NtCP29A depletion leads to a 50% loss of the rbcL transcript under cold conditions

The nuclear-encoded chloroplastic RNA-binding protein CP29A is important for the cold response in Arabidopsis thaliana. Knockout mutations in this plant species lead to a bleaching phenotype in the newly developing tissue. Important for the function of AtCP29A is a long prion like domain, which is located between the two RNA Recognition Motifs (RRM). In contrast, the CP29A variant of N. tabacum contains only a short linker between the two RRMs. Knockout mutants of this gene show a phenotype when analysed by pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry. In this study, we analysed the differentially expressed chloroplast genes of the NtCP29A mutant compared to the wild-type of N. tabacum (Petit havana) under normal (24°C) and under cold (12°C) growth conditions. While no gene was significantly deregulated under normal conditions, RbcL proved to be the only gene that was significantly downregulated under cold conditions in the mutant. NtCP29A was knocked out with CRISPR-Cas9. Homozygous mutants were grown together with wt plants first at 24°C and then at 12°C. Samples were taken in replicates for both genotypes under both conditions. Please note that the raw data files for GSM7917392, and the processed data 'raw_counts.csv' file have been replaced on Jan 3, 2025.