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EMBO reports 6, 6, 545–550 (2005)
doi:10.1038/sj.embor.7400411
Published online: 6 May 2005
Glutamyl-tRNA mediates a switch in RNA polymerase use during chloroplast biogenesis
Mitsumasa Hanaoka1, Kengo Kanamaru1, 2, Makoto Fujiwara1†, Hideo Takahashi1‡ & Kan Tanaka1
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1 Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
2 Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
To whom correspondence should be addressed
Kan Tanaka Tel: +81 3 5841 7825; Fax: +81 3 5841 8476; E-mail: kntanaka@iam.u-tokyo.ac.jp
† Present address: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
‡ Present address: College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa-shi 252-8510, Japan
Received 9 September 2004; Accepted 1 April 2005; Published online 6 May 2005.
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Abstract
Chloroplast genes of higher plants are transcribed by two types of RNA polymerase that are encoded by nuclear (NEP (nuclear-encoded plastid RNA polymerase)) or plastid (PEP (plastid-encoded plastid RNA polymerase)) genomes. NEP is largely responsible for the transcription of housekeeping genes during early chloroplast development. Subsequent light-dependent chloroplast maturation is accompanied by repression of NEP activity and activation of PEP. Here, we show that the plastid-encoded transfer RNA for glutamate, the expression of which is dependent on PEP, directly binds to and inhibits the transcriptional activity of NEP in vitro. The plastid tRNAGlu thus seems to mediate the switch in RNA polymerase usage from NEP to PEP during chloroplast development.
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