Rice has two distinct classes of protein kinase genes related to SNF1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , which are differently regulated in early seed development

We have isolated five cDNA clones (osk1–5) for protein kinases from rice which are related to SNF1 protein kinase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Based on the sequence homology, these cDNAs can be classified into two groups, group 1 (osk1) and group 2 (osk2–5). The products of these genes were demonstrated to be functional SNF1-related protein kinases by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Recombinant proteins expressed from both groups of genes were fully active as protein kinases and could phosphorylate SAMS peptide, a substrate specific for the SNF1/AMPK family, as well as themselves (autophosphorylation). Moreover, expression of osk3 cDNA in yeast snf1 mutants restored SNF1 function. Northern blot analyses showed differential expression of these two gene groups; group 1 is expressed uniformly in growing tissues (young roots, young shoots, flowers, and immature seeds), whereas group 2 is strongly expressed in immature seeds. SNF1-related protein kinases have been reported from different plant species, such as rye, barley, Arabidopsis, tobacco, and potato, while the type of gene strongly expressed in immature seeds is known only in cereals such as rye, barley, and, from our findings, in rice. Expression levels of the group 2 genes were further analyzed in seeds during seed maturation. Expression is transiently increased in the early stages of seed maturation and then decreases. The expression peak precedes those of the sbe1 and waxy genes, which are involved in starch synthesis in rice. Taken together, these findings suggest that group 2 OSK genes play important roles in the early stages of endosperm development in rice seeds. Received: 30 April 1998 / Accepted: 20 August 1998     

Rice has two distinct classes of protein kinase genes related to SNF1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which are differently regulated in early seed development

We have isolated five cDNA clones (osk1–5) for protein kinases from rice which are related to SNF1 protein kinase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Based on the sequence homology, these cDNAs can be classified into two groups, group 1 (osk1) and group 2 (osk2–5). The products of these genes were demonstrated to be functional SNF1-related protein kinases by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Recombinant proteins expressed from both groups of genes were fully active as protein kinases and could phosphorylate SAMS peptide, a substrate specific for the SNF1/AMPK family, as well as themselves (autophosphorylation). Moreover, expression of osk3 cDNA in yeast snf1 mutants restored SNF1 function. Northern blot analyses showed differential expression of these two gene groups; group 1 is expressed uniformly in growing tissues (young roots, young shoots, flowers, and immature seeds), whereas group 2 is strongly expressed in immature seeds. SNF1-related protein kinases have been reported from different plant species, such as rye, barley, Arabidopsis, tobacco, and potato, while the type of gene strongly expressed in immature seeds is known only in cereals such as rye, barley, and, from our findings, in rice. Expression levels of the group 2 genes were further analyzed in seeds during seed maturation. Expression is transiently increased in the early stages of seed maturation and then decreases. The expression peak precedes those of the sbe1 and waxy genes, which are involved in starch synthesis in rice. Taken together, these findings suggest that group 2 OSK genes play important roles in the early stages of endosperm development in rice seeds.     

Identification of a sucrose nonfermenting-1-related protein kinase in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

A 154 bp polymerase chain reaction product, SBKIN154, showing 76–83% sequence identity with sucrose nonfermenting-1 (SNF1)-related protein kinase nucleotide sequences from other plant species was amplified from sugar beet storage root RNA. Southern blot analysis using SBKIN154 as a hybridisation probe suggested that sugar beet contains either a single-copy SNF1-related gene or a small gene family of highly conserved genes. An antibody raised to a heterologously-expressed fusion of the rye SNF1-related protein kinase, RKIN1, and maltose binding protein, recognised a protein of the expected size (M_r approx. 60,000) on western blots of storage root, stalk, leaf and root extracts. Measurements of SNF1-related activity were made using a specific peptide (SAMS) phosphorylation assay. Activity was highest (0.38 nmol min^-1 mg^-1 protein) in developing storage roots and lowest (0.035 nmol min^-1 mg^-1) in fibrous roots.     

