Antisense repression of the mitochondrial nadh-binding subunit of complex I in transgenic potato plants affects male fertility

• Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I is a large multi-subunit enzyme composed of both organellar and nuclear encoded proteins. To investigate the role of the nuclear encoded components, expression of the gene for the 55 kDa NADH-binding subunit of complex I was disturbed by antisense repression in transgenic potato plants. The antisense construct driven by the CaMV 35S promoter decreases the steady-state mRNA levels of transcripts for the 55 kDa subunit to 33% of the wild type levels. Quantities of the 55 kDa protein in mitochondrial protein extracts are lowered to about 50% in these plants. Transgenic plants show normal vegetative growth and tuber formation, but pollen maturation is found to be disturbed. The reduced male fertility of the transgenic 55 kDa antisense plants may be caused by an insufficient mitochondrial respiratory chain, impaired by the decreased expression of the NADH-binding component of mitochondrial complex I.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Antisense repression

Male fertility

Mitochondrial NADH-dehydrogenase (complex I)

Solanum tuberosum

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)