Improved Computational Target Site Prediction for Pentatricopeptide Repeat RNA Editing Factors

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins with an E domain have been identified as specific factors for C to U RNA editing in plant organelles. These PPR proteins bind to a unique sequence motif 5′ of their target editing sites. Recently, involvement of a combinatorial amino acid code in the P (normal length) and S type (short) PPR domains in sequence specific RNA binding was reported. PPR proteins involved in RNA editing, however, contain not only P and S motifs but also their long variants L (long) and L2 (long2) and the S2 (short2) motifs. We now find that inclusion of these motifs improves the prediction of RNA editing target sites. Previously overlooked RNA editing target sites are suggested from the PPR motif structures of known E-class PPR proteins and are experimentally verified. RNA editing target sites are assigned for the novel PPR protein MEF32 (mitochondrial editing factor 32) and are confirmed in the cDNA.     

Structure of a PLS-class Pentatricopeptide Repeat Protein Provides Insights into Mechanism of RNA Recognition

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins that form a pervasive family of proteins conserved in yeast, plants, and humans. The plant PPR proteins are grouped mainly into the P and PLS classes. Here, we report the crystal structure of a PLS-class PPR protein from Arabidopsis thaliana called THA8L (THA8-like) at 2.0 Å. THA8L resembles THA8 (thylakoid assembly 8), a protein that is required for the splicing of specific group II introns of genes involved in biogenesis of chloroplast thylakoid membranes. The THA8L structure contains three P-type PPR motifs flanked by one L-type motif and one S-type motif. We identified several putative THA8L-binding sites, enriched with purine sequences, in the group II introns. Importantly, THA8L has strong binding preference for single-stranded RNA over single-stranded DNA or double-stranded RNA. Structural analysis revealed that THA8L contains two extensive patches of positively charged residues next to the residues that are proposed to comprise the RNA-binding codes. Mutations in these two positively charged patches greatly reduced THA8L RNA-binding activity. On the basis of these data, we constructed a model of THA8L-RNA binding that is dependent on two forces: one is the interaction between nucleotide bases and specific amino acids in the PPR motifs (codes), and the other is the interaction between the negatively charged RNA backbone and positively charged residues of PPR motifs. Together, these results further our understanding of the mechanism of PPR protein-RNA interactions.     

Predictable Alteration of Sequence Recognition by RNA Editing Factors from Arabidopsis

RNA editing factors of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) family show a very high degree of sequence specificity in the recognition of their target sites. A molecular basis for target recognition by editing factors has been proposed based on statistical correlations but has not been tested experimentally. To achieve this, we systematically mutated the pentatricopeptide motifs in the Arabidopsis thaliana RNA editing factor CLB19 to investigate their individual contribution to RNA recognition. We find that the motifs contributing significantly to the specificity of binding follow the previously proposed recognition rules, distinguishing primarily between purines and pyrimidines. Our results are consistent with proposals that each motif recognizes one nucleotide in the RNA target with the protein aligned parallel to the RNA and contiguous motifs aligned with contiguous nucleotides such that the final PPR motif aligns four nucleotides upstream of the edited cytidine. By altering S motifs in CLB19 and another editing factor, OTP82, and using the modified proteins to attempt to complement the respective mutants, we demonstrate that we can predictably alter the specificity of these factors in vivo.     

Genome-wide analysis of NBS-LRR-encoding genes in Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis genome contains approximately 200 genes that encode proteins with similarity to the nucleotide binding site and other domains characteristic of plant resistance proteins. Through a reiterative process of sequence analysis and reannotation, we identified 149 NBS-LRR-encoding genes in the Arabidopsis (ecotype Columbia) genomic sequence. Fifty-six of these genes were corrected from earlier annotations. At least 12 are predicted to be pseudogenes. As described previously, two distinct groups of sequences were identified: those that encoded an N-terminal domain with Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor homology (TIR-NBS-LRR, or TNL), and those that encoded an N-terminal coiled-coil motif (CC-NBS-LRR, or CNL). The encoded proteins are distinct from the 58 predicted adapter proteins in the previously described TIR-X, TIR-NBS, and CC-NBS groups. Classification based on protein domains, intron positions, sequence conservation, and genome distribution defined four subgroups of CNL proteins, eight subgroups of TNL proteins, and a pair of divergent NL proteins that lack a defined N-terminal motif. CNL proteins generally were encoded in single exons, although two subclasses were identified that contained introns in unique positions. TNL proteins were encoded in modular exons, with conserved intron positions separating distinct protein domains. Conserved motifs were identified in the LRRs of both CNL and TNL proteins. In contrast to CNL proteins, TNL proteins contained large and variable C-terminal domains. The extant distribution and diversity of the NBS-LRR sequences has been generated by extensive duplication and ectopic rearrangements that involved segmental duplications as well as microscale events. The observed diversity of these NBS-LRR proteins indicates the variety of recognition molecules available in an individual genotype to detect diverse biotic challenges.     

