STCH4/REIL2 Confers Cold Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis by Promoting rRNA Processing and CBF Protein Translation

• Published in: Cell reports (Cambridge) 2020-01, Vol.30 (1), p.229-242.e5
• Main Authors: Yu, Hasi, Kong, Xiangfeng, Huang, Huan, Wu, Wenwu, Park, Junghoon, Yun, Dae-Jin, Lee, Byeong-ha, Shi, Huazhong, Zhu, Jian-Kang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; CBF; cold stress; Cold-Shock Response - genetics; Freezing; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Mutation - genetics; Plants, Genetically Modified; Protein Biosynthesis; protein translation; Ribosomal Proteins - metabolism; ribosome; RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal - metabolism; rRNA processing; STCH4; Stress, Physiological - genetics; Temperature; Trans-Activators - genetics; Trans-Activators - metabolism; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 2211-1247; 2211-1247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.12.012

Plants respond to cold stress by inducing the expression of transcription factors that regulate downstream genes to confer tolerance to freezing. We screened an Arabidopsis transfer DNA (T-DNA) insertion library and identified a cold-hypersensitive mutant, which we named stch4 (sensitive to chilling 4). STCH4/REIL2 encodes a ribosomal biogenesis factor that is upregulated upon cold stress. Overexpression of STCH4 confers chilling and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis. The stch4 mutation reduces CBF protein levels and thus delayed the induction of C-repeat-binding factor (CBF) regulon genes. Ribosomal RNA processing is reduced in stch4 mutants, especially under cold stress. STCH4 associates with multiple ribosomal proteins, and these interactions are modulated by cold stress. These results suggest that the ribosome is a regulatory node for cold stress responses and that STCH4 promotes an altered ribosomal composition and functions in low temperatures to facilitate the translation of proteins important for plant growth and survival under cold stress. [Display omitted] •STCH4 maintains rRNA processing under low temperatures•STCH4 promotes CBF translation under low temperatures•Overexpression of STCH4 enhances cold stress tolerance•STCH4 may be required for ribosome remodeling under low temperatures Yu et al. show that the ribosomal biogenesis factor STCH4 confers cold stress tolerance in Arabidopsis by maintaining rRNA processing and promoting CBF protein translation. The ribosome is likely a site for cold stress response.