, telomeres shorten and TERT expression decreases. This work provides information on potential biomarkers of perennial plant aging, contributing to our knowledge of this process. In addition, these results provide opportunities to address BF in almond breeding and nursery propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. D'Amico-Willman
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 446911, USA;
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 432102, USA
| | | | - Thomas M. Gradziel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Jonathan Fresnedo-Ramírez
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 446911, USA;
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 432102, USA
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7
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Schrumpfová PP, Fajkus J. Composition and Function of Telomerase-A Polymerase Associated with the Origin of Eukaryotes. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10101425. [PMID: 33050064 PMCID: PMC7658794 DOI: 10.3390/biom10101425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The canonical DNA polymerases involved in the replication of the genome are unable to fully replicate the physical ends of linear chromosomes, called telomeres. Chromosomal termini thus become shortened in each cell cycle. The maintenance of telomeres requires telomerase—a specific RNA-dependent DNA polymerase enzyme complex that carries its own RNA template and adds telomeric repeats to the ends of chromosomes using a reverse transcription mechanism. Both core subunits of telomerase—its catalytic telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) subunit and telomerase RNA (TR) component—were identified in quick succession in Tetrahymena more than 30 years ago. Since then, both telomerase subunits have been described in various organisms including yeasts, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Despite the fact that telomerase activity in plants was described 25 years ago and the TERT subunit four years later, a genuine plant TR has only recently been identified by our group. In this review, we focus on the structure, composition and function of telomerases. In addition, we discuss the origin and phylogenetic divergence of this unique RNA-dependent DNA polymerase as a witness of early eukaryotic evolution. Specifically, we discuss the latest information regarding the recently discovered TR component in plants, its conservation and its structural features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137 Brno, Czech Republic;
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137 Brno, Czech Republic;
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic
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8
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Schořová Š, Fajkus J, Záveská Drábková L, Honys D, Schrumpfová PP. The plant Pontin and Reptin homologues, RuvBL1 and RuvBL2a, colocalize with TERT and TRB proteins in vivo, and participate in telomerase biogenesis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 98:195-212. [PMID: 30834599 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase maturation and recruitment to telomeres is regulated by several telomerase- and telomere-associated proteins. Among a number of proteins, human Pontin and Reptin play critical roles in telomerase biogenesis. Here we characterized plant orthologues of Pontin and Reptin, RuvBL1 and RuvBL2a, respectively, and show association of Arabidopsis thaliana RuvBL1 (AtRuvBL1) with the catalytic subunit of telomerase (AtTERT) in the nucleolus in vivo. In contrast to mammals, interactions between AtTERT and AtRuvBL proteins in A. thaliana are not direct and they are rather mediated by one of the Arabidopsis thaliana Telomere Repeat Binding (AtTRB) proteins. We further show that plant orthologue of dyskerin, named AtCBF5, is indirectly associated with AtTRB proteins but not with the AtRuvBL proteins in the plant nucleus/nucleolus, and interacts with the Protection of telomere 1 (AtPOT1a) in the nucleolus or cytoplasmic foci. Our genome-wide phylogenetic analyses identify orthologues in RuvBL protein family within the plant kingdom. Dysfunction of AtRuvBL genes in heterozygous T-DNA insertion A. thaliana mutants results in reduced telomerase activity and indicate the involvement of AtRuvBL in plant telomerase biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Šárka Schořová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Záveská Drábková
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Honys
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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9
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Crhák T, Zachová D, Fojtová M, Sýkorová E. The region upstream of the telomerase reverse transcriptase gene is essential for in planta telomerase complementation. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 281:41-51. [PMID: 30824060 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 12/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is essential for the maintenance of telomeres, structures located at the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes that are crucial for genomic stability. Telomerase has been frequently explored in mammals because of its activity in many types of cancers, but knowledge in plants is rather sketchy despite plants representing useful models due to peculiarities in their telomeres and telomerase biology. We studied in planta complementation of telomerase in Arabidopsis thaliana mutant plants with disrupted expression of the gene encoding the telomerase protein subunit (AtTERT) and significantly shortened telomeres. We found that the upstream region of AtTERT, previously identified as a putative minimal promoter, was essential for reconstitution of telomerase function, as demonstrated by the full or partial recovery of the telomere phenotype in mutants. In contrast, transformation by the full length AtTERT gene construct resulted in more progressive telomere shortening in mutants and even in wild type plants, despite the high level of AtTERT transcript and telomerase activity detected by in vitro assay. Thus, the telomerase protein subunit putative promoter is essential for in planta telomerase reconstitution and restoration of its catalytical activity. Contributions from other factors, including those tissue-specific, for proper telomerase function are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Crhák
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Brno, Czech Republic; Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dagmar Zachová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Brno, Czech Republic.
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10
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Telomeres in Plants and Humans: Not So Different, Not So Similar. Cells 2019; 8:cells8010058. [PMID: 30654521 PMCID: PMC6356271 DOI: 10.3390/cells8010058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Parallel research on multiple model organisms shows that while some principles of telomere biology are conserved among all eukaryotic kingdoms, we also find some deviations that reflect different evolutionary paths and life strategies, which may have diversified after the establishment of telomerase as a primary mechanism for telomere maintenance. Much more than animals, plants have to cope with environmental stressors, including genotoxic factors, due to their sessile lifestyle. This is, in principle, made possible by an increased capacity and efficiency of the molecular systems ensuring maintenance of genome stability, as well as a higher tolerance to genome instability. Furthermore, plant ontogenesis differs from that of animals in which tissue differentiation and telomerase silencing occur during early embryonic development, and the “telomere clock” in somatic cells may act as a preventive measure against carcinogenesis. This does not happen in plants, where growth and ontogenesis occur through the serial division of apical meristems consisting of a small group of stem cells that generate a linear series of cells, which differentiate into an array of cell types that make a shoot and root. Flowers, as generative plant organs, initiate from the shoot apical meristem in mature plants which is incompatible with the human-like developmental telomere shortening. In this review, we discuss differences between human and plant telomere biology and the implications for aging, genome stability, and cell and organism survival. In particular, we provide a comprehensive comparative overview of telomere proteins acting in humans and in Arabidopsis thaliana model plant, and discuss distinct epigenetic features of telomeric chromatin in these species.
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11
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Dokládal L, Benková E, Honys D, Dupľáková N, Lee LY, Gelvin SB, Sýkorová E. An armadillo-domain protein participates in a telomerase interaction network. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 97:407-420. [PMID: 29948659 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-018-0747-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Arabidopsis and human ARM protein interact with telomerase. Deregulated mRNA levels of DNA repair and ribosomal protein genes in an Arabidopsis arm mutant suggest non-telomeric ARM function. The human homolog ARMC6 interacts with hTRF2. Telomerase maintains telomeres and has proposed non-telomeric functions. We previously identified interaction of the C-terminal domain of Arabidopsis telomerase reverse transcriptase (AtTERT) with an armadillo/β-catenin-like repeat (ARM) containing protein. Here we explore protein-protein interactions of the ARM protein, AtTERT domains, POT1a, TRF-like family and SMH family proteins, and the chromatin remodeling protein CHR19 using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) analysis, and co-immunoprecipitation. The ARM protein interacts with both the N- and C-terminal domains of AtTERT in different cellular compartments. ARM interacts with CHR19 and TRF-like I family proteins that also bind AtTERT directly or through interaction with POT1a. The putative human ARM homolog co-precipitates telomerase activity and interacts with hTRF2 protein in vitro. Analysis of Arabidopsis arm mutants shows no obvious changes in telomere length or telomerase activity, suggesting that ARM is not essential for telomere maintenance. The observed interactions with telomerase and Myb-like domain proteins (TRF-like family I) may therefore reflect possible non-telomeric functions. Transcript levels of several DNA repair and ribosomal genes are affected in arm mutants, and ARM, likely in association with other proteins, suppressed expression of XRCC3 and RPSAA promoter constructs in luciferase reporter assays. In conclusion, ARM can participate in non-telomeric functions of telomerase, and can also perform its own telomerase-independent functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladislav Dokládal
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Eva Benková
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - David Honys
- Institute of Experimental Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojova 263, 16502, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nikoleta Dupľáková
- Institute of Experimental Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojova 263, 16502, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lan-Ying Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-1392, USA
| | - Stanton B Gelvin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-1392, USA
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 61265, Brno, Czech Republic.
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12
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Majerská J, Schrumpfová PP, Dokládal L, Schořová Š, Stejskal K, Obořil M, Honys D, Kozáková L, Polanská PS, Sýkorová E. Tandem affinity purification of AtTERT reveals putative interaction partners of plant telomerase in vivo. PROTOPLASMA 2017; 254:1547-1562. [PMID: 27853871 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-016-1042-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The life cycle of telomerase involves dynamic and complex interactions between proteins within multiple macromolecular networks. Elucidation of these associations is a key to understanding the regulation of telomerase under diverse physiological and pathological conditions from telomerase biogenesis, through telomere recruitment and elongation, to its non-canonical activities outside of telomeres. We used tandem affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry to build an interactome of the telomerase catalytic subunit AtTERT, using Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cultures. We then examined interactions occurring at the AtTERT N-terminus, which is thought to fold into a discrete domain connected to the rest of the molecule via a flexible linker. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that interaction partners of AtTERT have a range of molecular functions, a subset of which is specific to the network around its N-terminus. A significant number of proteins co-purifying with the N-terminal constructs have been implicated in cell cycle and developmental processes, as would be expected of bona fide regulatory interactions and we have confirmed experimentally the direct nature of selected interactions. To examine AtTERT protein-protein interactions from another perspective, we also analysed AtTERT interdomain contacts to test potential dimerization of AtTERT. In total, our results provide an insight into the composition and architecture of the plant telomerase complex and this will aid in delineating molecular mechanisms of telomerase functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Majerská
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137, Brno, Czech Republic
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137, Brno, Czech Republic
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ladislav Dokládal
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Šárka Schořová
- Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Stejskal
- Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Obořil
- Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Honys
- Institute of Experimental Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Rozvojová 263, CZ-165 02, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Kozáková
- Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Sováková Polanská
- Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, CZ-61137, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic.
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13
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Pavlištová V, Dvořáčková M, Jež M, Mozgová I, Mokroš P, Fajkus J. Phenotypic reversion in fas mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana by reintroduction of FAS genes: variable recovery of telomeres with major spatial rearrangements and transcriptional reprogramming of 45S rDNA genes. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 88:411-424. [PMID: 27377564 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Arabidopsis thaliana mutants dysfunctional in the evolutionarily conserved protein complex chromatin assembly factor-1 (CAF-1), which deposits the canonical histone H3 variant H3.1 during DNA synthesis-dependent chromatin assembly, display complex phenotypic changes including meristem and growth alterations, sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, and reduced fertility. We reported previously that mutants in the FAS1 subunit of CAF-1 progressively lose telomere and 45S rDNA repeats. Here we show that multiple aspects of the fas phenotype are recovered immediately on expression of a reintroduced FAS1 allele, and are clearly independent of the recovery of rDNA copy-numbers and telomeres. In reverted lines, 45S rDNA genes are recovered to diverse levels with a strikingly different representation of their variants, and the typical association of nucleolar organizing region 4 with the nucleolus is perturbed. One of 45S rDNA variants (VAR1), which is silenced in wild-type (WT) plants without mutation history (Col-0 WT), dominates the expression pattern, whereas VAR2 is dominant in Col-0 WT plants. We propose an explanation for the variability of telomere and 45S rDNA repeats associated with CAF-1 function, suggesting that the differences in nuclear partitioning and expression of the rDNA variants in fas mutants and their revertants provide a useful experimental system to study genetic and epigenetic factors in gene dosage compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Pavlištová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Dvořáčková
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Jež
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Iva Mozgová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Mokroš
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology - CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
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14
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Procházková Schrumpfová P, Schořová Š, Fajkus J. Telomere- and Telomerase-Associated Proteins and Their Functions in the Plant Cell. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:851. [PMID: 27446102 PMCID: PMC4924339 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres, as physical ends of linear chromosomes, are targets of a number of specific proteins, including primarily telomerase reverse transcriptase. Access of proteins to the telomere may be affected by a number of diverse factors, e.g., protein interaction partners, local DNA or chromatin structures, subcellular localization/trafficking, or simply protein modification. Knowledge of composition of the functional nucleoprotein complex of plant telomeres is only fragmentary. Moreover, the plant telomeric repeat binding proteins that were characterized recently appear to also be involved in non-telomeric processes, e.g., ribosome biogenesis. This interesting finding was not totally unexpected since non-telomeric functions of yeast or animal telomeric proteins, as well as of telomerase subunits, have been reported for almost a decade. Here we summarize known facts about the architecture of plant telomeres and compare them with the well-described composition of telomeres in other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czech Republic
- *Correspondence: Petra Procházková Schrumpfová,
| | - Šárka Schořová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i.Brno, Czech Republic
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15
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Dokládal L, Honys D, Rana R, Lee LY, Gelvin SB, Sýkorová E. cDNA Library Screening Identifies Protein Interactors Potentially Involved in Non-Telomeric Roles of Arabidopsis Telomerase. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:985. [PMID: 26617625 PMCID: PMC4641898 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase-reverse transcriptase (TERT) plays an essential catalytic role in maintaining telomeres. However, in animal systems telomerase plays additional non-telomeric functional roles. We previously screened an Arabidopsis cDNA library for proteins that interact with the C-terminal extension (CTE) TERT domain and identified a nuclear-localized protein that contains an RNA recognition motif (RRM). This RRM-protein forms homodimers in both plants and yeast. Mutation of the gene encoding the RRM-protein had no detectable effect on plant growth and development, nor did it affect telomerase activity or telomere length in vivo, suggesting a non-telomeric role for TERT/RRM-protein complexes. The gene encoding the RRM-protein is highly expressed in leaf and reproductive tissues. We further screened an Arabidopsis cDNA library for proteins that interact with the RRM-protein and identified five interactors. These proteins are involved in numerous non-telomere-associated cellular activities. In plants, the RRM-protein, both alone and in a complex with its interactors, localizes to nuclear speckles. Transcriptional analyses in wild-type and rrm mutant plants, as well as transcriptional co-analyses, suggest that TERT, the RRM-protein, and the RRM-protein interactors may play important roles in non-telomeric cellular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladislav Dokládal
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics – Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i.Brno, Czech Republic
| | - David Honys
- Institute of Experimental Botany – Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i.Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rajiv Rana
- Institute of Experimental Botany – Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i.Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lan-Ying Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West LafayetteIN, USA
| | - Stanton B. Gelvin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West LafayetteIN, USA
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology and Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityBrno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics – Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic v.v.i.Brno, Czech Republic
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16
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Peška V, Fajkus P, Fojtová M, Dvořáčková M, Hapala J, Dvořáček V, Polanská P, Leitch AR, Sýkorová E, Fajkus J. Characterisation of an unusual telomere motif (TTTTTTAGGG)n in the plant Cestrum elegans (Solanaceae), a species with a large genome. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 82:644-54. [PMID: 25828846 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The characterization of unusual telomere sequence sheds light on patterns of telomere evolution, maintenance and function. Plant species from the closely related genera Cestrum, Vestia and Sessea (family Solanaceae) lack known plant telomeric sequences. Here we characterize the telomere of Cestrum elegans, work that was a challenge because of its large genome size and few chromosomes (1C 9.76 pg; n = 8). We developed an approach that combines BAL31 digestion, which digests DNA from the ends and chromosome breaks, with next-generation sequencing (NGS), to generate data analysed in RepeatExplorer, designed for de novo repeats identification and quantification. We identify an unique repeat motif (TTTTTTAGGG)n in C. elegans, occurring in ca. 30 400 copies per haploid genome, averaging ca. 1900 copies per telomere, and synthesized by telomerase. We demonstrate that the motif is synthesized by telomerase. The occurrence of an unusual eukaryote (TTTTTTAGGG)n telomeric motif in C. elegans represents a switch in motif from the 'typical' angiosperm telomere (TTTAGGG)n . That switch may have happened with the divergence of Cestrum, Sessea and Vestia. The shift in motif when it arose would have had profound effects on telomere activity. Thus our finding provides a unique handle to study how telomerase and telomeres responded to genetic change, studies that will shed more light on telomere function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vratislav Peška
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Fajkus
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Dvořáčková
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Hapala
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Dvořáček
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Polanská
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew R Leitch
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Eva Sýkorová
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, and CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
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17
