Search

We have seen in recent years a massive leap forward in plant genetic engineering which holds great promise for future plant breeding. However, the genes that steer the plant’s powerhouses had resisted our attempts to change them. We tried a technique that had fallen out of favour in the last decade, and we unexpectedly discovered an efficient and valuable tool.

In eukaryotes, mitochondrial ATP is mainly produced by the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system, which is composed of 5 multiprotein complexes (complexes I–V). Analyses of the OXPHOS system by native gel electrophoresis have revealed an organization of OXPHOS complexes into supercomplexes, but their roles and assembly pathways remain unclear. In this study, we characterized an atypical mitochondrial ferredoxin (mitochondrial ferredoxin-like, mFDX-like). This protein was previously found to be part of the bridge domain linking the matrix and membrane arms of the complex I. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mFDX-like evolved from classical mitochondrial ferredoxins (mFDXs) but lost one of the cysteines required for the coordination of the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster, supposedly essential for the electron transfer function of FDXs. Accordingly, our biochemical study showed that AtmFDX-like does not bind an Fe-S cluster and is therefore unlikely to be involved in electron transfer reactions. To study the function of mFDX-like, we created deletion lines in Arabidopsis using a CRISPR/Cas9-based strategy. These lines did not show any abnormal phenotype under standard growth conditions. However, the characterization of the OXPHOS system demonstrated that mFDX-like is important for the assembly of complex I and essential for the formation of complex I-containing supercomplexes. We propose that mFDX-like and the bridge domain are required for the correct conformation of the membrane arm of complex I that is essential for the association of complex I with complex III2 to form supercomplexes.

The development of technologies for the genetic manipulation of mitochondrial genomes remains a major challenge. Here we report a method for the targeted introduction of mutations into plant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that we refer to as transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) gene-drive mutagenesis (GDM), or TALEN-GDM. The method combines TALEN-induced site-specific cleavage of the mtDNA with selection for mutations that confer resistance to the TALEN cut. Applying TALEN-GDM to the tobacco mitochondrial nad9 gene, we isolated a large set of mutants carrying single amino acid substitutions in the Nad9 protein. The mutants could be purified to homochondriomy and stably inherited their edited mtDNA in the expected maternal fashion. TALEN-GDM induces both transitions and transversions, and can access most nucleotide positions within the TALEN binding site. Our work provides an efficient method for targeted mitochondrial genome editing that produces genetically stable, homochondriomic and fertile plants with specific point mutations in their mtDNA.

In eukaryotes, mitochondrial ATP is mainly produced by the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system, which is composed of five multiprotein complexes (complexes I to V). Analyses of the OXPHOS system by native gel electrophoresis revealed an organization of OXPHOS complexes in supercomplexes, but their roles and assembly pathways remain unclear. In this study, we characterized an atypical mitochondrial ferredoxin (mFDX-like). This protein was previously found associated with complex I, being part of the bridge domain linking the matrix and membrane arms of the complex. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that the Arabidopsis thaliana mFDX-like evolved from classical mitochondrial ferredoxin, but it lost one of the cysteines required for the coordination of the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster essential for the electron transfer function of ferredoxins. Accordingly, our biochemical study shows that AtmFDX-like does not bind an Fe-S cluster, and is therefore unlikely to be involved in electron transfer reactions. To study the function of mFDX-like, we created deletion lines in Arabidopsis using a CRISPR/Cas9 approach. These lines do not show any growth phenotype under standard growth condition. However, the characterization of the OXPHOS system demonstrates that mFDX-like is important for the assembly of complex I, and essential for the formation of complex I-containing supercomplexes. We propose that mFDX-like and the bridge domain are required for the correct conformation of the membrane arm of complex I that is essential for the association of complex I with complex III to form supercomplexes.

Genome editing continues to revolutionize biological research. Due to its simplicity and flexibility, CRISPR/Cas-based editing has become the preferred technology in most systems. Cas nucleases tolerate fusion to large protein domains, thus allowing combination of their DNA recognition properties with new enzymatic activities. Fusion to nucleoside deaminase or reverse transcriptase domains has produced base editors and prime editors that, instead of generating double-strand breaks in the target sequence, induce site-specific alterations of single (or a few adjacent) nucleotides. The availability of protein-only genome editing reagents based on transcription activator-like effectors has enabled the extension of base editing to the genomes of chloroplasts and mitochondria. In this review, we summarize currently available base editing methods for nuclear and organellar genomes. We highlight recent advances with improving precision, specificity, and efficiency and discuss current limitations and future challenges. We also provide a brief overview of applications in agricultural biotechnology and gene therapy.