Variable Interactions between Sucrose Non-fermented 1-Related Protein Kinases and Regulatory Proteins in Higher Plants

WPK4 is a sucrose non-fermented 1 (SNF1)-related wheat protein kinase, and was previously reported to interact with 14-3-3 proteins. We identified four Arabidopsis thaliana WPK4-like genes, and designated them AtWL1 through AtWL4. Yeast two-hybrid analysis, however, indicated that none of the AtWLs interacted with any of A. thaliana 14-3-3 (At14-3-3) proteins, although WPK4 itself interacted with six of them. Structurally, AtWLs were classified into a subfamiliy of AtCIPK, which generally interacts with calucineurin B-like proteins (CBL). This was also the case for AtWL1 and AtWL2, showing an efficient interaction with AtCBL2. In contrast, WPK4 interacted with none of the CBLs. In addition, to ascertain the possible interaction in vivo, expression of those genes was examined with a promoter-GUS assay. These results suggested that the interacting partner of SNF1-related protein kinases varies among plant species, and that, in the case of A. thaliana, it was CBLs, some of which were predicted to broadly regulate multiple CIPKs.     

A homologue of the MAP/ERK family of protein kinase genes is expressed in vegetative and in female reproductive organs of Petunia hybrida

The mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway of eukaryotes is stimulated by many growth factors and is required for the integration of multiple cellular signals. In order to study the function of MAP kinases during plant ovule development we have synthesized a Petunia hybrida ovule-specific cDNA library and screened for MAP protein kinase-related sequences using a DNA probe obtained by PCR. A full-length cDNA clone was identified (PMEK for Petunia hybrida MAP/ERK-related protein kinase) and shown to encode a protein related to the family of MAP/ERK protein kinases. Southern blot analysis showed that PMEK is a member of a small multigene family in P. hybrida. The cDNA codes for a protein (PMEK1) of 44.4 kDa with an overall sequence identity of 44% to the products of the mammalian ERK/MAP kinase gene, and the budding yeast KSS1 and FUS3 genes. PMEK1 displays 96 and 80% identity respectively with the tobacco NTF3 and Arabidopsis ATMPK1 kinases, and only 50% to the more distantly related plant MAP kinase MsERK1 from alfalfa. The two phosphorylation sites found in the loop between subdomain VII and VIII in all the other MAP kinases are also present in PMEK1. RNA gel blot and RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that PMEK1 is expressed in vegetative organs and preferentially accumulated in female reproductive organs of P. hybrida. In situ hybridization experiments showed that in the reproductive organs PMEK1 is expressed only in the ovary and not in the stamen.     

BAC-recombineering for studying plant gene regulation: developmental control and cellular localization of SnRK1 kinase subunits

Recombineering, permitting precise modification of genes within bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) through homologous recombination mediated by lambda phage-encoded Red proteins, is a widely used powerful tool in mouse, Caenorhabditis and Drosophila genetics. As Agrobacterium-mediated transfer of large DNA inserts from binary BACs and TACs into plants occurs at low frequency, recombineering is so far seldom exploited in the analysis of plant gene functions. We have constructed binary plant transformation vectors, which are suitable for gap-repair cloning of genes from BACs using recombineering methods previously developed for other organisms. Here we show that recombineering facilitates PCR-based generation of precise translational fusions between coding sequences of fluorescent reporter and plant proteins using galK-based exchange recombination. The modified target genes alone or as part of a larger gene cluster can be transferred by high-frequency gap-repair into plant transformation vectors, stably maintained in Agrobacterium and transformed without alteration into plants. Versatile application of plant BAC-recombineering is illustrated by the analysis of developmental regulation and cellular localization of interacting AKIN10 catalytic and SNF4 activating subunits of Arabidopsis Snf1-related (SnRK1) protein kinase using in vivo imaging. To validate full functionality and in vivo interaction of tagged SnRK1 subunits, it is demonstrated that immunoprecipitated SNF4-YFP is bound to a kinase that phosphorylates SnRK1 candidate substrates, and that the GFP- and YFP-tagged kinase subunits co-immunoprecipitate with endogenous wild type AKIN10 and SNF4.     

Structure and expression of a gene from Arabidopsis thaliana encoding a protein related to SNF1 protein kinase

The AKin10 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana encoding a putative Ser/Thr protein kinase (PK) has been isolated and characterized. The AKin10-encoding gene is located on a genomic 5.4-kb BamHI fragment and contains ten introns, one being located in the 5' untranslated region. The deduced amino acid sequence of AKin10 is 65% identical over the catalytic domain to the yeast PK (SNF1). SNF1 is essential for the derepression of many glucose-repressible genes, including Suc2 which encodes invertase. Southern blot hybridization experiments suggested the presence of one copy of the gene per haploid genome of A. thaliana. Northern hybridization experiments indicated that this gene is expressed in roots, shoots and leaves. AKin10 may play an important role in a signal transduction cascade regulating gene expression and carbohydrate metabolism in higher plants.     

