Generation and characterization of a collection of knock-down lines for the chloroplast Clp protease complex in tobacco

Protein degradation in chloroplasts is carried out by a set of proteases that eliminate misfolded, damaged, or superfluous proteins. The ATP-dependent caseinolytic protease (Clp) is the most complex protease in plastids and has been implicated mainly in stromal protein degradation. In contrast, FtsH...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental botany 2017-04, Vol.68 (9), p.2199-2218
Main Authors: Moreno, Juan C., Tiller, Nadine, Diez, Mercedes, Karcher, Daniel, Tillich, Michael, Schöttler, Mark A., Bock, Ralph
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Endopeptidase Clp - genetics
Endopeptidase Clp - metabolism
Gene Knockdown Techniques
Growth and Development
Metalloendopeptidases - genetics
Metalloendopeptidases - metabolism
Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
Nicotiana - enzymology
Nicotiana - genetics
Research Paper
RNA Interference
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Summary:Protein degradation in chloroplasts is carried out by a set of proteases that eliminate misfolded, damaged, or superfluous proteins. The ATP-dependent caseinolytic protease (Clp) is the most complex protease in plastids and has been implicated mainly in stromal protein degradation. In contrast, FtsH, a thylakoid membrane-associated metalloprotease, is believed to participate mainly in the degradation of thylakoidal proteins. To determine the role of specific Clp and FtsH subunits in plant growth and development, RNAi lines targeting at least one subunit of each Clp ring and FtsH were generated in tobacco. In addition, mutation of the translation initiation codon was employed to down-regulate expression of the plastid-encoded ClpP1 subunit. These protease lines cover a broad range of reductions at the transcript and protein levels of the targeted genes. A wide spectrum of phenotypes was obtained, including pigment deficiency, alterations in leaf development, leaf variegations, and impaired photosynthesis. When knock-down lines for the different protease subunits were compared, both common and specific phenotypes were observed, suggesting distinct functions of at least some subunits. Our work provides a well-characterized collection of knock-down lines for plastid proteases in tobacco and reveals the importance of the Clp protease in physiology and plant development.
ISSN:0022-0957
1460-2431
DOI:10.1093/jxb/erx066