Identification of tRNA nucleoside modification genes critical for stress response and development in rice and Arabidopsis

BMC Plant Biology

Research Article

Youmei Wang¹  Zhengyi Lv¹  Peng Chen¹  Chaoqun Pang¹  Zhen Hu¹  Xukai Li²  Bo Zheng³ 

[1] Biomass and Bioenergy Research Centre, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China;College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China;College of Life Sciences, Shanxi Agricultural University, 030801, Taigu, Shanxi Province, China;Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China;College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, China;

关键词: tRNA;    Modified nucleoside;    Methyltransferase;    Stress;    Development;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12870-017-1206-0

 received in 2017-07-20, accepted in 2017-12-06,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundModification of nucleosides on transfer RNA (tRNA) is important either for correct mRNA decoding process or for tRNA structural stabilization. Nucleoside methylations catalyzed by MTase (methyltransferase) are the most common type among all tRNA nucleoside modifications. Although tRNA modified nucleosides and modification enzymes have been extensively studied in prokaryotic systems, similar research remains preliminary in higher plants, especially in crop species, such as rice (Oryza sativa). Rice is a monocot model plant as well as an important cereal crop, and stress tolerance and yield are of great importance for rice breeding.ResultsIn this study, we investigated how the composition and abundance of tRNA modified nucleosides could change in response to drought, salt and cold stress, as well as in different tissues during the whole growth season in two model plants–O. sativa and Arabidopsis thaliana. Twenty two and 20 MTase candidate genes were identified in rice and Arabidopsis, respectively, by protein sequence homology and conserved domain analysis. Four methylated nucleosides, Am, Cm, m1A and m7G, were found to be very important in stress response both in rice and Arabidopsis. Additionally, three nucleosides,Gm, m5U and m5C, were involved in plant development. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed consistency on Am, Cm, m1A and m7G MTase candidate genes, and the abundance of the corresponding nucleoside under stress conditions. The same is true for Gm, m5U and m5C modifications and corresponding methylation genes in different tissues during different developmental stages.ConclusionsWe identified candidate genes for various tRNA modified nucleosides in rice and Arabidopsis, especially on MTases for methylated nucleosides. Based on bioinformatics analysis, nucleoside abundance assessments and gene expression profiling, we propose four methylated nucleosides (Am, Cm, m1A and m7G) that are critical for stress response in rice and Arabidopsis, and three methylated nucleosides (Gm, m5U and m5C) that might be important during development.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017