title: Cytosolic ppGpp accumulation induces retarded plant growth and development.
abstract: In bacteria a second messenger, guanosine 5'-diphosphate 3'-diphosphate (ppGpp), synthesized upon nutrient starvation, controls many gene expressions and enzyme activities, which is necessary for growth under changeable environments. Recent studies have shown that ppGpp synthase and hydrolase are also conserved in eukaryotes, although their functions are not well understood. We recently showed that ppGpp-overaccumulation in Arabidopsis chloroplasts results in robust growth under nutrient-limited conditions, demonstrating that the bacterial-like stringent response at least functions in plastids. To test if ppGpp also functions in the cytosol, we constructed the transgenic Arabidopsis expressing Bacillus subtilis ppGpp synthase gene yjbM. Upon induction of the gene, the mutant synthesizes ∼10-20-fold higher levels of ppGpp, and its fresh weight was reduced to ˜80% that of the wild type. These results indicate that cytosolic ppGpp negatively regulates plant growth and development.
authors.affiliation: a Graduate School of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology , Yokohama , Japan.
authors.forename: Yuta
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.affiliation: b Center for Biological Resources & Informatics, Tokyo Institute of Technology , Yokohama , Japan.|c Earth-life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology , Yokohama , Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masuda
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D006159:Guanosine Tetraphosphate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006159:Guanosine Tetraphosphate
keywords: RSH; mesh1; nutrient starvation; ppGpp; stringent response
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