Defensin gene family in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Medicago truncatula:</Emphasis> structure,expression and induction by signal molecules

A large gene family encoding the putative cysteine-rich defensins was discovered in Medicago truncatula. Sixteen members of the family were identified by screening a cloned seed defensin from M. sativa (Gao et al. 2000) against the Institute for Genomic Research’s (TIGR) M. truncatula gene index (MtGI version 7). Based on the comparison of their amino acid sequences, M. truncatula defensins fell arbitrarily into three classes displaying extensive sequence divergence outside of the eight canonical cysteine residues. The presence of Class II defensins is reported for the first time in a legume plant. In silico as well as Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses indicated these genes were expressed in a variety of tissues including leaves, flowers, developing pods, mature seed and roots. The expression of these genes was differentially induced in response to a variety of biotic and abiotic stimuli. For the first time, a defensin gene (TC77480) was shown to be induced in roots in response to infection by the mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus versiforme. Northern blot analysis indicated that the tissue-specific expression patterns of the cloned Def1 and Def2 genes differed substantially between M. truncatula and M. sativa. Furthermore, the induction profiles of the Def1 and Def2 genes in response to the signaling molecules methyl jasmonate, ethylene and salicylic acid differed markedly between these two legumes.     

三浅裂野牵牛ItSGT1基因克隆及分析

SGT1(suppressor of the G2 allele of skpl)是多种植物抗病基因介导的抗病信号途径中的重要元件.该研究利用RT-PCR和RACE方法克隆出甘薯近缘野生种三浅裂野牵牛的SGT1基因,命名为ItSGT1.该基因含有一个长度为1 087 bp的开放阅读框,编码361个氨基酸,分子量约为40.1 kD,等电点为5.05.Blast及多序列比对分析表明,该基因与其他植物中的SGT1具有较高的相似性,且具有SGT1蛋白典型的功能域结构,即TPR区、VR1区、CS区、VR2区和SGS区.Southern杂交结果显示,SGT1基因在三浅裂野牵牛基因组中是多拷贝基因.组织特异性表达分析表明,ItSGT1基因在三浅裂野牵牛的根、茎和叶中均有表达.     

Domain fusion between SNF1-related kinase subunits during plant evolution

Members of the conserved SNF1/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family regulate cellular responses to environmental and nutritional stress in eukaryotes. Yeast SNF1 and animal AMPKs form a complex with regulatory SNF4/AMPKγ and SIP1/SIP2/GAL83/AMPKβ subunits. The β-subunits function as target selective adaptors that anchor the catalytic kinase and regulator SNF4/γ-subunits to their kinase association (KIS) and association with the SNF1 complex (ASC) domains. Here we demonstrate that plant SNF1-related protein kinases (SnRKs) interact with an adaptor-regulator protein, AKINβγ, in which an N-terminal KIS domain characteristic of β-subunits is fused with a C-terminal region related to the SNF4/AMPKγ proteins. AKINβγ is constitutively expressed in plants, suppresses the yeast Δsnf4 mutation, and shows glucose-regulated interaction with the Arabidopsis SnRK, AKIN11. Our results suggest that evolution of AKINβγ reflects a unique function of SNF1-related protein kinases in plant glucose and stress signalling.     

Evidence that barley 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme a reductase kinase is a member of the sucrose nonfermenting-1-related protein kinase family.

A protein kinase was partially purified from barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv Sundance) endosperm by ammonium sulfate fractionation, followed by ion-exchange, Reactive Blue, Mono-Q, and phosphocellulose chromatography. It was shown to phosphorylate Arabidopsis 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase and a synthetic peptide that was shown previously to act as a substrate for HMG-CoA reductase kinase purified from cauliflower, confirming it to be barley HMG-CoA reductase kinase. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the partially purified preparation showed the presence of a polypeptide with an approximate relative molecular weight (M(r)) of 60,000, which is the size predicted for the barley sucrose nonfermenting-1 (SNF1)-related protein kinases BKIN2 and BKIN12. Antisera were raised to a rye (Secale cereale L.) SNF1-related protein kinase (RKIN1) expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion with maltose-binding protein and to a synthetic peptide with a sequence that is conserved in, and specific to, plant members of the SNF1-related protein kinase family. The maltose-binding protein-RKIN1 fusion protein antiserum recognized a doublet of polypeptides with an approximate M(r), of 60,000 in crude endosperm extracts and a single polypeptide in root extracts, which co-migrated with the smaller polypeptide in the endosperm doublet. Both antisera recognized a polypeptide with an approximate M(r) of 60,000 in the partially purified protein kinase preparation, suggesting strongly that barley HMG-CoA reductase kinase is a member of the SNF1-related protein kinase family.     

Hexose transporters of tomato: molecular cloning,expression analysis and functional characterization

A full-length (LeHT2) and two partial (LeHT1 and LeHT3) cDNA clones, encoding hexose transporters, were isolated from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit and flower cDNA libraries. Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence of a gene family of hexose transporters in tomato consisting of at least three members. The full-length cDNA (LeHT2) encodes a protein of 523 amino acids, with a calculated molecular mass of 57.6 kDa. The predicted protein has 12 putative membrane-spanning domains and belongs to the Major Facilitator Superfamily of membrane carriers. The three clones encode polypeptides that are homologous to other plant monosaccharide transporters and contain conserved amino acid motifs characteristic of this superfamily. Expression of the three genes in different organs of tomato was investigated by quantitative PCR. LeHT1 and LeHT3 are expressed predominantly in sink tissues, with both genes showing highest expression in young fruit and root tips. LeHT2 is expressed at relatively high levels in source leaves and certain sink tissues such as flowers. LeHT2 was functionally expressed in a hexose transport-deficient mutant (RE700A) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. LeHT2-dependent transport of glucose in RE700A exhibited properties consistent with the operation of an energy-coupled transporter and probably a H⁺/hexose symporter. The K _m of the symporter for glucose is 45 M.     

snf1lk encodes a protein kinase that may function in cell cycle regulation

msk, myocardial SNF1-like kinase, was originally isolated in a screen for kinases expressed during early cardiogenesis in the mouse. msk maps to the proximal end of mouse chromosome 17 in a region that is syntenic with human chromosome 21q22.3, where the gene for SNF1LK, a predicted protein that shares 80% identity at the amino acid level with Msk, is located. Accordingly, msk has been redesignated snf1lk. Interestingly, the region encompassing the SNF1LK locus has been implicated in congenital heart defects often observed in patients with Down syndrome. snf1lk is also expressed in skeletal muscle progenitor cells of the somite beginning at 9.5 dpc. These data suggest a more general role for snf1lk in the earliest stages of muscle growth and/or differentiation. Consistent with a role in cell cycling, we observe that Chinese hamster ovary cells that express a tetracycline-inducible SNF1LK kinase domain do not divide, but undergo additional rounds of replication to yield 8N and 16N cells. These data suggest a possible function for SNF1LK in G2/M regulation. We show data that indicate that SNF1LK does not share functional homology with other SNF1-related kinases, but represents a new subclass with novel molecular activities.     

A Brassica napus skp1-like gene promoter drives GUS expression in Arabidopsis thaliana male and female gametophytes

We isolated a gene, BnSKP1γ1, expressed in rapeseed (Brassica napus) microspores, which encodes a protein closely related to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Skp1p protein previously shown to play a role in cell cycle regulation. Twelve SKP1-related genes have already been identified in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome. Using a PCR-based strategy, we isolated three other genes. To date, most data available concerning the function of the SKP1-related genes in plants are indirect. Studies on transgenic A. thaliana plants showthat a 1100-bp BnSKP1γ1 promoter fragment can direct GUS expression in female gametophytes soon after the first haploid mitosis and in male gametophytes from the tetrade stage. No GUS expression can be detected in sporophytic tissues. RT-PCR experiments suggest that this gene is expressed in a similar way in rapeseed. This is the first reported case of a gene exhibiting such an expression pattern in angiosperms. Received: 5 October 1999 / Revision accepted: 28 March 2000     

Nucleotide sequence of a gene from Arabidopsis thaliana encoding a myb homologue

A gene encoding a proto-oncogene, a myb-related gene named Atmyb1, was cloned from Arabidopsis thaliana, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The Atmyb1 gene contains an intron of 494 bp, and there are no highly homologous sequences present in the A. thaliana genome, but evidence was found that other myb-related genes exist. In the 5 flanking region, we found several typical cis-acting elements found in plant promoters. Sequence comparisons revealed that the ATMYB1 protein has a putative DNA-binding domain with two repeats of tryptophan clusters, which is common in MYB-related proteins in plants, while animal MYB-related proteins contain DNA-binding domains with three repeats of tryptophan clusters. The putative DNA-binding domain of the ATMYB1 protein has higher homology with that of the human c-MYB protein than with those of other plant MYB proteins.