Role of Tic40 in Male Sterility in Oilseed Rape

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jürgen Soll
• Subject Area: Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology
• Term: from 2013 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 243104960

The endosymbiotic organelles mitochondria and plastids need to import most of their protein constituents from the cytosol in a posttranslational process. Multisubunit protein transport machineries named translocon at the outer and inner envelope of chloroplasts (TOC and TIC), respectively, are responsible for preprotein recognition and translocation. Tic40 is a prominent subunit of the translocon and localizes to the stromal side of the Tic complex, where it is supposed to recruit molecular chaperones to the exit site of preproteins from the translocation channel. A detailed physiological and functional analysis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is, however, not possible since a loss of function mutant of the single Tic40 coding gene results in a severe pale green pleiotropic phenotype, which precludes specific analysis. In the related species Brassica napus (oilseed rape), multiple Tic40 gene product exist. One isoform BnaCTic40 was further shown to function as a restorer gene for male sterility in oilseed rape, thereby allowing to achieve two aims with this proposal project. Firstly, to get a detailed insight into the physiological and mechanistic function of Tic40. Secondly, we will understand the role of Tic40 in fertility restoration in oilseed rape, an important feature to improve the breeding process.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Privatdozentin Dr. Bettina Bölter