PPR21 is involved in the splicing of <i>nad2</i> introns via interacting with PPR-SMR1 and SPR2 and is essential to maize seed development

Yan-Zhuo Yang; Xin-Yuan Liu; Song Gao; Shu-Guang Zhang; Bao-Cai Tan

doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2024.08.010

Volume 52 Issue 3

Mar. 2025

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PPR21 is involved in the splicing of nad2 introns via interacting with PPR-SMR1 and SPR2 and is essential to maize seed development

doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.08.010

The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environment Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China

Funds:

Dr. Tsuyoshi Nakagawa for the pGWB5 vector. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32072126 and 32230075) and the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (ZR2019MC005).

Dr. Chunyi Zhang and Dr. Xiaoduo Lu for the seed stock EMS3-03ec0a

We thank the Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center for the seed stock UFMu-09428

Received Date: 2024-06-07
Accepted Date: 2024-08-30
Rev Recd Date: 2024-08-30

Available Online: 2025-07-11

Publish Date: 2024-09-04

Abstract

Abstract

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are a large group of eukaryote-specific RNA-binding proteins that play pivotal roles in plant organelle gene expression. Here, we report the function of PPR21 in mitochondrial intron splicing and its role in maize kernel development. PPR21 is a typical P-type PPR protein targeted to mitochondria. The ppr21 mutants are arrested in embryogenesis and endosperm development, leading to embryo lethality. Null mutations of PPR21 reduce the splicing efficiency of nad2 intron 1, 2, and 4 and impair the assembly and activity of mitochondrial complex I. Previous studies show that the P-type PPR protein EMP12 is required for the splicing of identical introns. However, our protein interaction analyses reveal that PPR21 does not interact with EMP12. Instead, both PPR21 and EMP12 interact with the small MutS-related (SMR) domain-containing PPR protein 1 (PPR-SMR1) and the short P-type PPR protein 2 (SPR2). PPR-SMR1 interacts with SPR2, and both proteins are required for the splicing of many introns in mitochondria, including nad2 intron 1, 2, and 4. These results suggest that a PPR21–(PPR-SMR1/SPR2)–EMP12 complex is involved in the splicing of nad2 introns in maize mitochondria.
- Intron splicing,
- Maize (Zea mays),
- Mitochondrion,
- PPR21,
- Seed development,
- Small MutS-related domain-containing PPR protein 1 (PPR-SMR1),
- SPR2

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References(45)

References

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