Building a safe space for stem cells The meristem, the collection of stem cells that builds plants, is resistant to viral infection. Wu et al. now show that WUSCHEL, a transcription factor that helps to sustain stem cell production in the shoot apical meristem of Arabidopsis , also protects that stem cell domain from viruses. WUSCHEL inhibited viral protein synthesis by repressing methyltransferases that regulate ribosomal RNA processing and ribosome stability. Science , this issue p. 227

TAL effector nucleases (TALENs) are powerful tools to create specific knockout mutants in plants. The use of an optimized TALEN backbone and the choice of promoters that are strongly active in the stem cells of the shoot apical meristem are key to a high rate of heritable targeted mutations. Recommendations for construct design and screening for mutants are given in this chapter.

TAL effector nucleases (TALENs) are powerful tools to create specific knockout mutants in plants. The use of an optimized TALEN backbone and the choice of promoters that are strongly active in the stem cells of the shoot apical meristem are key to a high rate of heritable targeted mutations. Recommendations for construct design and screening for mutants are given in this chapter.

To maintain the balance between long-term stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, dynamic signals need to be translated into spatially precise and temporally stable gene expression states. In the apical plant stem cell system, local accumulation of the small, highly mobile phytohormone auxin triggers differentiation while at the same time, pluripotent stem cells are maintained throughout the entire life-cycle. We find that stem cells are resistant to auxin mediated differentiation, but require low levels of signaling for their maintenance. We demonstrate that the WUSCHEL transcription factor confers this behavior by rheostatically controlling the auxin signaling and response pathway. Finally, we show that WUSCHEL acts via regulation of histone acetylation at target loci, including those with functions in the auxin pathway. Our results reveal an important mechanism that allows cells to differentially translate a potent and highly dynamic developmental signal into stable cell behavior with high spatial precision and temporal robustness., Spatial control of auxin signaling maintains a balance between stem-cell self-renewal and differentiation at the plant shoot apex. Here Ma et al. show that rheostatic control of auxin response by the WUSCHEL transcription factor maintains stem cells by conferring resistance to auxin mediated differentiation.

To maintain the balance between long-term stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, dynamic signals need to be translated into spatially precise and temporally stable gene expression states. In the apical plant stem cell system, local accumulation of the small, highly mobile phytohormone auxin triggers differentiation while at the same time, pluripotent stem cells are maintained throughout the entire life-cycle. We find that stem cells are resistant to auxin mediated differentiation, but require low levels of signaling for their maintenance. We demonstrate that the WUSCHEL transcription factor confers this behavior by rheostatically controlling the auxin signaling and response pathway. Finally, we show that WUSCHEL acts via regulation of histone acetylation at target loci, including those with functions in the auxin pathway. Our results reveal an important mechanism that allows cells to differentially translate a potent and highly dynamic developmental signal into stable cell behavior with high spatial precision and temporal robustness.

Shoot regeneration can be achieved in vitro through a two‐step process involving the acquisition of pluripotency on callus‐induction media (CIM) and the formation of shoots on shoot‐induction media. Although the induction of root‐meristem genes in callus has been noted recently, the mechanisms underlying their induction and their roles in de novo shoot regeneration remain unanswered. Here, we show that the histone acetyltransferase HAG1/AtGCN5 is essential for de novo shoot regeneration. In developing callus, it catalyzes histone acetylation at several root‐meristem gene loci including WOX5 , WOX14 , SCR , PLT1 , and PLT2 , providing an epigenetic platform for their transcriptional activation. In turn, we demonstrate that the transcription factors encoded by these loci act as key potency factors conferring regeneration potential to callus and establishing competence for de novo shoot regeneration. Thus, our study uncovers key epigenetic and potency factors regulating plant‐cell pluripotency. These factors might be useful in reprogramming lineage‐specified plant cells to pluripotency.

