Transcriptional regulation and functional involvement of the Arabidopsis pescadillo ortholog AtPES in root development

• Published in: Plant science (Limerick) 2014-12, Vol.229, p.53-65
• Main Authors: Zografidis, Aris, Kapolas, Giorgos, Podia, Varvara, Beri, Despoina, Papadopoulou, Kalliope, Milioni, Dimitra, Haralampidis, Kosmas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - growth & development; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Arabidopsis thaliana; Base Sequence; Binding Sites; Cell Cycle Proteins - genetics; Cell Cycle Proteins - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Glucuronidase - metabolism; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; Nucleolus; Pescadillo; Phenotype; Plant Roots - genetics; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plants, Genetically Modified; Promoter analysis; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein Binding; Protein Interaction Mapping; RNA Interference; RNAi; Seedlings - genetics; Sequence Deletion; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 0168-9452; 1873-2259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2014.08.012

•The Arabidopsis pescadillo ortholog AtPES plays a role in normal root development.•Overexpression of AtPES does not influence development in Arabidopsis.•AtPES expression is regulated by TELO-box and site-II motif promoter elements. The Pescadillo gene is highly conserved from yeasts to human and has been shown to impact on both the cell cycle and on ribosome biogenesis. However, the biological function and transcriptional regulation of the plant orthologs remain unclear. In the present study, we have implemented a combination of molecular and genetic approaches, in order to characterize the Arabidopsis thaliana pescadillo ortholog (AtPES) and its role in root development. The RNAi transgenic lines displayed severely compromised meristem structures and a reduction of the primary root length of up to 70%. The correct pattern of the cell files is distorted, whereas in the root elongation and differentiation zone the epidermal and cortex cells appear abnormally enlarged. Yeast two hybrid and BiFC experiments confirmed that AtPES interacts physically with AtPEIP1 and AtPEIP2, the orthologs of the murine Bop1 and WDR12. Promoter deletion analysis revealed that AtPES expression depends on a number of transcription factor binding sites, with the TELO-box being a crucial site for regulating its accurate tissue-specific manifestation. Our results indicate that AtPES is firmly regulated at the transcriptional level and that the corresponding protein plays a role in root developmental processes.