The maize Single myb histone 1 gene, Smh1, belongs to a novel gene family and encodes a protein that binds telomere DNA repeats in vitro

We screened maize (Zea mays) cDNAs for sequences similar to the single myb-like DNA-binding domain of known telomeric complex proteins. We identified, cloned, and sequenced five full-length cDNAs representing a novel gene family, and we describe the analysis of one of them, the gene Single myb histone 1 (Smh1). The Smh1 gene encodes a small, basic protein with a unique triple motif structure of (a) an N-terminal SANT/myb-like domain of the homeodomain-like superfamily of 3-helical-bundle-fold proteins, (b) a central region with homology to the conserved H1 globular domain found in the linker histones H1/H5, and (c) a coiled-coil domain near the C terminus. The Smh-type genes are plant specific and include a gene family in Arabidopsis and the PcMYB1 gene of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) but are distinct from those (AtTRP1, AtTBP1, and OsRTBP1) recently shown to encode in vitro telomere-repeat DNA-binding activity. The Smh1 gene is expressed in leaf tissue and maps to chromosome 8 (bin 8.05), with a duplicate locus on chromosome 3 (bin 3.09). A recombinant full-length SMH1, rSMH1, was found by band-shift assays to bind double-stranded oligonucleotide probes with at least two internal tandem copies of the maize telomere repeat, TTTAGGG. Point mutations in the telomere repeat residues reduced or abolished the binding, whereas rSMH1 bound nonspecifically to single-stranded DNA probes. The two DNA-binding motifs in SMH proteins may provide a link between sequence recognition and chromatin dynamics and may function at telomeres or other sites in the nucleus.     

The structure and expression of the wheat starch synthase III gene. Motifs in the expressed gene define the lineage of the starch synthase III gene family

The endosperm of hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum [L.]) was shown to contain a high molecular weight starch synthase (SS) analogous to the product of the maize du1 gene, starch synthase III (SSIII; DU1). cDNA and genomic DNA sequences encoding wheat SSIII were isolated and characterized. The wheat SSIII cDNA is 5,346 bp long and contains an open reading frame that encodes a 1,628-amino acid polypeptide. A putative N-terminal transit peptide, a 436-amino acid C-terminal catalytic domain, and a central 470-amino acid SSIII-specific domain containing three regions of repeated amino acid similarity were identified in the wheat gene. A fourth region between the transit peptide and the SSIII-specific domain contains repeat motifs that are variable with respect to motif sequence and repeat number between wheat and maize. In dicots, this N-terminal region does not contain repeat motifs and is truncated. The gene encoding wheat SSIII, designated ss3, consists of 16 exons extending over 10 kb, and is located on wheat chromosome I. Expression of ss3 mRNA in wheat was detected in leaves, pre-anthesis florets, and from very early to middle stage of endosperm development. The entire N-terminal variable repeat region and the majority of the SSIII-specific domain are encoded on a single 2,703-bp exon. A gene encoding a class III SS from the Arabidopsis genome sequencing project shows a strongly conserved exon structure to the wheat ss3 gene, with the exception of the N-terminal region. The evolutionary relationships of the genes encoding monocot and dicot class III SSs are discussed.     

The potential for manipulating RNA with pentatricopeptide repeat proteins

The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family, which is particularly prevalent in plants, includes many sequence‐specific RNA‐binding proteins involved in all aspects of organelle RNA metabolism, including RNA stability, processing, editing and translation. PPR proteins consist of a tandem array of 2‐30 PPR motifs, each of which aligns to one nucleotide in the RNA target. The amino acid side chains at two or three specific positions in each motif confer nucleotide specificity in a predictable and programmable manner. Thus, PPR proteins appear to provide an extremely promising opportunity to create custom RNA‐binding proteins with tailored specificity. We summarize recent progress in understanding RNA recognition by PPR proteins, with a particular focus on potential applications of PPR‐based tools for manipulating RNA, and on the challenges that remain to be overcome before these tools may be routinely used by the scientific community.     

