title: RNA Binding Proteins RZ-1B and RZ-1C Play Critical Roles in Regulating Pre-mRNA Splicing and Gene Expression during Development in Arabidopsis.
abstract: Nuclear-localized RNA binding proteins are involved in various aspects of RNA metabolism, which in turn modulates gene expression. However, the functions of nuclear-localized RNA binding proteins in plants are poorly understood. Here, we report the functions of two proteins containing RNA recognition motifs, RZ-1B and RZ-1C, in Arabidopsis thaliana. RZ-1B and RZ-1C were localized to nuclear speckles and interacted with a spectrum of serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins through their C termini. RZ-1C preferentially bound to purine-rich RNA sequences in vitro through its N-terminal RNA recognition motif. Disrupting the RNA binding activity of RZ-1C with SR proteins through overexpression of the C terminus of RZ-1C conferred defective phenotypes similar to those observed in rz-1b rz-1c double mutants, including delayed seed germination, reduced stature, and serrated leaves. Loss of function of RZ-1B and RZ-1C was accompanied by defective splicing of many genes and global perturbation of gene expression. In addition, we found that RZ-1C directly targeted FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), promoting efficient splicing of FLC introns and likely also repressing FLC transcription. Our findings highlight the critical role of RZ-1B/1C in regulating RNA splicing, gene expression, and many key aspects of plant development via interaction with proteins including SR proteins.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Danling
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoya
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.affiliation: Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fujian 350002, China.
authors.forename: Lianfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8253-2278
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Kangtai
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8899-9933
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Danmeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuge
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China National Plant Gene Research Center, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Hongya
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2619-1522
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China National Plant Gene Research Center, Beijing 100101, China qulj@pku.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Li-Jia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1765-7311
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D058685:Genetic Pleiotropy; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000067776:RNA Recognition Motif Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; C418902:At5g10140 protein, Arabidopsis; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D012322:RNA Precursors; D000067776:RNA Recognition Motif Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C000611885:RZ-1B protein, Arabidopsis; C000611884:RZ-1C protein, Arabidopsis