Understanding the context-specific role of gene function is a key objective of modern biology. To this end, we generated a resource for inducible cell type-specific transactivation in Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) based on the well-established combination of the chimeric GR-LhG4 transcription factor and the synthetic pOp promoter. Harnessing the flexibility of the GreenGate cloning system, we produced a comprehensive set of transgenic lines termed GR-LhG4 driver lines targeting most tissues in the Arabidopsis shoot and root with a strong focus on the indeterminate meristems. When we combined these transgenic lines with effectors under the control of the pOp promoter, we observed tight temporal and spatial control of gene expression. In particular, inducible expression in F1 plants obtained from crosses of driver and effector lines allows for rapid assessment of the cell type-specific impact of an effector with high temporal resolution. Thus, our comprehensive and flexible method is suitable for overcoming the limitations of ubiquitous genetic approaches, the outputs of which often are difficult to interpret due to the widespread existence of compensatory mechanisms and the integration of diverging effects in different cell types.

Understanding the context-specific role of gene function is a key objective of modern biology. To this end, we generated a resource for inducible cell-type specific trans-activation based on the well-established combination of the chimeric GR-LhG4 transcription factor and the syntheticpOppromoter. Harnessing the flexibility of the GreenGate cloning system, we produced a comprehensive set of GR-LhG4 driver lines targeting most tissues in theArabidopsisshoot and root with a strong focus on the indeterminate meristems. We show that, when combined with effectors under control of thepOppromoter, tight temporal and spatial control of gene expression is achieved. In particular, inducible expression in F1 plants obtained from crosses of driver and effector lines allows rapid assessment of the cell type-specific impact of an effector with high temporal resolution. Thus, our comprehensive and flexible toolbox is suited to overcome the limitations of ubiquitous genetic approaches, the outputs of which are often difficult to interpret due to widespread existence of compensatory mechanisms and the integration of diverging effects in different cell types.One sentence summary: A set of lines enabling spatio-temporal control of gene expression in Arabidopsis.

Plant meristems carry pools of continuously active stem cells, whose activity is controlled by developmental and environmental signals. After stem cell division, daughter cells that exit the stem cell domain acquire transit amplifying cell identity before they are incorporated into organs and differentiate. In this study, we used an integrated approach to elucidate the role of HECATE (HEC) genes in regulating developmental trajectories of shoot stem cells in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our work reveals that HEC function stabilizes cell fate in distinct zones of the shoot meristem thereby controlling the spatio-temporal dynamics of stem cell differentiation. Importantly, this activity is concomitant with the local modulation of cellular responses to cytokinin and auxin, two key phytohormones regulating cell behaviour. Mechanistically, we show that HEC factors transcriptionally control and physically interact with MONOPTEROS (MP), a key regulator of auxin signalling, and modulate the autocatalytic stabilization of auxin signalling output., eLife digest Unlike animals, plants continuously generate new organs that make up their body. At the core of this amazing capacity lie tissues called meristems, which are found at the growing tips of all plants. Meristems contain dividing stem cells. The daughters of these stem cells pass through nearby regions called transition domains. Over time, they change – or differentiate – to go on to become part of tissues like leaves, roots, stems, shoots, flowers or fruits. Stem cell differentiation has a direct impact on a plant’s architecture and eventually its reproductive success. For crops, these factors determine yield. This means that understanding this aspect of plant development is central to basic and applied plant biology. Many factors required for shoot meristem activity have been identified, with a focus so far on the processes that control the identity of the cells produced. Now, Gaillochet et al. have asked which genes are responsible for controlling when stem cells in meristems differentiate. The analysis focused on the meristem that makes all the above ground parts of model plant Arabidopsis thaliana – the shoot apical meristem. Gaillochet et al. found that HECATE genes (or HEC for short) control the timing of stem cell differentiation by regulating the balance between the activities of two plant hormones: cytokinin and auxin. These genes promote cytokinin signals at the centre of the meristem, and dampen auxin response at the edges. This acts to slow down cell differentiation in two key transition domains of the shoot meristem. These new findings provide a molecular framework that now can be further investigated in crop plants to try to improve their yield. The findings also lay the foundation for studies of animals that may define common principles shared among stem cell systems in organisms that diverged over a billion years ago.

