Redox Modification of the Iron-Sulfur Glutaredoxin GRXS17 Activates Holdase Activity and Protects Plants from Heat Stress.

Heat stress induces misfolding and aggregation of proteins unless they are guarded by chaperone systems. Here, we examined the function of the glutaredoxin GRXS17, a member of thiol reductase families in the model plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). GRXS17 is a nucleocytosolic monothiol glutaredoxin consisting of an N-terminal thioredoxin domain and three CGFS active-site motif-containing GRX domains that coordinate three iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters in a glutathione-dependent manner. As an Fe-S cluster-charged holoenzyme, GRXS17 is likely involved in the maturation of cytosolic and nuclear Fe-S proteins. In addition to its role in cluster biogenesis, GRXS17 presented both foldase and redox-dependent holdase activities. Oxidative stress in combination with heat stress induced loss of its Fe-S clusters followed by subsequent formation of disulfide bonds between conserved active-site cysteines in the corresponding thioredoxin domains. This oxidation led to a shift of GRXS17 to a high-molecular-weight complex and thus activated its holdase activity in vitro. Moreover, GRXS17 was specifically involved in plant tolerance to moderate high temperature and protected root meristematic cells from heat-induced cell death. Finally, GRXS17 interacted with a different set of proteins upon heat stress, possibly protecting them from heat injuries. Therefore, we propose that the Fe-S cluster enzyme GRXS17 is an essential guard that protects proteins against moderate heat stress, likely through a redox-dependent chaperone activity. We reveal the mechanism of an Fe-S cluster-dependent activity shift that converts the holoenzyme GRXS17 into a holdase, thereby preventing damage caused by heat stress.

Nucleolin is required for DNA methylation state and the expression of rRNA gene variants in Arabidopsis thaliana.

In eukaryotes, 45S rRNA genes are arranged in tandem arrays in copy numbers ranging from several hundred to several thousand in plants. Although it is clear that not all copies are transcribed under normal growth conditions, the molecular basis controlling the expression of specific sets of rRNA genes remains unclear. Here, we report four major rRNA gene variants in Arabidopsis thaliana. Interestingly, while transcription of one of these rRNA variants is induced, the others are either repressed or remain unaltered in A. thaliana plants with a disrupted nucleolin-like protein gene (Atnuc-L1). Remarkably, the most highly represented rRNA gene variant, which is inactive in WT plants, is reactivated in Atnuc-L1 mutants. We show that accumulated pre-rRNAs originate from RNA Pol I transcription and are processed accurately. Moreover, we show that disruption of the AtNUC-L1 gene induces loss of symmetrical DNA methylation without affecting histone epigenetic marks at rRNA genes. Collectively, these data reveal a novel mechanism for rRNA gene transcriptional regulation in which the nucleolin protein plays a major role in controlling active and repressed rRNA gene variants in Arabidopsis.

Inventory, evolution and expression profiling diversity of the LEA (late embryogenesis abundant) protein gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana.

We analyzed the Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence to detect Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) protein genes, using as reference sequences proteins related to LEAs previously described in cotton or which present similar characteristics. We selected 50 genes representing nine groups. Most of the encoded predicted proteins are small and contain repeated domains that are often specific to a unique LEA group. Comparison of these domains indicates that proteins with classical group 5 motifs are related to group 3 proteins and also gives information on the possible history of these repetitions. Chromosomal gene locations reveal that several LEA genes result from whole genome duplications (WGD) and that 14 are organized in direct tandem repeats. Expression of 45 of these genes was tested in different plant organs, as well as in response to ABA and in mutants (such as abi3, abi5, lec2 and fus3) altered in their response to ABA or in seed maturation. The results demonstrate that several so-called LEA genes are expressed in vegetative tissues in the absence of any abiotic stress, that LEA genes from the same group do not present identical expression profile and, finally, that regulation of LEA genes with apparently similar expression patterns does not systematically involve the same regulatory pathway.