title: GAMETOPHYTE DEFECTIVE 1, a putative subunit of RNases P/MRP, is essential for female gametogenesis and male competence in Arabidopsis.
abstract: RNA biogenesis, including biosynthesis and maturation of rRNA, tRNA and mRNA, is a fundamental process that is critical for cell growth, division and differentiation. Previous studies showed that mutations in components involved in RNA biogenesis resulted in abnormalities in gametophyte and leaf development in Arabidopsis. In eukaryotes, RNases P/MRP (RNase mitochondrial RNA processing) are important ribonucleases that are responsible for processing of tRNA, and transcription of small non-coding RNAs. Here we report that Gametophyte Defective 1 (GAF1), a gene encoding a predicted protein subunit of RNases P/MRP, AtRPP30, plays a role in female gametophyte development and male competence. Embryo sacs were arrested at stages ranging from FG1 to FG7 in gaf1 mutant, suggesting that the progression of the gametophytic division during female gametogenesis was impaired in gaf1 mutant. In contrast, pollen development was not affected in gaf1. However, the fitness of the mutant pollen tube was weaker than that of the wild-type, leading to reduced transmission through the male gametes. GAF1 is featured as a typical RPP30 domain protein and interacts physically with AtPOP5, a homologue of RNases P/MRP subunit POP5 of yeast. Together, our data suggest that components of the RNases P/MRP family, such as RPP30, play important roles in gametophyte development and function in plants.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, National Centre for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Si-Qi
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dong-Qiao
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yan-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei-Cai
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry; D056130:Gametogenesis, Plant; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011058:Pollen / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D000077278:RNA, Mitochondrial; D043262:Ribonuclease P / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D001324:Autoantigens; D021122:Protein Subunits; D000077278:RNA, Mitochondrial; C104646:RPP30 protein, human; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012313:RNA; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C574372:GAF1 protein, Arabidopsis; C108353:RPP1 protein, S cerevisiae; D043262:Ribonuclease P