Germ cells on demand Unlike animals, plants do not set aside a germline. Instead, germ cells are developed on demand from somatic lineages. Zhao et al. examined the regulatory pathways that manage the transition from somatic to germ cell development in the small plant Arabidopsis (see the Perspective by Vielle-Calzada). The transcription factor WUSCHEL (WUS) was needed early on for development of ovules. Soon after, a trio of inhibitors that work through a cyclin-dependent kinase allowed a transcriptional repressor to down-regulate WUS. This opened the door to meiosis, while restricting the number of reproductive units per seed to one. Science , this issue p. eaaf6532 ; see also p. 378

A major feature of embryogenesis is the specification of stem cell systems, but in contrast to the situation in most animals, plant stem cells remain quiescent until the postembryonic phase of development. Here, we dissect how light and metabolic signals are integrated to overcome stem cell dormancy at the shoot apical meristem. We show on the one hand that light is able to activate expression of the stem cell inducer WUSCHEL independently of photosynthesis and that this likely involves inter-regional cytokinin signaling. Metabolic signals, on the other hand, are transduced to the meristem through activation of the TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN (TOR) kinase. Surprisingly, TOR is also required for light signal dependent stem cell activation. Thus, the TOR kinase acts as a central integrator of light and metabolic signals and a key regulator of stem cell activation at the shoot apex. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17023.001, eLife digest Plants are able to grow and develop throughout their lives thanks to groups of stem cells at the tips of their shoots and roots, which can constantly divide to produce new cells. Energy captured from sunlight during a process called photosynthesis is the main source of energy for most plants. Therefore, the amount and quality of light in the environment has a big influence on how plants grow and develop. An enzyme called TOR kinase can sense energy levels in animal cells and regulate many processes including growth and cell division. Plants also have a TOR kinase, but it is less clear if it plays the same role in plants, and whether it can respond to light. Plant stem cells only start to divide after the seed germinates. In shoots, a protein called WUSCHEL is required to maintain stem cells in an active state. Here, Pfeiffer et al. studied how shoot stem cells are activated in response to environmental signals in a plant known as Arabidopsis. The experiments show that light is able to activate the production of WUSCHEL independently of photosynthesis via a signal pathway that depends on TOR kinase. The stem cells do not directly sense light; instead other cells detect the light and relay the information to the stem cells with the help of a hormone called cytokinin. Further experiments show that information about energy levels in cells is relayed via another signal pathway that also involves the TOR kinase. Therefore, Pfeiffer et al.’s findings suggest that the activation of TOR by light allows plant cells to anticipate how much energy will be available and efficiently tune their growth and development to cope with the environmental conditions. Future challenges are to understand how TOR kinase is regulated by light signals and how this enzyme is able to act on WUSCHEL to trigger stem cell division. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17023.002

To produce seeds, flowering plants need to specify somatic cells to undergo meiosis. Here, we reveal a regulatory cascade that controls the entry into meiosis starting with a group of redundantly acting cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors of the KIP-RELATED PROTEIN (KRP) class. KRPs function by restricting CDKA;1-dependent inactivation of the

RNA PROCESSING FACTOR1 (RPF1) and RPF2 are pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins involved in 5′ processing of different mitochondrial mRNAs in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Both factors are highly similar to RESTORERS OF FERTILITY (RF), which are part of cytoplasmic male sterility/restoration systems in various plant species. These findings suggest a predominant role of RF-like PPR proteins in posttranscriptional 5′ processing. To further explore the functions of this group of proteins, we examined a number of T-DNA lines carrying insertions in the corresponding PPR genes. This screening identified a nearly complete absence of mature ccmC transcripts in an At1g62930 T-DNA insertion line, a phenotype that could be restored by the introduction of the intact At1g62930 gene into the mutant. The insertion in this nuclear gene, which we now call RPF3, also leads to a severe reduction of the CcmC protein in mitochondria. The analysis of C24/rpf3-1 F2 hybrids lacking functional RPF3 genes revealed that this gene has less influence on the generation of the mature ccmC 5′ transcript end derived from a distinct ccmC 5′ upstream configuration found in mitochondrial DNAs from C24 and other accessions. These data show that a particular function of an RF-like protein is required only in connection with a distinct mtDNA configuration. Our new results further substantiate the fundamental role of RF-like PPR proteins in the posttranscriptional generation of plant mitochondrial 5′ transcript termini.

