The RTR Complex Partner RMI2 and the DNA Helicase RTEL1 Are Both Independently Involved in Preserving the Stability of 45S rDNA Repeats in Arabidopsis thaliana

PLoS Genet. 2016 Oct 19;12(10):e1006394. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006394. eCollection 2016 Oct.

Abstract

The stability of repetitive sequences in complex eukaryotic genomes is safeguarded by factors suppressing homologues recombination. Prominent in this is the role of the RTR complex. In plants, it consists of the RecQ helicase RECQ4A, the topoisomerase TOP3α and RMI1. Like mammals, but not yeast, plants harbor an additional complex partner, RMI2. Here, we demonstrate that, in Arabidopsis thaliana, RMI2 is involved in the repair of aberrant replication intermediates in root meristems as well as in intrastrand crosslink repair. In both instances, RMI2 is involved independently of the DNA helicase RTEL1. Surprisingly, simultaneous loss of RMI2 and RTEL1 leads to loss of male fertility. As both the RTR complex and RTEL1 are involved in suppression of homologous recombination (HR), we tested the efficiency of HR in the double mutant rmi2-2 rtel1-1 and found a synergistic enhancement (80-fold). Searching for natural target sequences we found that RTEL1 is required for stabilizing 45S rDNA repeats. In the double mutant with rmi2-2 the number of 45S rDNA repeats is further decreased sustaining independent roles of both factors in this process. Thus, loss of suppression of HR does not only lead to a destabilization of rDNA repeats but might be especially deleterious for tissues undergoing multiple cell divisions such as the male germline.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / genetics*
  • DNA Helicases / genetics*
  • DNA Repair / genetics*
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Homologous Recombination / genetics*
  • Meristem / genetics
  • Meristem / growth & development
  • Plant Roots / genetics
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Pollen / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • RMI1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • RMI2 protein, Arabidopsis
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, ribosomal, 45S
  • DNA Helicases
  • RTEL1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • RecQ4A protein, Arabidopsis
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type I

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the German Research Foundation DFG (grant number Pu 137/16-1 ERA-CAPS DeCOP) and the European Research Council ERC (grant number ERC-2010-AdG_20100317 COMREC). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.