Mutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thaliana

To identify novel and essential components of the plant membrane trafficking mechanisms, <em>Arabidopsis</em> membrane trafficking mutants from fluorescent protein-based forward genetic screens were characterized. First, four novel <em>glutathione synthase</em> (GSH2) mutant...

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Main Author: Au, KCK
Other Authors: Moore, I
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
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author Au, KCK
author2 Moore, I
author_facet Moore, I
Au, KCK
author_sort Au, KCK
collection OXFORD
description To identify novel and essential components of the plant membrane trafficking mechanisms, <em>Arabidopsis</em> membrane trafficking mutants from fluorescent protein-based forward genetic screens were characterized. First, four novel <em>glutathione synthase</em> (GSH2) mutant alleles featured swollen endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived bodies that accumulated a soluble secretory marker. Consistent with the role of GSH2 in glutathione biosynthesis, the loss-of-function mutant alleles exhibited gamma-glutamylcysteine (γ-EC) hyperaccumulation and glutathione deficiency. The aberrant ER morphology was ascribed to the γ-EC accumulation. Redox-sensitive fluorescent protein revealed that gsh2 seedlings maintained a reduced cytoplasm at steady state but were more sensitive to oxidative challenge. Second, Mut 21 was a conditional mutant that accumulated a secretory marker in the alkalized apoplast at restrictive temperature (31˚C). The mutant was identified as carrying a mutant allele of <em>tuftelin-interacting protein 11</em> (TFIP11), which has been implicated in regulating redifferentiation and cell proliferation through a cytokinin signalling pathway. Hence, it was postulated that the changes in response to cytokinin affect auxin-mediated acidification of the apoplast. Third, Mut 43 was a conditional mutant that accumulated a soluble secretory marker in the ER and unidentified punctate structures at restrictive temperature, and exhibited perturbations in ER export of a soluble protein marker. Moreover, the mutant showed severe growth defects and abnormal radial root swelling in the apical elongation zone. A mutation identification method through deep-sequencing of the wild-type siblings in outcrossed heterozygous mutant families was developed and tested in Mut 43. At the time when this thesis was prepared, bioinformatic analysis has assigned Mut 43 to the bottom arm of chromosome two and predicted a 300kb mapping interval based on the observed bias in single nucleotide polymorphism ratios. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using forward genetics to study plant-specific aspects of membrane trafficking mechanisms and incorporates new technology to streamline the process of gene identification.
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spelling oxford-uuid:e3e14949-f3ed-4a09-8475-5945e5c6b11c2022-03-27T10:12:23ZMutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thalianaThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:e3e14949-f3ed-4a09-8475-5945e5c6b11cMolecular Plant PhysiologyCell Biology (plants)Plant SciencesEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2012Au, KCKMoore, ITo identify novel and essential components of the plant membrane trafficking mechanisms, <em>Arabidopsis</em> membrane trafficking mutants from fluorescent protein-based forward genetic screens were characterized. First, four novel <em>glutathione synthase</em> (GSH2) mutant alleles featured swollen endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived bodies that accumulated a soluble secretory marker. Consistent with the role of GSH2 in glutathione biosynthesis, the loss-of-function mutant alleles exhibited gamma-glutamylcysteine (γ-EC) hyperaccumulation and glutathione deficiency. The aberrant ER morphology was ascribed to the γ-EC accumulation. Redox-sensitive fluorescent protein revealed that gsh2 seedlings maintained a reduced cytoplasm at steady state but were more sensitive to oxidative challenge. Second, Mut 21 was a conditional mutant that accumulated a secretory marker in the alkalized apoplast at restrictive temperature (31˚C). The mutant was identified as carrying a mutant allele of <em>tuftelin-interacting protein 11</em> (TFIP11), which has been implicated in regulating redifferentiation and cell proliferation through a cytokinin signalling pathway. Hence, it was postulated that the changes in response to cytokinin affect auxin-mediated acidification of the apoplast. Third, Mut 43 was a conditional mutant that accumulated a soluble secretory marker in the ER and unidentified punctate structures at restrictive temperature, and exhibited perturbations in ER export of a soluble protein marker. Moreover, the mutant showed severe growth defects and abnormal radial root swelling in the apical elongation zone. A mutation identification method through deep-sequencing of the wild-type siblings in outcrossed heterozygous mutant families was developed and tested in Mut 43. At the time when this thesis was prepared, bioinformatic analysis has assigned Mut 43 to the bottom arm of chromosome two and predicted a 300kb mapping interval based on the observed bias in single nucleotide polymorphism ratios. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using forward genetics to study plant-specific aspects of membrane trafficking mechanisms and incorporates new technology to streamline the process of gene identification.
spellingShingle Molecular Plant Physiology
Cell Biology (plants)
Plant Sciences
Au, KCK
Mutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thaliana
title Mutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thaliana
title_full Mutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thaliana
title_fullStr Mutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thaliana
title_full_unstemmed Mutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thaliana
title_short Mutational analysis of membrane traffic in Arabidopsis thaliana
title_sort mutational analysis of membrane traffic in arabidopsis thaliana
topic Molecular Plant Physiology
Cell Biology (plants)
Plant Sciences
work_keys_str_mv AT aukck mutationalanalysisofmembranetrafficinarabidopsisthaliana