Arabidopsis VARIEGATED 3 encodes a chloroplast-targeted, zinc-finger protein required for chloroplast and palisade cell development.
Naested H,
Holm A,
Jenkins T,
Nielsen HB,
Harris CA,
Beale MH,
Andersen M,
Mant A,
Scheller H,
Camara B,
Mattsson O,
Mundy J.
Institute of Molecular Biology, Copenhagen University, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
The stable, recessive Arabidopsis variegated 3 (var3) mutant exhibits a variegated phenotype due to somatic areas lacking or containing developmentally retarded chloroplasts and greatly reduced numbers of palisade cells. The VAR3 gene, isolated by transposon tagging, encodes the 85.9 kDa VAR3 protein containing novel repeats and zinc fingers described as protein interaction domains. VAR3 interacts specifically in yeast and in vitro with NCED4, a putative polyene chain or carotenoid dioxygenase, and both VAR3 and NCED4 accumulate in the chloroplast stroma. Metabolic profiling demonstrates that pigment profiles are qualitatively similar in wild type and var3, although var3 accumulates lower levels of chlorophylls and carotenoids. These results indicate that VAR3 is a part of a protein complex required for normal chloroplast and palisade cell development.
PMID: 15340011 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]