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mRNA Interactome Capture from Plant Protoplasts
Published on: July 28, 2017
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Marker gene tethering by nucleoporins affects gene expression in plants
Sarah Smith1, Carla Galinha1, Sophie Desset2
1a Department of Biological and Medical Sciences ; Faculty of Health and Life Sciences; Oxford Brookes University ; Headington , Oxford , UK.
Nucleus (Austin, Tex.)
|December 15, 2015
Summary
Plant gene expression is regulated by nuclear periphery association. Seh1 nucleoporin enhances gene expression, while Nup50a decreases it, revealing novel insights into nuclear organization and transcription in plants.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Epigenetics
- Cell biology
Background:
- Chromatin interactions with the nuclear periphery influence gene expression in non-plant systems.
- In plants, both heterochromatin and euchromatin localize to the nuclear periphery, but its regulatory role in gene expression is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of Seh1 and Nup50a nucleoporins in regulating gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- To determine if targeting genes to the nuclear periphery affects their transcription levels.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Lac Operator/Lac Repressor (LacI-LacO) system in Arabidopsis thaliana.
- Introduced LacO-luciferase reporter gene (LacO:Luc) and nucleoporin-LacI-YFP fusions (Seh1-LacI-YFP, Nup50a-LacI-YFP).
- Quantified luciferase activity, protein, and RNA levels, and analyzed protein localization.
Main Results:
- Seh1-LacI-YFP fusion enhanced luciferase activity, correlating with increased luciferase RNA and protein levels.
- Nup50a-LacI-YFP fusion decreased luciferase activity; this protein was found to be nucleoplasmic.
- Seh1-LacI-YFP localized to the nuclear periphery, and IPTG treatment abolished the observed changes in gene expression.
Conclusions:
- Association with the nuclear periphery plays a role in regulating gene expression in plants.
- Seh1, a nucleoporin, can enhance gene expression when localized at the nuclear periphery.
- The LacI-LacO system is a viable tool for studying nuclear organization and gene expression in plants.
Keywords:
Arabidopsis thalianaLacO:LacINuclear pore complexSeh1chromatin organizationgene expressionhigher plantMore Related Videos
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