title: Characterization of T-DNA insertion mutants and RNAi silenced plants of Arabidopsis thaliana UV-damaged DNA binding protein 2 (AtUV-DDB2).
abstract: The human UV-damaged DNA binding protein (UV-DDB), a heterodimeric protein composed of 127 kDa (UV-DDB1) and 48 kDa (UV-DDB2) subunits, has been shown to be involved in DNA repair. To elucidate the in vivo function of plant UV-DDB2, we have analyzed T-DNA insertion mutants of the Arabidopsis thaliana UV-DDB2 subunit (atuv-ddb2 mutants) and AtUV-DDB2 RNAi silenced plants (atuv-ddb2 silenced plants). atuv-ddb2 mutants and atuv-ddb2 silenced plants were both viable, suggesting that AtUV-DDB2 is not essential for survival. Interestingly, both plant types showed a dwarf phenotype, implying impaired growth of the meristem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first occasion that a dwarf phenotype has been found to be associated with a UV-DDB2 mutation in either plants or animals. The mutants also demonstrated increased sensitivity to UV irradiation, methyl methanesulfonate and hydrogen peroxide treatment, indicating that AtUV-DDB2 is also involved in DNA repair. Our results lead us to suggest that not only does AtUV-DDB2 function in DNA repair, it also has a direct or indirect influence on cell proliferation in the plant meristem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Toyotaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Seisuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Yukinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D018519:Meristem / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate / Q000494:pharmacology; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C036483:T-DNA; C513136:UV-DDB2 protein, Arabidopsis; D008741:Methyl Methanesulfonate; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide