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mRNA Interactome Capture from Plant Protoplasts
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Conserved structured domains in plant non-coding RNA enod40, their evolution and recruitment of sequences from
Alexander P Gultyaev1,2, Celine Koster3,4, Diederik Cames van Batenburg1,5
1Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science, Leiden University, PO Box 9512, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics
|October 18, 2023
Summary
Plant long noncoding RNA enod40 regulates symbiotic associations and has other cell physiology roles. Researchers identified and analyzed enod40 gene structures in various plants, revealing conserved and diverse elements.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Genomics
- RNA biology
Background:
- Plant long noncoding RNA enod40 is crucial for symbiotic associations, including nitrogen fixation and arbuscular mycorrhizae.
- The precise molecular functions of enod40 RNA are not fully understood, despite its known roles.
- Identifying enod40 genes is challenging due to low sequence similarity and lack of annotation in plant genomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To locate enod40 genes in nitrogen-fixing clade plants and grasses.
- To determine the structural characteristics of enod40 RNA in these plant groups.
- To investigate the evolutionary conservation and diversity of enod40 RNA structures.
Main Methods:
- Comparative structure analysis of enod40 RNA.
- Sequence similarity searches across plant genomes.
- Bioinformatic identification of enod40 genes and RNA structures.
Main Results:
- enod40 genes were located in nitrogen-fixing clade plants and grasses.
- Enod40 RNA structures exhibit conserved features alongside significant diversity.
- Insertions of structured domains, including transposable elements, were identified within enod40 structures.
- Some insertions contained tandem repeat sequences and stem-loops homologous to microRNA precursors.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully identified and characterized enod40 genes and RNA structures in diverse plant lineages.
- Enod40 RNA structures are more complex and variable than previously recognized, incorporating mobile genetic elements.
- The findings provide insights into the evolution and potential regulatory mechanisms of enod40 RNA in plants.
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