title: Transcriptome response signatures associated with the overexpression of a mitochondrial uncoupling protein (AtUCP1) in tobacco.
abstract: Mitochondrial inner membrane uncoupling proteins (UCP) dissipate the proton electrochemical gradient established by the respiratory chain, thus affecting the yield of ATP synthesis. UCP overexpression in plants has been correlated with oxidative stress tolerance, improved photosynthetic efficiency and increased mitochondrial biogenesis. This study reports the main transcriptomic responses associated with the overexpression of an UCP (AtUCP1) in tobacco seedlings. Compared to wild-type (WT), AtUCP1 transgenic seedlings showed unaltered ATP levels and higher accumulation of serine. By using RNA-sequencing, a total of 816 differentially expressed genes between the investigated overexpressor lines and the untransformed WT control were identified. Among them, 239 were up-regulated and 577 were down-regulated. As a general response to AtUCP1 overexpression, noticeable changes in the expression of genes involved in energy metabolism and redox homeostasis were detected. A substantial set of differentially expressed genes code for products targeted to the chloroplast and mainly involved in photosynthesis. The overall results demonstrate that the alterations in mitochondrial function provoked by AtUCP1 overexpression require important transcriptomic adjustments to maintain cell homeostasis. Moreover, the occurrence of an important cross-talk between chloroplast and mitochondria, which culminates in the transcriptional regulation of several genes involved in different pathways, was evidenced.
authors.affiliation: UNESP, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Genética, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra Vasconcellos Nunes
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Laitz
authors.affiliation: UNESP, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Física e Biofísica, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio Luis
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Acencio
authors.affiliation: USP, Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ilara G F
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Budzinski
authors.affiliation: USP, Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mônica T V
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Labate
authors.affiliation: UNESP, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Física e Biofísica, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ney
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lemke
authors.affiliation: UNESP, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Parasitologia, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Eduardo Martins
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Ribolla
authors.affiliation: UNESP, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Genética, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivan G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006706:Homeostasis; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010788:Photosynthesis; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D036226:Seedlings; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics*; D059467:Transcriptome; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007473:Ion Channels; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D000071256:Uncoupling Protein 1; D012313:RNA; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate