Organ-Specific Stability of Two Lemna rbcS mRNAs Is Determined Primarily in the Nuclear Compartment

It has previously been shown that the organ-specific expression of two members of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small subunit (rbcS) gene family is post-transcriptionally regulated in Lemna gibba. While both small subunit genes encoding SSU1 and SSU5B were transcribed at comparable levels in root and frond nuclei, SSU1 mRNA accumulated to high levels in both roots and fronds in contrast to SSU5B mRNA, which was of very low abundance in the roots compared with the fronds. In this study, we have used two approaches to pinpoint the step(s) at which SSU1 and SSU5B mRNAs are differentially accumulated in these organs. In the first approach, total nuclear steady state mRNA was isolated from roots and fronds, and the amount of each transcript was measured by RNase protection assays and compared with the transcription rates in isolated nuclei. In the second approach, cordycepin was used to inhibit mRNA synthesis in Lemna fronds or roots, and the rate of decay of each mRNA was measured by RNA gel blot analysis or RNase protection assays. Our findings indicate that the differential accumulation of SSU1 and SSU5B mRNAs in the fronds versus the roots is determined primarily in the nuclear compartment. In addition, SSU1 was found to have a longer half-life in total steady state mRNA than SSU5B had in both organs. This feature probably accounts for SSU1 being the predominantly expressed family member.