Processing of 5'-ends is a frequently observed step during maturation of plant mitochondrial mRNAs. Up to now, very little is known about the biochemistry of this process and the proteins involved in the removal of 5' leader sequences. Based on natural genetic variation we have used linkage mapping and complementation studies to identify a nuclear gene required for the efficient generation of a 5'-end 228 nucleotides upstream of the mitochondrial nad4 gene encoding subunit 4 of the NADH dehydrogenase complex. This nuclear gene, At1g12700, that we designate RNA PROCESSING FACTOR 1 (RPF1), encodes a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein of the P-class containing canonical PPR-repeats. RPF1 belongs to a subgroup of PPR proteins, which includes the RESTORER OF FERTILITY (RF) gene products restoring cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in various plant species. CMS is a mitochondrially inherited trait caused by the expression of aberrant, chimeric genes, which has not been observed in the predominantly inbreeding species Arabidopsis thaliana. The here reported results are a further step towards the characterization of the plant mitochondrial RNA processing machinery and provide additional insights into the function of RF-like PPR proteins.

Despite the independent evolution of multicellularity in plants and animals, the basic organization of their stem cell niches is remarkably similar. Here, we report the genome-wide regulatory potential of WUSCHEL, the key transcription factor for stem cell maintenance in the shoot apical meristem of the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana. WUSCHEL acts by directly binding to at least two distinct DNA motifs in more than 100 target promoters and preferentially affects the expression of genes with roles in hormone signaling, metabolism, and development. Striking examples are the direct transcriptional repression of CLAVATA1, which is part of a negative feedback regulation of WUSCHEL, and the immediate regulation of transcriptional repressors of the TOPLESS family, which are involved in auxin signaling. Our results shed light on the complex transcriptional programs required for the maintenance of a dynamic and essential stem cell niche. Fil: Busch, Wolfang. Max Planck Institute For Developmental Biology; Alemania. University of Duke; Estados Unidos Fil: Miotk, Andrej. University of Heidelberg; Alemania Fil: Ariel, Federico Damian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; Argentina Fil: Zhao, Zhong. University of Heidelberg; Alemania Fil: Forner, Joachim. University of Heidelberg; Alemania Fil: Daum, Gabor. University of Heidelberg; Alemania Fil: Suzaki, Takuya. University of Heidelberg; Alemania Fil: Schuster, Christoph. University of Heidelberg; Alemania Fil: Schultheiss, Sebastian J.. Max Planck Institute For Developmental Biology; Alemania Fil: Leibfried, Andrea. Max Planck Institute For Developmental Biology; Alemania Fil: Haubeiß, Silke. Max Planck Institute For Developmental Biology; Alemania Fil: Ha, Nati. University of Heidelberg; Alemania Fil: Chan, Raquel Lia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; Argentina Fil: Lohmann, Jan U.. Max Planck Institute For Developmental Biology; Alemania. University of Heidelberg; Alemania

Functional transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules are a prerequisite for protein biosynthesis. Several processing steps are required to generate the mature functional tRNA from precursor molecules. Two of the early processing steps involve cleavage at the tRNA 5' end and the tRNA 3' end. While processing at the tRNA 5' end is performed by RNase P, cleavage at the 3' end is catalyzed by the endonuclease tRNase Z. In eukaryotes, tRNase Z enzymes are found in two versions: a short form of about 250 to 300 amino acids and a long form of about 700 to 900 amino acids. All eukaryotic genomes analyzed to date encode at least one long tRNase Z protein. Of those, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) is the only organism that encodes four tRNase Z proteins, two short forms and two long forms. We show here that the four proteins are distributed to different subcellular compartments in the plant cell: the nucleus, the cytoplasm, the mitochondrion, and the chloroplast. One tRNase Z is present only in the cytoplasm, one protein is found exclusively in mitochondria, while the third one has dual locations: nucleus and mitochondria. None of these three tRNase Z proteins is essential. The fourth tRNase Z protein is present in chloroplasts, and deletion of its gene results in an embryo-lethal phenotype. In vitro analysis with the recombinant proteins showed that all four tRNase Z enzymes have tRNA 3' processing activity. In addition, the mitochondrial tRNase Z proteins cleave tRNA-like elements that serve as processing signals in mitochondrial mRNA maturation.

