To elucidate the mechanism involved in the transcription initiation process in mitochondria of dicotyledonous plants, an in vitro transcription system was established for pea (Pisum sativum L.). The partially purified mitochondrial protein extract initiates transcription on homologous pea templates as well as on heterologous mitochondrial DNA from other dicot plant species. In vitro transcription begins within the nonanucleotide 5`-CRTAAGAGA-3` (transcription start site is underlined) conserved at most of the identified transcription initiation sites in dicot plant mitochondria. The in vitro initiation at promoters of protein as well as of tRNA coding genes indicates a common mode of transcription initiation for different types of RNA. The competent recognition of different heterologous templates supports a general functional role of the conserved nonanucleotide within mitochondrial promoters of dicotyledonous plants. Initial studies of the promoter structure by deletion analysis in the 5` region of the pea atp9 promoter show that in addition to the conserved nonanucleotide, which is essential for transcription initiation in vitro, sequences up to 25 nucleotides upstream of the transcription start site are necessary for an efficient initiation event.

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us

Digg

Reddit

Technorati

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A.-V. Bohne, S. Ruf, T. Borner, and R. Bock Faithful transcription initiation from a mitochondrial promoter in transgenic plastids Nucleic Acids Res., December 18, 2007; 35(21): 7256 - 7266. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Forner, B. Weber, S. Thuss, S. Wildum, and S. Binder Mapping of mitochondrial mRNA termini in Arabidopsis thaliana: t-elements contribute to 5' and 3' end formation Nucleic Acids Res., June 28, 2007; 35(11): 3676 - 3692. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Kuhn, A.-V. Bohne, K. Liere, A. Weihe, and T. Borner Arabidopsis Phage-Type RNA Polymerases: Accurate in Vitro Transcription of Organellar Genes PLANT CELL, March 1, 2007; 19(3): 959 - 971. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Kühn, A. Weihe, and T. Börner Multiple promoters are a common feature of mitochondrial genes in Arabidopsis Nucleic Acids Res., January 13, 2005; 33(1): 337 - 346. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Takenaka and A. Brennicke In Vitro RNA Editing in Pea Mitochondria Requires NTP or dNTP, Suggesting Involvement of an RNA Helicase J. Biol. Chem., November 28, 2003; 278(48): 47526 - 47533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Kuhn and S. Binder RT-PCR analysis of 5' to 3'-end-ligated mRNAs identifies the extremities of cox2 transcripts in pea mitochondria Nucleic Acids Res., January 15, 2002; 30(2): 439 - 446. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.-C. Farre and A. Araya Gene expression in isolated plant mitochondria: high fidelity of transcription, splicing and editing of a transgene product in electroporated organelles Nucleic Acids Res., June 15, 2001; 29(12): 2484 - 2491. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M. Ikeda and M. W. Gray Characterization of a DNA-Binding Protein Implicated in Transcription in Wheat Mitochondria Mol. Cell. Biol., December 1, 1999; 19(12): 8113 - 8122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C.-C. Chang, J. Sheen, M. Bligny, Y. Niwa, S. Lerbs-Mache, and D. B. Stern Functional Analysis of Two Maize cDNAs Encoding T7-like RNA Polymerases PLANT CELL, May 1, 1999; 11(5): 911 - 926. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. Dombrowski, M. Hoffmann, C. Guha, and S. Binder Continuous Primary Sequence Requirements in the 18-Nucleotide Promoter of Dicot Plant Mitochondria J. Biol. Chem., April 9, 1999; 274(15): 10094 - 10099. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Mackenzie and L. McIntosh Higher Plant Mitochondria PLANT CELL, April 1, 1999; 11(4): 571 - 586. [Full Text]

				D. S. Lupold, A. G. F. S. Caoile, and D. B. Stern The Maize Mitochondrial cox2 Gene Has Five Promoters in Two Genomic Regions, Including a Complex Promoter Consisting of Seven Overlapping Units J. Biol. Chem., February 5, 1999; 274(6): 3897 - 3903. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Hatzack, S. Dombrowski, A. Brennicke, and S. Binder Characterization of DNA-Binding Proteins from Pea Mitochondria Plant Physiology, February 1, 1998; 116(2): 519 - 527. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]