The Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (CSIC-UPV) describes the essential role of a protein in the compaction of plant DNA.
A team from the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Plants (IBMCP), a collaborative center of the Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), has conducted a study highlighting the crucial role of the BDH protein in plant growth. This protein influences how genetic material is organized within cells. Additionally, the researchers utilized artificial intelligence to confirm that the structure of the BDH protein has been maintained throughout evolution.
The findings, published in the esteemed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggest that the role of these proteins is likely similar across various species, significantly impacting cellular function regulation, with dysfunctions linked to diseases such as cancer.
All living organisms on Earth share a common ancestry, which leads to certain structural similarities across a wide range of species, from plants to animals. This is evident in the organization of genetic material — specifically, how DNA is arranged within the cell nucleus. Chromatin, a combination of DNA and proteins, plays a vital role in compacting genetic material and controlling access to the information it holds. Its structure can change to activate or deactivate genes based on the cell’s needs.
Chromatin functions through specialized proteins known as “chromatin remodeler complexes,” which harness energy to slide, modify, or remove other proteins, thereby regulating access to DNA. In this context, the research conducted by Javier Gallego Bartolomé, a CSIC scientist at the IBMCP, examined the molecular role of the BDH protein (BCL-domain Homolog) within one of these chromatin remodelers, specifically the SWI/SNF complex (SWItch/Sucrose Non-Fermentable), and its impact on plant development, according to a press release.
“This mechanism has been preserved throughout evolution and plays a key role in gene regulation. Alterations in these complexes are associated with diseases such as cancer in mammals or developmental problems in plants,” Gallego reveals. Thus, his team observed that a malfunction of this system causes multiple defects in the development of the plants. According to their experiments, these defects were due to the instability of the SWI/SNF complex caused by the absence of the BDH protein.
Revolution for Artificial Intelligence
In earlier research, the IBMCP team demonstrated similarities between the BDH protein in plants and certain animal proteins, including the BCL7 protein in mammals. They have now also established a correlation with a yeast protein called Rtt102, confirming in mutant plants that both proteins serve a similar role in maintaining chromatin function. The use of artificial intelligence was crucial in this discovery: “What enabled us to uncover the evolutionary conservation of the BDH function was the application of AlphaFold, a protein structure prediction tool developed by Google DeepMind,” explains the CSIC researcher.
AlphaFold is transforming the study of protein structures and their interactions with molecules like DNA and RNA by predicting protein structures in minutes, significantly streamlining experimental design. These predictions require experimental validation, which the team accomplished using traditional techniques such as gene expression analysis, phenotypic analysis, and mass spectrometry.
Biotechnology Applications
These findings could be relevant in the medium term, according to the research team. “In mammals, SWI/SNF complex dysfunctions are associated with cancer, while in plants this complex is key to development. In this context, the discoveries of this study could serve as a basis for developing biotechnological applications aimed at addressing these problems,” Gallego concludes.
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