Pentatricopeptide repeat proteins in plants: Cellular functions, action mechanisms, and potential applications.

Abstract

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are involved in nearly all aspects of post-transcriptional processing in plant mitochondria and plastids, playing vital roles in plant growth, development, cytoplasmic male sterility restoration, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Over the last three decades, significant advances have been made in understanding the functions of PPR proteins and the primary mechanisms through which they mediate post-transcriptional processing. This review aims to summarize these advancements, highlighting the mechanisms by which PPR proteins facilitate RNA editing, intron splicing, and RNA maturation in the context of organellar gene expression. We also present the latest progress in PPR engineering and discuss its potential as a biotechnological tool. Additionally, we discuss key challenges and questions that remain in PPR research.