Molecular characterization of two anther-specific genes encoding putative RNA-binding proteins, AtRBP45s, in Arabidopsis thaliana

A Maize Male Gametophyte-Specific Gene Encodes ZmLARP6c1, a Potential RNA-Binding Protein Required for Competitive Pollen Tube Growth

Members of the La-related protein family (LARPs) contain a conserved La module, which has been associated with RNA-binding activity. Expression of the maize gene GRMZM2G323499/Zm00001d018613, a member of the LARP family, is highly specific to pollen, based on both transcriptomic and proteomic assays. This suggests a pollen-specific RNA regulatory function for the protein, designated ZmLARP6c1 based on sequence similarity to the LARP6 subfamily in Arabidopsis. To test this hypothesis, a Ds-GFP transposable element insertion in the ZmLarp6c1 gene (tdsgR82C05) was obtained from the Dooner/Du mutant collection. Sequencing confirmed that the Ds-GFP insertion is in an exon, and thus likely interferes with ZmLARP6c1 function. Tracking inheritance of the insertion via its endosperm-expressed GFP indicated that the mutation was associated with reduced transmission from a heterozygous plant when crossed as a male (ranging from 0.5 to 26.5% transmission), but not as a female. Furthermore, this transmission defect was significantly alleviated when less pollen was applied to the silk, reducing competition between mutant and wild-type pollen. Pollen grain diameter measurements and nuclei counts showed no significant differences between wild-type and mutant pollen. However, in vitro, mutant pollen tubes were significantly shorter than those from sibling wild-type plants, and also displayed altered germination dynamics. These results are consistent with the idea that ZmLARP6c1 provides an important regulatory function during the highly competitive progamic phase of male gametophyte development following arrival of the pollen grain on the silk. The conditional, competitive nature of the Zmlarp6c1::Ds male sterility phenotype (i.e., reduced ability to produce progeny seed) points toward new possibilities for genetic control of parentage in crop production.

Phylogenetic and expression analysis of RNA-binding proteins with triple RNA recognition motifs in plants

The superfamily of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) is vastly expanded in plants compared to other eukaryotes. A subfamily of RBPs that contain three RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) from the Arabidopsis (24), rice (19) and poplar (37) genomes was analyzed in this study. Phylogenetic analysis with full-length protein sequences of 80 RBPs identified nine clades. The largest clade, comprising 23 members, showed high homology to human RBPs involved in oxidative signaling. Digital northern analysis revealed that Arabidopsis RBPs are transcriptionally responsive to biotic, abiotic and hormonal treatments. Northern blot analysis of eight Arabidopsis RBPs belonging to the tobacco RBP45/47 family showed that these genes respond to ozone stress. AtRBP45b, which shows closest homology to the yeast oxidative stress regulatory protein, CSX1, was expressed in multiple tissues. Two novel splice variant forms of AtRBP45b were identified by 3'RACE analysis. Based on RT-PCR, splice variant AtRBP45b-SV1 was observed only in response to mechanical wounding caused by pathogen or chemical infiltrations and was not detectable in response to salt or temperature stress. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that recombinant full-length and splice variant forms of AtRBP45b bound synthetic RNA. Identifying in vivo RNA targets of AtRBP45b will aid in determining the precise functional role of these proteins during oxidative signaling.

Evolution of self-compatibility in Arabidopsis by a mutation in the male specificity gene

Ever since Darwin's pioneering research, the evolution of self-fertilisation (selfing) has been regarded as one of the most prevalent evolutionary transitions in flowering plants. A major mechanism to prevent selfing is the self-incompatibility (SI) recognition system, which consists of male and female specificity genes at the S-locus and SI modifier genes. Under conditions that favour selfing, mutations disabling the male recognition component are predicted to enjoy a relative advantage over those disabling the female component, because male mutations would increase through both pollen and seeds whereas female mutations would increase only through seeds. Despite many studies on the genetic basis of loss of SI in the predominantly selfing plant Arabidopsis thaliana, it remains unknown whether selfing arose through mutations in the female specificity gene (S-receptor kinase, SRK), male specificity gene (S-locus cysteine-rich protein, SCR; also known as S-locus protein 11, SP11) or modifier genes, and whether any of them rose to high frequency across large geographic regions. Here we report that a disruptive 213-base-pair (bp) inversion in the SCR gene (or its derivative haplotypes with deletions encompassing the entire SCR-A and a large portion of SRK-A) is found in 95% of European accessions, which contrasts with the genome-wide pattern of polymorphism in European A. thaliana. Importantly, interspecific crossings using Arabidopsis halleri as a pollen donor reveal that some A. thaliana accessions, including Wei-1, retain the female SI reaction, suggesting that all female components including SRK are still functional. Moreover, when the 213-bp inversion in SCR was inverted and expressed in transgenic Wei-1 plants, the functional SCR restored the SI reaction. The inversion within SCR is the first mutation disrupting SI shown to be nearly fixed in geographically wide samples, and its prevalence is consistent with theoretical predictions regarding the evolutionary advantage of mutations in male components.

Expression and developmental function of the 3-ketoacyl-ACP synthase2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana

The 3-ketoacyl-ACP synthase (KAS) II is a fatty-acid-related enzyme which catalyzes the elongation of 16:0-acyl carrier protein (ACP) to 18:0-ACP in plastids. The fatty acid biosynthesis 1-1 (fab1-1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana is partially deficient in its activity of Arabidopsis thaliana 3-ketoacyl-ACP synthase 2 (AtKAS2), and its phenotype has been intensively studied in connection with the chilling resistance and fatty acid composition. In this study, we used the T-DNA insertion mutant of AtKAS2 to examine its possible role in plant development. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR showed that the AtKAS2 gene was expressed in various plant organs, except for roots, and was highly expressed in siliques. The fusion of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) to the AtKAS2 promoter demonstrated that the promoter was active in various tissues such as embryos, stomatal guard cells, inflorescences and pollen grains. We were not able to identify atkas2 homozygous mutant adult plants in heterozygous mutant progeny. Phenotypic and genetic analyses showed that disruption of the AtKAS2 by T-DNA insertion caused embryo lethality, and the development of the embryos was arrested at the globular stage. Taken together, our results suggest that AtKAS2 is required for embryo development in Arabidopsis during the transition from the globular to the heart stage.