Characterization of EMU, the Arabidopsis homolog of the yeast THO complex member HPR1

  1. Yoshibumi Komeda1
  1. 1Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan
  2. 2National Institute for Basic Biology, Nishigo-naka 38, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585 Japan
  • 3 Present address: School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.

Abstract

Diverse and precise control is essential for eukaryotic gene expression. This is accomplished through the recruitment of a myriad of proteins to a nascent messenger RNA (mRNA) to mediate modifications, such as capping, splicing, 3′-end processing, and export. Despite being important for every cell, however, the mechanism by which the formation of diverse messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) particles contributes to maintaining intricate systems in the multicellular organism remains incompletely defined. We identified and characterized a mutant gene named erecta mRNA under-expressed (emu) that leads to the defective mRNA accumulation of ERECTA, a developmental regulator in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. EMU encodes a protein homologous to a component of the THO complex that is required for the generation of functional mRNPs. Further analysis suggested that EMU is genetically associated with SERRATE, HYPONASTIC LEAVES1, and ARGONAUTE1, which are required for proper RNA maturation or action. Furthermore, mutations in another THO-related gene led to embryonic lethality. These findings support the presence and importance of the THO-related complex in plants as well as yeast and vertebrates.

Keywords

Footnotes

  • Reprint requests to: Yoshibumi Komeda, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 Japan; e-mail: komeda-y{at}biol.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp; fax: 81-3-58414454.

  • Article published online ahead of print. Article and publication date are at http://www.rnajournal.org/cgi/doi/10.1261/rna.2265710.

  • Received May 14, 2010.
  • Accepted June 21, 2010.
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