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Fojtová M, Sýkorová E, Najdekrová L, Polanská P, Zachová D, Vagnerová R, Angelis KJ, Fajkus J. Telomere dynamics in the lower plant Physcomitrella patens. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 87:591-601. [PMID: 25701469 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-015-0299-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A comparative approach in biology is needed to assess the universality of rules governing this discipline. In plant telomere research, most of the key principles were established based on studies in only single model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. These principles include the absence of telomere shortening during plant development and the corresponding activity of telomerase in dividing (meristem) plant cells. Here we examine these principles in Physcomitrella patens as a representative of lower plants. To follow telomerase expression, we first characterize the gene coding for the telomerase reverse transcriptase subunit PpTERT in P. patens, for which only incomplete prediction has been available so far. In protonema cultures of P. patens, growing by filament apical cell division, the proportion of apical (dividing) cells was quantified and telomere length, telomerase expression and activity were determined. Our results show telomere stability and demonstrate proportionality of telomerase activity and expression with the number of apical cells. In addition, we analyze telomere maintenance in mre11, rad50, nbs1, ku70 and lig4 mutants of P. patens and compare the impact of these mutations in double-strand-break (DSB) repair pathways with earlier observations in corresponding A. thaliana mutants. Telomere phenotypes are absent and DSB repair kinetics is not affected in P. patens mutants for DSB factors involved in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). This is compliant with the overall dominance of homologous recombination over NHEJ pathways in the moss, contrary to the inverse situation in flowering plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miloslava Fojtová
- Faculty of Science and CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
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18
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Wang HL, Chen J, Tian Q, Wang S, Xia X, Yin W. Identification and validation of reference genes for Populus euphratica gene expression analysis during abiotic stresses by quantitative real-time PCR. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2014; 152:529-45. [PMID: 24720378 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2013] [Revised: 03/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Populus euphratica is the only arboreal species that is established in the world's largest shifting-sand desert in China and is well-adapted to the extreme desert environment, so it is widely considered a model system for researching into abiotic stress resistance of woody plants. However, few P. euphratica reference genes (RGs) have been identified for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) until now. Validation of suitable RGs is essential for gene expression normalization research. In this study, we screened 16 endogenous candidate RGs in P. euphratica leaves in six abiotic stress treatments, including abscisic acid (ABA), cold, dehydration, drought, short-duration salt (SS) and long-duration salt (LS) treatments, each with 6 treatment gradients. After calculation of PCR efficiencies, three different software tools, NormFinder, geNorm and BestKeeper, were employed to analyze the qRT-PCR data systematically, and the outputs were merged by means of a non-weighted unsupervised rank aggregation method. The genes selected as optimal for gene expression analysis of the six treatments were RPL17 (ribosomal protein L17) in ABA, EF1α (elongation factor-1 alpha) in cold, HIS (histone superfamily protein H3) in dehydration, GIIα in drought and SS, and TUB (tubulin) in LS. The expression of 60S (the 60S ribosomal protein) varied the least during all treatments. To illustrate the suitability of these RGs, the relative quantifications of three stress-inducible genes, PePYL1, PeSCOF-1 and PeSCL7 were investigated with different RGs. The results, calculated using qBasePlus software, showed that compared with the least-appropriate RGs, the expression profiles normalized by the recommended RGs were closer to expectations. Our study provided an important RG application guideline for P. euphratica gene expression characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hou-Ling Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China; Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation, College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
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19
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Procházková Schrumpfová P, Vychodilová I, Dvořáčková M, Majerská J, Dokládal L, Schořová Š, Fajkus J. Telomere repeat binding proteins are functional components of Arabidopsis telomeres and interact with telomerase. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 77:770-81. [PMID: 24397874 PMCID: PMC4282523 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Revised: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Although telomere-binding proteins constitute an essential part of telomeres, in vivo data indicating the existence of a structure similar to mammalian shelterin complex in plants are limited. Partial characterization of a number of candidate proteins has not identified true components of plant shelterin or elucidated their functional mechanisms. Telomere repeat binding (TRB) proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana bind plant telomeric repeats through a Myb domain of the telobox type in vitro, and have been shown to interact with POT1b (Protection of telomeres 1). Here we demonstrate co-localization of TRB1 protein with telomeres in situ using fluorescence microscopy, as well as in vivo interaction using chromatin immunoprecipitation. Classification of the TRB1 protein as a component of plant telomeres is further confirmed by the observation of shortening of telomeres in knockout mutants of the trb1 gene. Moreover, TRB proteins physically interact with plant telomerase catalytic subunits. These findings integrate TRB proteins into the telomeric interactome of A. thaliana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- *For correspondence (e-mails or )
| | - Ivona Vychodilová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Dvořáčková
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republicv.v.i, Královopolská 135, Brno, CZ, 61265, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Majerská
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- †Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneStation 19, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ladislav Dokládal
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republicv.v.i, Královopolská 135, Brno, CZ, 61265, Czech Republic
| | - Šárka Schořová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- Functional Genomics and Proteomics, CEITEC National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk UniversityKamenice 5, Brno, CZ, 62500, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republicv.v.i, Královopolská 135, Brno, CZ, 61265, Czech Republic
- *For correspondence (e-mails or )
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