Summary: | 碩士 === 國立彰化師範大學 === 生物學系 === 103 === Nucleolar ribonucleoprotein (RNP) is involved in the molecular function that contributes to processing of ribosomal RNA precursors. RNP has been implicated in cell-cycle regulation in animals. However, the roles of RNP in plant developmental programs remain to be elusive. In this study, we isolated and characterized NbRNP1 genes from Nicotiana benthamiana. Alignment of the NbRNP1 protein sequence with those from animals and plants showed conservation of the MPP10 (M phase phosphoprotein 10) domain. Subcellular localization analysis of NbRNP1 showed that NbRNP1 was predominantly localized in nucleus. The C-terminal of NbRNP1 containing the MPP10 domain was critical to nuclear localization. Functional characterization of NbRNP1 gene by virus-induced gene silencing and overexpression demonstrated its role in leaf and root development. In NbRNP1-silenced plants, newly emerging leaves exhibited needle-like phenotype as compared to vector-control plants. The leaf cells stained with nuclear-specific dye showed lower nuclear fluorescence as compared with the control plants. The knockdown of NbRNP1 gene in leaf significantly increased the percentage of dead cells. In addition, the growth of roots was severely inhibited in NbRNP1-silenced plants. Silencing NbRNP1 interfered with leaf development and the expression of genes involved in leaf polarity ASYMMETRIC LEAVES 1 and 2 (NbAS1 and AS2). In summary, this study suggests a role for NbRNP1 in leaf and root development. Further study is required to understand the molecular component that involved in NbRNP1-mediated development programs.
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