title: Functional analysis of Arabidopsis genes involved in mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly.
abstract: Machinery for the assembly of the iron-sulfur ([Fe-S]) clusters that function as cofactors in a wide variety of proteins has been identified in microbes, insects, and animals. Homologs of the genes involved in [Fe-S] cluster biogenesis have recently been found in plants, as well, and point to the existence of two distinct systems in these organisms, one located in plastids and one in mitochondria. Here we present the first biochemical confirmation of the activity of two components of the mitochondrial machinery in Arabidopsis, AtNFS1 and AtISU1. Analysis of the expression patterns of the corresponding genes, as well as AtISU2 and AtISU3, and the phenotypes of plants in which these genes are up or down-regulated are consistent with a role for the mitochondrial [Fe-S] assembly system in the maturation of proteins required for normal plant development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA, winkel@vt.edu.
authors.forename: Ana Paula Guedes
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Frazzon
authors.forename: Melissa V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Ujwala
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Warek
authors.forename: Janneke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balk
authors.forename: Jeverson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frazzon
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Brenda S J
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Winkel
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D034622:RNA Interference; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D000637:Transaminases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C493877:ISU1 protein, A thaliana; C522242:ISU2 protein, Arabidopsis; C522243:ISU3 protein, Arabidopsis; D007506:Iron-Sulfur Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C522241:NFS1 protein, Arabidopsis; D000637:Transaminases