ArabidopsisAt2g40730 encodes a cytoplasmic protein involved in nuclear tRNA export

Abstract

Nuclear tRNA export plays an essential role in several key cellular processes, such as regulation of protein synthesis, cell cycle progression, response to nutrient availability and DNA damage, and development. While the overall mechanism of nuclear tRNA export is, in general, poorly understood, the details of specific steps are emerging from studies conducted in different organisms aimed at identifying and characterizing components involved in the process. Here, we report that Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh At2g40730 encodes CTEXP, a cytoplasmic protein component of the nuclear tRNA export process. CTEXP bound tRNA directly and saturably, and like the nuclear tRNA export receptor PAUSED, overexpression of CTEXP restored export of a nuclear export-defective lysine amber suppressor tRNA in tobacco cells. CTEXP was also found to associate with nucleoporins of the nuclear pore complex (NPC), PAUSED, and the GTPase Ran in vivo. CTEXP interacted directly with PAUSED in vitro and RanGTP, but not RanGDP. Furthermore, a portion of CTEXP appeared to associate with the NPC. Taken together, the data suggest that CTEXP assists with unloading of tRNAs from PAUSED at the cytoplasmic side of the NPC in plant cells.