Transit Peptides From Photosynthesis-Related Proteins Mediate Import of a Marker Protein Into Different Plastid Types and Within Different Species

• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.560701
• Publication Date: 2020-09-25T06:46:39Z
• Authors: Álvaro Eseverri; Can Baysal; Vicente Medina; Teresa Capell; Paul Christou; Luis M. Rubio; Elena Caro
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Recombinant protein; rice; Plastid import; Plant culture; plastid import; transit peptide; Crops; Plant Science; crops; SB1-1110; 03 medical and health sciences; Medio Ambiente; Rice; plastid targeting; recombinant protein; Synthetic biology; Biotechnology; Plastid targeting; Transit peptide

Nucleus-encoded plastid proteins are synthesized as precursors with N-terminal targeting signals called transit peptides (TPs), which mediate interactions the translocon complexes at outer (TOC) and inner (TIC) membranes. These exist in multiple isoforms higher plants show differential specificity tissue abundance. While some for photosynthesis-related precursor proteins, others distinctly recognize non-photosynthetic housekeeping proteins. Here we used TPs from four Arabidopsis thaliana three related to photosynthesis (chlorophyll a/b binding protein, Rubisco activase) photo-protection (tocopherol cyclase) one involved assimilation of ammonium into amino-acids, whose expression is most abundant root (ferredoxin dependent glutamate synthase 2), determine whether they were able import a nuclear-encoded marker protein plastids different tissues dicot monocot species. In A. thaliana, processing efficiency was high all cases, while TP rice small chain 1, drove very low tissues. Noteworthy, our results that also callus, leaf almost 100% efficiency, providing new biotechnological tools crop improvement strategies based on recombinant accumulation by transgenes.