Coordination of NMCP1- and NMCP2-class proteins within the plant nucleoskeleton

Mol Biol Cell. 2020 Dec 15;31(26):2948-2958. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E19-08-0464. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Abstract

Plants lack lamin proteins but contain a class of coiled-coil proteins that serve as analogues to form a laminal structure at the nuclear periphery. These nuclear matrix constituent proteins (NMCPs) play important roles in regulating nuclear morphology and are partitioned into two distinct groups. We investigated Arabidopsis NMCPs (called CRWNs) to study the interrelationship between the three NMCP1-type paralogues (CRWN1, 2, and 3) and the lone NMCP2-type paralogue, CRWN4. An examination of crwn mutants using protein immunoblots demonstrated that CRWN4 abundance depends on the presence of the NMCP1-type proteins, particularly CRWN1. The possibility that CRWN4 is coimported into the nucleus with nuclear localization signal (NLS)-bearing paralogues in the NMCP1-clade was discounted based on recovery of a crwn4-2 missense allele that disrupts a predicted NLS and lowers the abundance of CRWN4 in the nucleus. Further, a screen for mutations that suppress the effects of the crwn4-2 mutation led to the discovery of a missense allele, impa-1G146E, in one of the nine importin-α genes in the Arabidopsis genome. Our results indicate that the CRWN4 carries a functional NLS that interacts with canonic nuclear import machinery. Once imported, the level of CRWN4 within the nucleus is modulated by the abundance of NMCP1 proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / chemistry
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Genes, Suppressor
  • Genetic Loci
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Nuclear Localization Signals / metabolism
  • Nuclear Matrix / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / chemistry
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • AT1G68790 protein, Arabidopsis
  • AT5G65770 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Nuclear Localization Signals
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger