Mitochondrial electron transport regulation of nuclear gene expression. Studies with the alternative oxidase gene of tobacco.

We have isolated a cDNA representing the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Bright Yellow) nuclear gene Aox1, which encodes the alternative oxidase of plant mitochondria. The clone contains the complete coding region (1059 base pairs) of a precursor protein of 353 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 39.8 kD. A putative transit peptide contains common signals believed to be important for import and processing of mitochondrially localized proteins. We have studied changes in Aox1 gene expression in tobacco in response to changes in cytochrome pathway activity. Inhibition of the cytochrome pathway by antimycin A resulted in a rapid and dramatic accumulation of Aox1 mRNA, whereas the level of mRNAs encoding two proteins of the cytochrome pathway did not change appreciably. This was accompanied by a dramatic increase in alternative pathway capacity and engagement in whole cells. Respiration under these conditions was unaffected by the uncoupler p-trifluoromethoxycarbonylcyanide (FCCP). When inhibition of the cytochrome pathway was relieved, levels of Aox1 mRNA returned to control levels, alternative pathway capacity and engagement declined, and respiration could once again be stimulated by FCCP. The results show that a mechanism involving changes in Aox1 gene expression exists whereby the capacity of the alternative pathway can be adjusted in response to changes in the activity of the cytochrome pathway.