title: RUG3 and ATM synergistically regulate the alternative splicing of mitochondrial nad2 and the DNA damage response in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: The root apical meristem (RAM) determines both RAM activity and the growth of roots. Plant roots are constantly exposed to adverse environmental stresses that can cause DNA damage or cell cycle arrest in the RAM; however, the mechanism linking root meristematic activity and RAM size to the DNA damage response (DDR) is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that a loss of function in RCC1/UVR8/GEF-Like 3 (RUG3) substantially augmented the DDR and produced a cell cycle arrest in the RAM in rug3 mutant, leading to root growth retardation. Furthermore, the mutation of RUG3 caused increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and ROS scavengers improved the observed cell cycle arrest and reduced RAM activity level in rug3 plants. Most importantly, we detected a physical interaction between RUG3 and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a key regulator of the DDR, suggesting that they synergistically modulated the alternative splicing of nad2. Our findings reveal a novel synergistic effect of RUG3 and ATM on the regulation of mitochondrial function, redox homeostasis, and the DDR in the RAM, and outline a protective mechanism for DNA damage repair and the restoration of mitochondrial function that involves RUG3-mediated mitochondrial retrograde signaling and the activation of an ATM-mediated DDR pathway.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Plant Science and Technology Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China.|Center for Agricultural Research Resources, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hebei 050021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Center for Agricultural Research Resources, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hebei 050021, P.R. China.|College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Hebei 050024, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Center for Agricultural Research Resources, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hebei 050021, P.R. China.|Shijiazhuang Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Hebei 050041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yankun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Plant Science and Technology Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Plant Science and Technology Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Youning
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Center for Agricultural Research Resources, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hebei 050021, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Plant Science and Technology Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D004260:DNA Repair; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018519:Meristem / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011485:Protein Binding; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: C576589:ATM protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C570513:RUG3 protein, Arabidopsis; C513204:NAD4 protein, Arabidopsis; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D042967:Electron Transport Complex I