Communication between nucleus and mitochondria in plants

EDUARDO JULIAN ZABALETA; VILLARREAL, F.; EUBEL, H.; HEINEMEYER, H.; BOEKEMA, E.; PERALES, M.; BRAUN, H.

Rosario

Congreso; Congreso de la DAAD; 2005

Plants have three different, nuclear, chloroplastic and mitochondrial genomes. Most mitochondrial complexes contain nuclear as well as mitochondrial encoded subunits. In order to achieve functional complexes, gene expression should be coordinated between both genomes. Indeed, the number of mitochondria per cell varies between different tissues being higher in anthers than in leaves according to the energetic needs. We have identified promoter specific elements responsible for the induction of several complex I subunits in anthers. In this work, we present several independent evidences for a regulator of several nuclear encoded complex I subunits that in fact is itself a plant specific complex I subunit showing double location, nucleus and mitochondria.