Rice FLOURY ENDOSPERM22, encoding a pentatricopeptide repeat protein, is involved in both mitochondrial RNA splicing and editing and is crucial for endosperm development

Most of the reported P-type pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins play roles in organelle RNA stabilization and splicing. However, P-type PPRs involved in both RNA splicing and editing have rarely been reported, and their underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we report a rice floury endosperm22 (flo22) mutant with delayed amyloplast development in endosperm cells. Map-based cloning and complementation tests demonstrated that FLO22 encodes a mitochondrion-localized P-type PPR protein. Mutation of FLO22 resulting in defective trans-splicing of mitochondrial nad1 intron 1 and perhaps causing instability of mature transcripts affected assembly and activity of complex I, and mitochondrial morphology and function. RNA-seq analysis showed that expression levels of many genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism were significantly down-regulated in the flo22 mutant compared with the wild type, whereas genes related to oxidative phosphorylation and the tricarboxylic acid cycle were significantly up-regulated. In addition to involvement in splicing as a P-type PPR protein, we found that FLO22 interacted with DYW3, a DYW-type PPR protein, and they may function synergistically in mitochondrial RNA editing. The present work indicated that FLO22 plays an important role in endosperm development and plant growth by participating in nad1 maturation and multi-site editing of mitochondrial messager RNA.

Automated summary

A mutant rice flo22 showed delayed amyloplast development in endosperm cells, affecting mitochondrial morphology and function. Flo22, encoding a mitochondrion-localized P-type PPR protein, mutations led to defective trans-splicing of mitochondrial nad1 intron 1 and affected complex I assembly and activity. Additionally, FLO22 interacted with DYW3 and participated in mitochondrial RNA editing.