In our analysis of 5′ and 3′ end formation in plant mitochondria, we compared the major transcript ends of all mitochondrial protein-coding genes between the three Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accessions Columbia (Col), C24, and Landsberg erecta (Ler). Differences between transcript patterns were found for seven genes. For atp6-2, no transcripts at all were detected in Ler. This and further analyses suggest that the atp6-2 gene arrangement is absent from the mitochondrial DNA of this accession. All other transcript polymorphisms are attributed to variations at the 5′ termini and were consistently observed in all tissues investigated. mRNA phenotyping of reciprocal Col/Ler, Col/C24, and Ler/C24 F1 hybrids revealed the differing transcript patterns of ccmC to be inherited maternally, suggesting these to arise from differences in the mitochondrial DNA. Biparental inheritance was observed for the polymorphic transcripts of nad4, nad9, ccmB, and rpl5, indicating these differences to be caused by nuclear-encoded trans-factors. Deviant transcript patterns were tested in further accessions and were found in at least three additional accessions. Detailed examination of the nad4 and the nad9 transcripts demonstrates that the respective polymorphisms affect the major mRNAs of these genes. This study shows that natural genetic variation in Arabidopsis can also affect mitochondrial mRNA end processing. These variations can now be used to identify the nuclear genes responsible, as well as the mitochondrial cis-elements required, for 5′ end generation of mitochondrial transcripts.

Posttranscriptional processes are important for regulation of gene expression in plant mitochondria. DEAD-box proteins, which form a huge protein family with members from all kingdoms, are fundamental components in virtually all types of processes in RNA metabolism. Two members of this protein family, designated PMH1 and PMH2 (for PUTATIVE MITOCHONDRIAL RNA HELICASE), were analyzed and characterized in mitochondria of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Green fluorescent protein tagging with N-terminal PMH1 and PMH2 sequences supports the mitochondrial localization of these proteins. Northern experiments, as well as histochemical β-glucuronidase staining of transgenic plants carrying respective promoter:β-glucuronidase fusion constructs, revealed differing transcription patterns for the two genes. In response to cold, however, transcript levels of both genes increased. Immunodetection analyses of mitochondrial protein complexes after two-dimensional blue native/urea SDS-PAGE and after fractionation on sucrose gradients strongly suggest that one or both proteins are part of RNA-dependent complexes. Cold treatment of cell cultures or solubilization of mitochondria in the presence of MgCl2 favored the detection of high-molecular-mass complexes. This study paves the way for detailed analysis of high-molecular-mass complexes in mitochondria of higher plants.

With CR–RT–PCR as primary approach we mapped the 5′ and 3′ transcript ends of all mitochondrial protein-coding genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Almost all transcripts analyzed have single major 3′ termini, while multiple 5′ ends were found for several genes. Some of the identified 5′ ends map within promoter motifs suggesting these ends to be derived from transcription initiation while the majority of the 5' termini seems to be generated post-transcriptionally. Assignment of the extremities of 5′ leader RNAs revealed clear evidence for an endonucleolytic generation of the major cox1 and atp9 5′ mRNA ends. tRNA-like structures, so-called t-elements, are associated either with 5′ or with 3′ termini of several mRNAs. These secondary structures most likely act as cis-signals for endonucleolytic cleavages by RNase Z and/or RNase P. Since no conserved sequence motif is evident at post-transcriptionally derived ends, we suggest t-elements, stem–loops and probably complex higher order structures as cis-elements for processing. This analysis provides novel insights into 5′ and 3′ end formation of mRNAs. In addition, the complete transcript map is a substantial and important basis for future studies of gene expression in mitochondria of higher plants.

Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) are custom-made bi-partite endonucleases that have recently been developed and applied for genome engineering in a wide variety of organisms. However, they have been only scarcely used in plants, especially for germline-modification. Here we report the efficient creation of small, germline-transmitted deletions in Arabidopsis thaliana via TALENs that were delivered by stably integrated transgenes. Using meristem specific promoters to drive expression of two TALEN arms directed at the CLV3 coding sequence, we observed very high phenotype frequencies in the T2 generation. In some instances, full CLV3 loss-of-function was already observed in the T1 generation, suggesting that transgenic delivery of TALENs can cause highly efficient genome modification. In contrast, constitutive TALEN expression in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) did not cause additional phenotypes and genome re-sequencing confirmed little off-target effects, demonstrating exquisite target specificity. Fil: Forner, Joachim. Heidelberg University; Alemania Fil: Pfeiffer, Anne. Heidelberg University; Alemania Fil: Langenecker, Tobias. Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology; Alemania Fil: Manavella, Pablo Andrés. Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; Argentina Fil: Lohmann, Jan U.. Heidelberg University; Alemania

The genomic environments and the transcripts of the mitochondrial cox3 gene are investigated in three Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes. While the proximate 5' sequences up to nucleotide position -584, the coding regions and the 3' flanking regions are identical in Columbia (Col), C24 and Landsberg erecta (Ler), genomic variation is detected in regions further upstream. In the mitochondrial DNA of Col, a 1790 bp fragment flanked by a nonanucleotide direct repeat is present beyond position -584 with respect to the ATG. While in Ler only part of this insertion is conserved, this sequence is completely absent in C24, except for a single copy of the nonanucleotide direct repeat. Northern hybridization reveals identical major transcripts in the three ecotypes, but identifies an additional abundant 60 nt larger mRNA species in C24. The extremities of the most abundant mRNA species are identical in the three ecotypes. In C24, an extra major 5' end is abundant. This terminus and the other major 5' ends are located in identical sequence regions. Inspection of Atcox3 transcripts in C24/Col hybrids revealed a female inheritance of the mRNA species with the extra 5' terminus. Thus, a mitochondrially encoded factor determines the generation of an extra 5' mRNA end.

Building expression constructs for transgenesis is one of the fundamental day-to-day tasks in modern biology. Traditionally it is based on a multitude of type II restriction endonucleases and T4 DNA ligase. Especially in case of long inserts and applications requiring high-throughput, this approach is limited by the number of available unique restriction sites and the need for designing individual cloning strategies for each project. Several alternative cloning systems have been developed in recent years to overcome these issues, including the type IIS enzyme based Golden Gate technique. Here we introduce our GreenGate system for rapidly assembling plant transformation constructs, which is based on the Golden Gate method. GreenGate cloning is simple and efficient since it uses only one type IIS restriction endonuclease, depends on only six types of insert modules (plant promoter, N-terminal tag, coding sequence, C-terminal tag, plant terminator and plant resistance cassette), but at the same time allows assembling several expression cassettes in one binary destination vector from a collection of pre-cloned building blocks. The system is cheap and reliable and when combined with a library of modules considerably speeds up cloning and transgene stacking for plant transformation.

In mitochondria of higher plants, the majority of 5′ termini of mature mRNAs are generated posttranscriptionally. To gain insight into this process, we analyzed a natural 5′ end polymorphism in the species Arabidopsis thaliana. This genetic approach identified the nuclear gene At1g62670, encoding a pentatricopeptide repeat protein. The functional importance of this mitochondrial restorer of fertility-like protein, designated RNA PROCESSING FACTOR2 (RPF2), is confirmed by the analysis of a respective T-DNA knockout mutant and its functional restoration by in vivo complementation. RPF2 fulfills two functions: it is required for the generation of a distinct 5′ terminus of transcripts of subunit 9 of the NADH DEHYDROGENASE complex (nad9) and it determines the efficiency of 5′ end formation of the mRNAs for subunit 3 of the CYTOCHROME C OXIDASE (cox3), the latter also being influenced by mitochondrial DNA sequences. Accordingly, recombinant RPF2 protein directly binds to a nad9 mRNA fragment in vitro. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunodetection analyses reveal that altered 5′ processing does not influence accumulation of the nad9 and cox3 polypeptides. In accessions C24, Oystese-1, and Yosemite-0, different inactive RPF2 alleles exist, demonstrating the variability of this gene in Arabidopsis. The identification of RPF2 is a major step toward the characterization of 5′ mRNA processing in mitochondria of higher plants.

Mitochondria are genetic compartments with their own enzymatic equipment for maintenance and expression of their genetic information. As in all genetic systems, gene expression has to be regulated, and in mitochondria this also has to be coordinated with the expression of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins. Presently, there is virtually no information available about the mechanistic details and the enzymes involved in these processes. There is still much to be learned about how plant mitochondrial gene expression is managed and to what extent the contribution of transcription initiation and posttranscriptional processes, respectively, contribute to this control. As one prerequisite for better understanding of the mechanisms and regulatory controls, more fundamental data on mitochondrial transcription initiation and posttranscriptional RNA processing are necessary. As part of the essential methodology, we present methods for the analysis of the 5' and 3' extremities of mitochondrial transcripts and the identification of transcription initiation sites. An in organello system is described for the functional investigation of ribonucleic acid editing in plant mitochondria.

Mitochondria are genetic compartments with their own enzymatic equipment for maintenance and expression of their genetic information. As in all genetic systems, gene expression has to be regulated, and in mitochondria this also has to be coordinated with the expression of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins. Presently, there is virtually no information available about the mechanistic details and the enzymes involved in these processes. There is still much to be learned about how plant mitochondrial gene expression is managed and to what extent the contribution of transcription initiation and posttranscriptional processes, respectively, contribute to this control. As one prerequisite for better understanding of the mechanisms and regulatory controls, more fundamental data on mitochondrial transcription initiation and posttranscriptional RNA processing are necessary. As part of the essential methodology, we present methods for the analysis of the 5' and 3' extremities of mitochondrial transcripts and the identification of transcription initiation sites. An in organello system is described for the functional investigation of ribonucleic acid editing in plant mitochondria.

Background Intrinsically fluorescent proteins have revolutionized studies in molecular cell biology. The parallel application of these proteins in dual- or multilabeling experiments such as subcellular localization studies requires non-overlapping emission spectra for unambiguous detection of each label. In the red spectral range, almost exclusively DsRed and derivatives thereof are used today. To test the suitability of the red fluorescent protein eqFP611 as an alternative in higher plants, the behavior of this protein was analyzed in terms of expression, subcellular targeting and compatibility with GFP in tobacco. Results When expressed transiently in tobacco protoplasts, eqFP611 accumulated over night to levels easily detectable by fluorescence microscopy. The native protein was found in the nucleus and in the cytosol and no detrimental effects on cell viability were observed. When fused to N-terminal mitochondrial and peroxisomal targeting sequences, the red fluorescence was located exclusively in the corresponding organelles in transfected protoplasts. Upon co-expression with GFP in the same cells, fluorescence of both eqFP611 and GFP could be easily distinguished, demonstrating the potential of eqFP611 in dual-labeling experiments with GFP. A series of plasmids was constructed for expression of eqFP611 in plants and for simultaneous expression of this fluorescent protein together with GFP. Transgenic tobacco plants constitutively expressing mitochondrially targeted eqFP611 were generated. The red fluorescence was stably transmitted to the following generations, making these plants a convenient source for protoplasts containing an internal marker for mitochondria. Conclusion In plants, eqFP611 is a suitable fluorescent reporter protein. The unmodified protein can be expressed to levels easily detectable by epifluorescence microscopy without adverse affect on the viability of plant cells. Its subcellular localization can be manipulated by N-terminal signal sequences. eqFP611 and GFP are fully compatible in dual-labeling experiments.

The development of technologies for the stable genetic transformation of plastid (chloroplast) genomes has been a boon to both basic and applied research. However, extension of the transplastomic technology to major crops and model plants has proven extremely challenging, and the species range of plastid transformation is still very much limited in that most species currently remain recalcitrant to plastid genome engineering. Here, we report an efficient plastid transformation technology for the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana that relies on root-derived microcalli as a source tissue for biolistic transformation. The method produces fertile transplastomic plants at high frequency when combined with a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-generated knockout allele of a nuclear locus that enhances sensitivity to the selection agent used for isolation of transplastomic events. Our work makes the model organism of plant biology amenable to routine engineering of the plastid genome, facilitates the combination of plastid engineering with the power of Arabidopsis nuclear genetics, and informs the future development of plastid transformation protocols for other recalcitrant species. Plastid genome engineering has been challenging in crops and model plants. Now, a method enables efficient plastid transformation by taking advantage of root-derived microcalli as source tissue and the knockout of a nuclear gene for efficient screening.