OsNBL3, a mitochondria-localized pentatricopeptide repeat protein, is
involved in splicing nad5 intron 4 and responding to biotic and
abiotic stresses
Abstract
Lesion mimic mutants are used to elucidate mechanisms controlling plant
responses to pathogen attacks and environmental stresses. Here, a new
rice (Oryza sativa) lesion mimic mutant, natural blight leaf 3
(nbl3), was identified from T-DNA insertion lines. The causative
gene, OsNBL3, encodes a mitochondria-localized pentatricopeptide repeat
(PPR) protein. The nbl3 mutant exhibited spontaneous cell death
and H2O2 accumulation as evidenced by
Trypan blue, 3,3’-diaminobenzidine and tetranitroblue tetrazolium
chloride analyses. Additionally, nbl3 displayed enhanced
resistance to the fungal and bacterial pathogens Magnaporthe
oryzae and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. This resistance
was consistent with the upregulation of several defence-related genes;
thus defence responses were induced in nbl3. RNA interference
lines of OsNBL3 exhibited enhanced disease resistance similar to
that of nbl3, while the disease resistance of overexpression
lines did not differ from that of the wild type. In addition,
nbl3 displayed improved tolerance to salt treatment, accompanied
by upregulation of several salt-associated marker genes. Disruption of
OsNBL3 leads to destruction of mitochondria and elevated use of
alternative respiratory pathways. OsNBL3 was found to mainly participate
in the splicing of mitochondrial gene nad5 intron 4. Overall, the
results demonstrated that a PPR protein was involved in disease
resistance and salt tolerance in rice.