Multiple organellar RNA editing factor (MORF) family proteins are required for RNA editing in mitochondria and plastids of plants

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Mar 27;109(13):5104-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1202452109. Epub 2012 Mar 12.

Abstract

RNA editing in plastids and mitochondria of flowering plants changes hundreds of selected cytidines to uridines, mostly in coding regions of mRNAs. Specific sequences around the editing sites are presumably recognized by up to 200 pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins. The here identified family of multiple organellar RNA editing factor (MORF) proteins provides additional components of the RNA editing machinery in both plant organelles. Two MORF proteins are required for editing in plastids; at least two are essential for editing in mitochondria. The loss of a MORF protein abolishes or lowers editing at multiple sites, many of which are addressed individually by PPR proteins. In plastids, both MORF proteins are required for complete editing at almost all sites, suggesting a heterodimeric complex. In yeast two-hybrid and pull-down assays, MORF proteins can connect to form hetero- and homodimers. Furthermore, MORF proteins interact selectively with PPR proteins, establishing a more complex editosome in plant organelles than previously thought.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / chemistry
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Mitochondria / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family*
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Plastids / genetics*
  • Protein Binding
  • Pseudogenes / genetics
  • RNA Editing / genetics*
  • Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins