MORPHEUS' MOLECULE1 is required to prevent aberrant RNA transcriptional read-through in Arabidopsis

Plant Physiol. 2010 Nov;154(3):1272-80. doi: 10.1104/pp.110.162131. Epub 2010 Sep 8.

Abstract

Several pathways function to remove aberrant mRNA in eukaryotic cells; however, the exact mechanisms underlying the restriction of aberrant mRNA transcription are poorly understood. In this study, we found that MORPHEUS' MOLECULE1 (MOM1) is a key component of this regulatory machinery. The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mom1-44 mutation was identified by luciferase imaging in transgenic plants harboring a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter-LUCIFERASE transgene lacking the 3'-untranslated region. In the mom1-44 mutant, transcriptional read-though occurred in genes with an aberrant RNA structure. Analysis of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase2 mom1 double mutant revealed that the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway is not involved in this regulatory process. Moreover, the prevention of aberrant mRNA transcriptional read-through by MOM1 is gene locus and transgene copy number independent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA Methylation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Mutation
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / metabolism
  • Polyadenylation
  • RNA, Plant / biosynthesis
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA, Plant
  • Transcription Factors
  • ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities
  • MOM protein, Arabidopsis