The chloroplast 16S rRNA dimethyltransferase BrPFC1 is required for Brassica rapa development under chilling stress

Chloroplast ribosomal RNA (Ch-rRNA) methylation is critical for plant development and response to low temperatures. Several Ch-rRNA methyltransferases and their catalytic modes, as well as biological relevance, have been reported in model plant species. However, Ch-rRNA methyltransferases and their functional significance remain poorly characterized in crops, including leafy vegetables such as Chinese cabbage. In this study, we screened an EMS-mutagenized Chinese cabbage population and identified a yellow inner leaf (yif) mutant. This mutant develops yellowing inner leaves with reduced chlorophyll accumulation and ultrastructure-impaired chloroplasts under low-temperature conditions. Genetic analysis revealed a premature termination mutation in BrPFC1, encoding the chloroplast-localized 16S rRNA dimethyltransferase. The BrPFC1 mutation (yif) disrupts the dimethylation of 16S rRNA. The cold-sensitive phenotype of the yif mutant can be explained by temperature-dependent defects in the maturation and assembly of chloroplast ribosomes at 4°C. Through integrated analysis of chloroplast and nuclear transcriptomes coupled with translational profiling at 25°C and 4°C, we established that low temperature preferentially upregulates transcripts encoding nuclear-derived ribosomal proteins, while defective 16S rRNA specifically compromises the translational efficiency of chloroplast-encoded photosynthetic complex and ribosomal protein at 4°C. These findings establish rRNA modification by BrPFC1 as a critical regulatory layer for optimizing chloroplast translational efficiency at 4°C, providing mechanistic insights into post-translational adaptation strategies in Chinese cabbage.