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BIOENERGETICS AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Deletion of Glycine Decarboxylase in Arabidopsis Is Lethal under Nonphotorespiratory Conditions^1,[W],[OA]

Department of Plant Physiology, University of Rostock, D–18059 Rostock, Germany (N.E., K.v.d.D., Ü.K., H.B.); Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, D–14476 Golm, Germany (K.M., W.W.); and Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 51014 Tartu, Estonia (T.P., O.K.)

The mitochondrial multienzyme glycine decarboxylase (GDC) catalyzes the tetrahydrofolate-dependent catabolism of glycine to 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate and the side products NADH, CO₂, and NH₃. This reaction forms part of the photorespiratory cycle and contributes to one-carbon metabolism. While the important role of GDC for these two metabolic pathways is well established, the existence of bypassing reactions has also been suggested. Therefore, it is not clear to what extent GDC is obligatory for these processes. Here, we report on features of individual and combined T-DNA insertion mutants for one of the GDC subunits, P protein, which is encoded by two genes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The individual knockout of either of these two genes does not significantly alter metabolism and photosynthetic performance indicating functional redundancy. In contrast, the double mutant does not develop beyond the cotyledon stage in air enriched with 0.9% CO₂. Rosette leaves do not appear and the seedlings do not survive for longer than about 3 to 4 weeks under these nonphotorespiratory conditions. This feature distinguishes the GDC-lacking double mutant from all other known photorespiratory mutants and provides evidence for the nonreplaceable function of GDC in vital metabolic processes other than photorespiration.

² Present address: Adeborsweg 33, D–18184 Neuendorf, Germany.

The author responsible for distribution of materials integral to the findings presented in this article in accordance with the policy described in the Instructions for Authors (www.plantphysiol.org) is: Hermann Bauwe (hermann.bauwe{at}uni-rostock.de).

^[W] The online version of this article contains Web-only data.

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www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/doi/10.1104/pp.107.099317

^* Corresponding author; e-mail hermann.bauwe{at}uni-rostock.de; fax 49–381–498–6112.

Received March 10, 2007; accepted May 6, 2007; published May 11, 2007.

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