ZmbZIP60 mRNA is spliced in maize in response to ER stress.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Adverse environmental conditions produce ER stress and elicit the unfolded protein response (UPR) in plants. Plants are reported to have two "arms" of the ER stress signaling pathway-one arm involving membrane-bound transcription factors and the other involving a membrane-associated RNA splicing factor, IRE1. IRE1 in yeast to mammals recognizes a conserved twin loop structure in the target RNA.

Results

A segment of the mRNA encoding ZmbZIP60 in maize can be folded into a twin loop structure, and in response to ER stress this mRNA is spliced, excising a 20b intron. Splicing converts the predicted protein from a membrane-associated transcription factor to one that is targeted to the nucleus. Splicing of ZmbZIP60 can be elicited in maize seedlings by ER stress agents

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3369818 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature