Projects per year
Abstract
Mitochondrial genes encode key components of the cellular energy machinery, but their genetic analysis is difficult or impossible in most organisms (including plants) because of the lack of viable transformation approaches. We report here a method to block the expression of the mitochondrial nad6 gene encoding a subunit of respiratory complex I in Arabidopsis thaliana, via the modification of the specificity of the RNA-binding protein RNA PROCESSING FACTOR 2 (RPF2). We show that the modified RPF2 binds and specifically induces cleavage of nad6 RNA, almost eliminating expression of the Nad6 protein and consequently complex I accumulation and activity. To our knowledge, this is the first example of a targeted block in expression of a specific mitochondrial transcript by a custom-designed RNA-binding protein. This opens the path to reverse genetics studies on mitochondrial gene functions and leads to potential applications in agriculture.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 166 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Communications Biology |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2018 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Targeted cleavage of nad6 mRNA induced by a modified pentatricopeptide repeat protein in plant mitochondria'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 2 Finished
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Controlling gene expression with synthetic RNA-binding proteins
Small, I. (Investigator 01)
ARC Australian Research Council
1/07/14 → 31/12/19
Project: Research
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ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology 2014 (CPEB2)
Millar, H. (Investigator 01), Pogson, B. (Investigator 02), Tyerman, S. (Investigator 03), Small, I. (Investigator 04), Whelan, J. (Investigator 05), Borevitz, J. (Investigator 06), Lister, R. (Investigator 07), Atkin, O. (Investigator 08) & Munns, R. (Investigator 09)
ARC Australian Research Council
1/01/14 → 31/12/20
Project: Research