A short PPR protein required for the splicing of specific group II introns in angiosperm chloroplasts

A maize gene designated thylakoid assembly 8 (tha8) emerged from a screen for nuclear mutations that cause defects in the biogenesis of chloroplast thylakoid membranes. The tha8 gene encodes an unusual member of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) family, a family of helical repeat proteins that participate in various aspects of organellar RNA metabolism. THA8 localizes to chloroplasts, where it associates specifically with the ycf3-2 and trnA group II introns. The splicing of ycf3-2 is eliminated in tha8 mutants, and trnA splicing is strongly compromised. Reverse-genetic analysis of the tha8 ortholog in Arabidopsis thaliana showed that these molecular functions are conserved, although null alleles are embryo lethal in Arabidopsis and seedling lethal in maize. Whereas most PPR proteins have more than 10 PPR motifs, THA8 belongs to a subfamily of plant PPR proteins with only four PPR motifs and little else. THA8 is the first member of this subfamily with a defined molecular function, and illustrates that even small PPR proteins have the potential to mediate specific intermolecular interactions in vivo.     

A combinatorial amino Acid code for RNA recognition by pentatricopeptide repeat proteins

The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) is a helical repeat motif found in an exceptionally large family of RNA-binding proteins that functions in mitochondrial and chloroplast gene expression. PPR proteins harbor between 2 and 30 repeats and typically bind single-stranded RNA in a sequence-specific fashion. However, the basis for sequence-specific RNA recognition by PPR tracts has been unknown. We used computational methods to infer a code for nucleotide recognition involving two amino acids in each repeat, and we validated this model by recoding a PPR protein to bind novel RNA sequences in vitro. Our results show that PPR tracts bind RNA via a modular recognition mechanism that differs from previously described RNA-protein recognition modes and that underpins a natural library of specific protein/RNA partners of unprecedented size and diversity. These findings provide a significant step toward the prediction of native binding sites of the enormous number of PPR proteins found in nature. Furthermore, the extraordinary evolutionary plasticity of the PPR family suggests that the PPR scaffold will be particularly amenable to redesign for new sequence specificities and functions.     

Full-length sequence of the cDNA for human erythroid beta-spectrin

Spectrin is the major molecular consituent of the red cell membrane skeleton. We have isolated overlapping human erythroid beta-spectrin cDNA clones and determined 6773 base pairs of contiguous nucleotide sequence. This includes the entire coding sequence of beta-spectrin. The sequence translates into a 2137 amino acid, 246-kDa peptide. beta-Spectrin is found to consist of three distinct domains. Domain I, at the N terminus, is a 272-amino acid region lacking resemblance to the spectrin repetitive motif. Sequences in this region exhibit striking sequence homology, at both nucleotide and amino acid levels, to the N-terminal "actin-binding" domains of alpha-actinin and dystrophin. Between residues 51 and 270 there is 55% amino acid identity to human dystrophin, with only four single amino acid gaps in alignment. Domain II consists of 17 spectrin repeats. Several sequence variations are observed in typical repeat structure. Homology to alpha-actinin extends beyond domain I into the N-terminal portion of domain II. Domain III, 52 amino acid residues at the C terminus, does not adhere to the spectrin repeat motif. Combining knowledge of spectrin primary structure with previously reported functional studies, it is possible to make several inferences regarding structure/function relationships within the beta-spectrin molecule.     

Cytidine Deaminase Motifs within the DYW Domain of Two Pentatricopeptide Repeat-containing Proteins Are Required for Site-specific Chloroplast RNA Editing

In angiosperm organelles, cytidines are converted to uridines by a deamination reaction in the process termed RNA editing. The C targets of editing are recognized by members of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family. Although other members of the editosome have begun to be identified, the enzyme that catalyzes the C-U conversion is still unknown. The DYW motif at the C terminus of many PPR editing factors contains residues conserved with known cytidine deaminase active sites; however, some PPR editing factors lack a DYW motif. Furthermore, in many PPR-DYW editing factors, the truncation of the DYW motif does not affect editing efficiency, so the role of the DYW motif in RNA editing is unclear. Here, a chloroplast PPR-DYW editing factor, quintuple editing factor 1 (QED1), was shown to affect five different plastid editing sites, the greatest number of chloroplast C targets known to be affected by a single PPR protein. Loss of editing at the five sites resulted in stunted growth and accumulation of apparent photodamage. Adding a C-terminal protein tag to QED1 was found to severely inhibit editing function. QED1 and RARE1, another plastid PPR-DYW editing factor, were discovered to require their DYW motifs for efficient editing. To identify specific residues critical for editing, conserved deaminase residues in each PPR protein were mutagenized. The mutant PPR proteins, when expressed in qed1 or rare1 mutant protoplasts, could not complement the editing defect. Therefore, the DYW motif, and specifically, the deaminase residues, of QED1 and RARE1 are required for editing efficiency.