ATL54, a RING-H2 domain protein selected by a gene co-expression network analysis, is associated with secondary cell wall formation in Arabidopsis

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Abstract

Biosynthesis of plant secondary cell walls is controlled by several master transcription factors. Ubiquitin ligases, which mediate ubiquitination of proteins, including transcription factors in the protein degradation pathway, are also believed to regulate secondary wall biosynthesis; however, the exact ubiquitin ligases involved in secondary wall formation have not yet been identified. We conducted a gene co-expression network analysis and found that <i>ATL54</i>, annotated as a RING-finger protein, was highly co-expressed with several transcription factor and enzyme genes involved in secondary wall formation. A recombinant ATL54 protein showed ubiquitin ligase activity. The expression of several biosynthetic genes of cellulose, lignin, and xylan in apical portions of inflorescence stems was up-regulated by <i>ATL54</i> knock-out. The expression of <i>Xylem Cysteine Peptidase1</i> (<i>XCP1</i>), which participates in the programmed cell death process of xylem tracheary elements, was down-regulated in middle stem portions of both <i>ATL54</i>-knock-out and <i>ATL54</i>-overexpressed mutants. Alteration of <i>ATL54</i> expression levels did not, however, affect lignin and polysaccharide content and composition in whole mature stems. Our results suggest that ATL54 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in secondary wall biosynthesis and programmed cell death during xylogenesis.

Journal

  • Plant Biotechnology

    Plant Biotechnology 30(2), 169-177, 2013-06-25

    Japanese Society for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology

References:  57

Codes

  • NII Article ID (NAID)
    10031184121
  • NII NACSIS-CAT ID (NCID)
    AA11250821
  • Text Lang
    ENG
  • Article Type
    ART
  • ISSN
    13424580
  • NDL Article ID
    024676608
  • NDL Call No.
    Z54-J126
  • DOI
    10.5511/plantbiotechnology.13.0304a
  • Data Source
    CJP  NDL  J-STAGE 
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