RESUMO
In Arabidopsis thaliana, the Toc34 receptor component of the chloroplast import machinery is encoded by two independent but highly homologous genes, atToc33 and atToc34. We have isolated a T-DNA insertion mutant of atToc33 which is characterized by a pale phenotype, due to reductions in the levels of photosynthetic pigments, and alterations in protein composition. The latter involve not only chloroplast proteins but also some cytosolic polypeptides, including 14-3-3 proteins which, among other functions, have been proposed to be cytosolic targeting factors for nucleus-encoded chloroplast proteins. Within the chloroplast, many, though not all, proteins of the photosynthetic apparatus, as well as proteins not directly involved in photosynthesis, are found in significantly reduced amounts in the mutant. However, the accumulation of other chloroplast proteins is unaffected. This suggests that the atToc33 receptor is responsible for the import of a specific subset of nucleus-encoded chloroplast proteins. Supporting evidence for this conclusion was obtained by antisense repression of the atToc34 gene in the atToc33 mutant, which results in an exacerbation of the phenotype.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Arabidopsis/genética , Arabidopsis/genética , Cloroplastos/genética , DNA Bacteriano/genética , Proteínas de Membrana/genética , Mutação/genética , Northern Blotting , Southern Blotting , Western Blotting , Carotenoides/metabolismo , Clorofila/metabolismo , Cloroplastos/ultraestrutura , Clonagem Molecular , Primers do DNA , Fluorescência , Componentes do Gene , Vetores Genéticos , Espectrometria de Massas , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Fenótipo , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase ReversaRESUMO
In the present study, we investigated a new member of the ABC transporter superfamily of Arabidopsis thaliana, AtMRP5. AtMRP5 encodes a 167 kDa protein and exhibits low glutathione conjugate and glucuronide conjugate transport activity. Promotor- beta-glucuronidase fusion constructs showed that AtMRP5 is expressed mainly in the vascular bundle and in the epidermis, especially guard cells. Using reverse genetics, we identified a plant with a T-DNA insertion in AtMRP5 (mrp5-1). mrp5-1 exhibited decreased root growth and increased lateral root formation. Auxin levels in the roots of mrp5-1 plants were increased. This observation may indicate that AtMRP5 works as an auxin conjugate transporter or that mutant plants are affected in ion uptake, which may lead to changes in auxin concentrations. Experiments on epidermal strips showed that in contrast to wild type, the sulfonylurea glibenclamide had no effect on stomatal opening in mrp5-1 plants. This result strongly suggests that AtMRP5 may also function as an ion channel regulator.
