The role of mitochondrial carrier proteins in plants: more than just the energetic issue

• Ano de defesa: 2024
• Autor(a) principal: Batista, Rita de Cássia Monteiro
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa
• Palavras-chave em Português: Arabidopsis thaliana; Adenilato quinase; Proteínas mitocondriais; Metabolismo; Respiração; Fisiologia Vegetal
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/32488; https://doi.org/10.47328/ufvbbt.2024.292

The role of mitochondrial carrier proteins in plants: more than just the energetic issue. Adviser: Adriano Nunes-Nesi. Co-advisers: Wagner L. Araújo and Paula da Fonseca Pereira. The transport of metabolites across the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) is crucial for cellular metabolism and energy homeostasis. This process is mediated by mitochondrial carrier proteins belonging to the Mitochondrial Carrier Family (MCF). Despite recent advances in understanding the function of these transporter proteins in plants, their full physiological role remains incompletely understood, particularly under varying growing conditions. This study aimed to elucidate the physiological role of mitochondrial transporters under both optimal and adverse conditions, while also characterizing two isoforms of the adenylate transporter ADP/ATP Carrier (AAC1 and AAC2) in vivo. Our findings reveal that decreased AAC1 expression impacts cellular respiration and ATP concentrations, leading to aberrant mitochondrial morphology and reduced root growth. Additionally, AAC1 downregulation affects both vegetative and reproductive stages, underscoring its involvement in oxidative phosphorylation, energy homeostasis, and plant growth regulation. We further investigated AAC2's role in reproduction, germination, vegetative phase, and root growth. Our results demonstrate AAC2's significance in germination, with lines exhibiting decreased expression showing reduced and delayed germination percentage. Moreover, AAC2 downregulation affects root growth, silique size, and seed viability, emphasizing its critical role in plant development and reproductive yield regulation. Overall, our study highlights the pivotal role of mitochondrial transport proteins in regulating plant metabolism and development across various environmental conditions. Understanding the functions of these transporters not only provides insights into energy homeostasis but also offers valuable insights into mitochondrial dynamics, a key aspect of cellular metabolism regulation. This comprehensive understanding holds promise for future research on plant adaptation to environmental challenges and the development of strategies to enhance agricultural sustainability and food security. Keywords: Adenylates; Arabidopsis thaliana; metabolism; mitochondria; respiration.