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Published on: July 22, 2014
In vitro RNA editing in plant mitochondria does not require added energy
Mizuki Takenaka1, Daniil Verbitskiy, Johannes A van der Merwe
1Molekulare Botanik, Universität Ulm, Ulm, Germany. mizuki.takenaka@uni-ulm.de
Abstract:
RNA editing in flowering plant mitochondria is investigated by in vitro assays. These cauliflower mitochondrial lysates require added NTP or dNTP. We have now resolved the reason for this requirement to be the inhibition of the RNA binding activity of the glutamate dehydrogenases (GDH). Both GDH1 and GDH2 were identified in RNA-protein cross-links. The inhibition of in vitro RNA editing by GDH is confirmed by the ability of the GDH-specific herbicide phosphinothricin to substitute for NTP. NADH and NADPH, but not NAD or NADP, can also replace NTP, suggesting that the NAD(P)H-binding-pocket configuration of the GDH contacts the RNA. RNA editing in plant mitochondria is thus intrinsically independent of added energy in the form of NTP.
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