bims-plasge Biomed News
on Plastid genes
Issue of 2021‒06‒06
two papers selected by
Vera S. Bogdanova
Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
  1. Mutation of SlARC6 leads to tissue-specific defects in chloroplast development in tomato.
  2. Contribution of Massive Mitochondrial Fusion and Subsequent Fission in the Plant Life Cycle to the Integrity of the Mitochondrion and Its Genome.
  1. Hortic Res. 2021 Jun 01. 8(1): 127
    Mutation of SlARC6 leads to tissue-specific defects in chloroplast development in tomato.
    Jiang Chang, Fanyu Zhang, Haiyang Qin, Peng Liu, Jianfeng Wang, Shuang Wu.
      The proliferation and development of chloroplasts are important for maintaining the normal chloroplast population in plant tissues. Most studies have focused on chloroplast maintenance in leaves. In this study, we identified a spontaneous mutation in a tomato mutant named suffulta (su), in which the stems appeared albinic while the leaves remained normal. Map-based cloning showed that Su encodes a DnaJ heat shock protein that is a homolog of the Arabidopsis gene AtARC6, which is involved in chloroplast division. Knockdown and knockout of SlARC6 in wild-type tomato inhibit chloroplast division, indicating the conserved function of SlARC6. In su mutants, most mesophyll cells contain only one or two giant chloroplasts, while no chloroplasts are visible in 60% of stem cells, resulting in the albinic phenotype. Compared with mature tissues, the meristem of su mutants suggested that chloroplasts could partially divide in meristematic cells, suggesting the existence of an alternative mechanism in those dividing cells. Interestingly, the adaxial petiole cells of su mutants contain more chloroplasts than the abaxial cells. In addition, prolonged lighting can partially rescue the albinic phenotypes in su mutants, implying that light may promote SlACR6-independent chloroplast development. Our results verify the role of SlACR6 in chloroplast division in tomato and uncover the tissue-specific regulation of chloroplast development.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-021-00567-2
  2. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 21. pii: 5429. [Epub ahead of print]22(11):
    Contribution of Massive Mitochondrial Fusion and Subsequent Fission in the Plant Life Cycle to the Integrity of the Mitochondrion and Its Genome.
    Ray J Rose.
      Plant mitochondria have large genomes to house a small number of key genes. Most mitochondria do not contain a whole genome. Despite these latter characteristics, the mitochondrial genome is faithfully maternally inherited. To maintain the mitochondrial genes-so important for energy production-the fusion and fission of mitochondria are critical. Fission in plants is better understood than fusion, with the dynamin-related proteins (DRP 3A and 3B) driving the constriction of the mitochondrion. How the endoplasmic reticulum and the cytoskeleton are linked to the fission process is not yet fully understood. The fusion mechanism is less well understood, as obvious orthologues are not present. However, there is a recently described gene, MIRO2, that appears to have a significant role, as does the ER and cytoskeleton. Massive mitochondrial fusion (MMF or hyperfusion) plays a significant role in plants. MMF occurs at critical times of the life cycle, prior to flowering, in the enlarging zygote and at germination, mixing the cells' mitochondrial population-the so-called "discontinuous whole". MMF in particular aids genome repair, the conservation of critical genes and possibly gives an energy boost to important stages of the life cycle. MMF is also important in plant regeneration, an important component of plant biotechnology.
    Keywords:  massive mitochondrial fusion in plants; mitophagy; plant life cycle; plant mitochondria; plant mitochondrial DNA; plant mitochondrial fission; plant mitochondrial fusion
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22115429
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