A mitochondria-targeted PPR protein restores cytoplasmic male sterility by post-transcriptional modification of ORF147 in Cajanus cajanifolius

Bhattacharya, J.; Nitnavare, R. B.; Yeshvekar, R.; Reddy, D. S.; Sapara, V.; Reddy, P.; Ramtirtha, Y.; Kalenhalli, Y.; Mathur, P. B.; Reddy, P. S.

doi:10.1101/2024.05.17.594745

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.05.17.594745

A mitochondria-targeted PPR protein restores cytoplasmic male sterility by post-transcriptional modification of ORF147 in Cajanus cajanifolius

Bhattacharya, J.·Nitnavare, R. B.·Yeshvekar, R.·Reddy, D. S.·Sapara, V.·Reddy, P.·Ramtirtha, Y.·Kalenhalli, Y.·Mathur, P. B.·Reddy, P. S.

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Abstract

Restoration factors (Rfs) belonging to the pentatricopeptide repeat proteins (PPRs) family play an essential role in plant growth and development including their binding to CMS-associated mitochondrial RNAs leading to fertility restoration. The present study identified 22 mitochondrial-specific PPRs in pigeonpea and explored the underlying mechanisms of restoration of fertility in the A4 CMS system through yeast-three hybrid studies. The identified gene was functionally validated through transgenic expression in Arabidopsis model system and obtained conclusive evidence that the identified Rf-PPR was responsible for fertility restoration. The sub-cellular localization studies implied that the identified Rf-PPR is mitochondrial targeting. The study demonstrated that due to the interaction between mitochondrial CMS mRNA and nuclear Rf-PPR protein, post-transcriptional modification occurred, leading to the inability to translate and accumulate cytotoxic CMS protein resulting in fertility restoration. The study specifically looks into the RNA-protein interaction occurring at the nucleo-cytoplasmic level in the A4 cytoplasm of Cajanus cajanifolius. HighlightsThe study identifies the restoration of fertility genes corresponding to the CMS-causing orf147 gene.

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Bhattacharya, J., Nitnavare, R. B., Yeshvekar, R., Reddy, D. S., Sapara, V., Reddy, P., Ramtirtha, Y., Kalenhalli, Y., Mathur, P. B., Reddy, P. S.. 2024-05-17. A mitochondria-targeted PPR protein restores cytoplasmic male sterility by post-transcriptional modification of ORF147 in Cajanus cajanifolius. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.17.594745

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