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AtNusG, a chloroplast nucleoid protein of bacterial origin linking chloroplast transcriptional and translational machineries, is required for proper chloroplast gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.

ABSTRACT: In Escherichia coli, transcription-translation coupling is mediated by NusG. Although chloroplasts are descendants of endosymbiotic prokaryotes, the mechanism underlying this coupling in chloroplasts remains unclear. Here, we report transcription-translation coupling through AtNusG in chloroplasts. AtNusG is localized in chloroplast nucleoids and is closely associated with the chloroplast PEP complex by interacting with its essential component PAP9. It also comigrates with chloroplast ribosomes and interacts with their two components PRPS5 (uS5c) and PRPS10 (uS10c). These data suggest that the transcription and translation machineries are coupled in chloroplasts. In the atnusg mutant, the accumulation of chloroplast-encoded photosynthetic gene transcripts, such as psbA, psbB, psbC and psbD, was not obviously changed, but that of their proteins was clearly decreased. Chloroplast polysomic analysis indicated that the decrease in these proteins was due to the reduced efficiency of their translation in this mutant, leading to reduced photosynthetic efficiency and enhanced sensitivity to cold stress. These data indicate that AtNusG-mediated coupling between transcription and translation in chloroplasts ensures the rapid establishment of photosynthetic capacity for plant growth and the response to environmental changes. Therefore, our study reveals a conserved mechanism of transcription-translation coupling between chloroplasts and E. coli, which perhaps represents a regulatory mechanism of chloroplast gene expression. This study provides insights into the underlying mechanisms of chloroplast gene expression in higher plants.

SUBMITTER: Xiong HB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9262611 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:In the studies incorporating worldwide sampling of A. thaliana populations, the samples from East Asia, especially from China, were very scattered; and the studies focused on global patterns of cpDNA genetic variation among accessions of A. thaliana are very few. In this study, chloroplast DNA sequence variability was used to infer phylogenetic relationships among Arabidopsis thaliana accessions from around the world, with the emphasis on samples from China. RESULTS:A data set comprising 77 accessions of A. thaliana, including 19 field-collected Chinese accessions together with three related species (A. arenosa, A. suecica, and Olimarabidopsis cabulica) as the out-group, was compiled. The analysis of the nucleotide sequences showed that the 77 accessions of A. thaliana were partitioned into two major differentiated haplotype classes (MDHCs). The estimated divergence time of the two MDHCs was about 0.39 mya. Forty-nine haplotypes were detected among the 77 accessions, which exhibited nucleotide diversity (pi) of 0.00169. The Chinese populations along the Yangtze River were characterized by five haplotypes, and the two accessions collected from the middle range of the Altai Mountains in China shared six specific variable sites. CONCLUSIONS:The dimorphism in the chloroplast DNA could be due to founder effects during late Pleistocene glaciations and interglacial periods, although introgression cannot be ruled out. The Chinese populations along the Yangtze River may have dispersed eastwards to their present-day locations from the Himalayas. These populations originated from a common ancestor, and a rapid demographic expansion began approximately 90,000 years ago. Two accessions collected from the middle range of the Altai Mountains in China may have survived in a local refugium during late Pleistocene glaciations. The natural populations from China with specific genetic characteristics enriched the gene pools of global A. thaliana collections.

Project description:BackgroundThe Arabidopsis CAH1 alpha-type carbonic anhydrase is one of the few plant proteins known to be targeted to the chloroplast through the secretory pathway. CAH1 is post-translationally modified at several residues by the attachment of N-glycans, resulting in a mature protein harbouring complex-type glycans. The reason of why trafficking through this non-canonical pathway is beneficial for certain chloroplast resident proteins is not yet known. Therefore, to elucidate the significance of glycosylation in trafficking and the effect of glycosylation on the stability and function of the protein, epitope-labelled wild type and mutated versions of CAH1 were expressed in plant cells.Methodology/principal findingsTransient expression of mutant CAH1 with disrupted glycosylation sites showed that the protein harbours four, or in certain cases five, N-glycans. While the wild type protein trafficked through the secretory pathway to the chloroplast, the non-glycosylated protein formed aggregates and associated with the ER chaperone BiP, indicating that glycosylation of CAH1 facilitates folding and ER-export. Using cysteine mutants we also assessed the role of disulphide bridge formation in the folding and stability of CAH1. We found that a disulphide bridge between cysteines at positions 27 and 191 in the mature protein was required for correct folding of the protein. Using a mass spectrometric approach we were able to measure the enzymatic activity of CAH1 protein. Under circumstances where protein N-glycosylation is blocked in vivo, the activity of CAH1 is completely inhibited.Conclusions/significanceWe show for the first time the importance of post-translational modifications such as N-glycosylation and intramolecular disulphide bridge formation in folding and trafficking of a protein from the secretory pathway to the chloroplast in higher plants. Requirements for these post-translational modifications for a fully functional native protein explain the need for an alternative route to the chloroplast.

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AtNusG, a chloroplast nucleoid protein of bacterial origin linking chloroplast transcriptional and translational machineries, is required for proper chloroplast gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.

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