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. Overall design: 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.