Sequence of the structural gene for granule-bound starch synthase of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and evidence for a single point deletion in the amf allele

Summary The genomic sequence of the potato gene for starch granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS; waxy protein) has been determined for the wild-type allele of a monoploid genotype from which an amylose-free (amf) mutant was derived, and for the mutant part of the amf allele. Comparison of the wild-type sequence with a cDNA sequence from the literature and a newly isolated cDNA revealed the presence of 13 introns, the first of which is located in the untranslated leader. The promoter contains a G-box-like sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence of the precursor of GBSS shows a high degree of identity with monocot waxy protein sequences in the region corresponding to the mature form of the enzyme. The transit peptide of 77 amino acids, required for routing of the precursor to the plastids, shows much less identity with the transit peptides of the other waxy preproteins, but resembles the hydropathic distributions of these peptides. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of the four mature starch synthases with the Escherichia coli glgA gene product revealed the presence of at least three conserved boxes; there is no homology with previously proposed starch binding domains of other enzymes involved in starch metabolism. We report the use of chimeric constructs with wild-type and amf sequences to localize, via complementation experiments, the region of the amf allele in which the mutation resides. Direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products confirmed that the amf mutation is a deletion of a single AT basepair in the region coding for the transit peptide. Premature termination of translation as a result of this frameshift mutation results in a small peptide. However, a protein reacting with anti-GBSS serum, slightly larger than the wild-type mature GBSS, can be detected in a membrane fraction from amylose-free tubers. A possible explanation for this phenomenon will be discussed.     

Characterization of cDNAs encoding two isoforms of granule-bound starch synthase which show differential expression in developing storage organs of pea and potato

We have isolated cDNA clones to two isoforms of granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) from pea embryos and potato tubers. The sequences of both isoforms are related to that of glycogen synthase from E. coli and one, GBSSI, is very similar to the waxy protein of maize and other species. In pea, GBSSII carries a novel 203-amino-acid domain at its N-terminus. Genes encoding both proteins are expressed during pea embryo development, but GBSSII is most highly expressed earlier in development than GBSSI. Similarly, GBSSI and GBSSII are differentially expressed in developing potato tubers. Expression of both isoforms is much lower in other organs of pea than in embryos. GBSSII is expressed in every organ tested while GBSSI is not expressed in roots, stipules or flowers. The possible consequences of this differential use of GBSS isoforms are discussed.     

Nucleotide sequence encoding the precursor of the small subunit of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from Lemna gibba L.G-3

We have sequenced a cDNA clone, pLgSSU, which encodes the small subunit of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase of Lemna gibba L.G-3 a monocot plant. This clone contains a 832 basepair insert which encodes the entire 120 amino acids of the mature small subunit polypeptide (Mr = 14,127). In addition this clone encodes 53 amino acids of the amino terminal transit peptide of the precursor polypeptide and 242 nucleotides of the 3' non-coding region. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence of pLgSSU with Lemna gibba genomic sequences homologous to the 5' end of the cDNA clone suggests that nucleotides encoding four amino-terminal amino acids of the transit peptide are not included in the cDNA clone. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Lemna gibba mature small subunit polypeptide shows 70-75% homology to the reported sequences of other species. The transit peptide amino acid sequence shows less homology to other species. There is 50% homology to the reported soybean sequence and only 25% homology to the transit sequence of another monocot, wheat.     

Nucleotide sequence and characterization of a cDNA encoding the acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase from Arabidopsis thaliana

The primary structure of acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase from Arabidopsis thaliana was deduced from two overlapping cDNA. The full-length cDNA sequence predicts an amino acid sequence for the protein precursor of 591 residues including a putative transit peptide of 67 amino acids. Comparison of the A. thaliana and spinach acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductases reveals that the sequences are conserved in the mature protein regions, but divergent in the transit peptides and around their putative processing site.     

水稻EPSP合酶cDNA克隆、序列分析及其拷贝数测定

根据本室分离的水稻EPSP合酶基因的基因组序列设计一对引物,利用RT-PCR方法首次从水稻(Oryza sativa L. subsp. indica)叶片的RNA中扩增获得了水稻编码EPSP合酶的全长为1 585 bp的cDNA片段,它含有一个完整的开放读码框,编码511个氨基酸,包括444个氨基酸组成的成熟肽序列以及N端的67个氨基酸组成的叶绿体转运肽序列.成熟肽氨基酸序列对比表明,除真菌来源的EPSP合酶变异较大外,其他来源的EPSP合酶同源性较高,均在51%以上.而叶绿体转运肽氨基酸序列同源性较低.Southern杂交表明水稻EPSP合酶基因在水稻基因组中以单拷贝形式存在.RT-PCR分析表明,水稻EPSP合酶基因在根、未成熟种子和叶片中均有转录表达,在叶片中表达量最高.     

Nuclear-encoded chloroplast ribosomal protein L12 of Nicotiana tabacum: characterization of mature protein and isolation and sequence analysis of cDNA clones encoding its cytoplasmic precursor.

Poly(A)+ mRNA isolated from Nicotiana tabacum (cv. Petite Havana) leaves was used to prepare a cDNA library in the expression vector lambda gt11. Recombinant phage containing cDNAs coding for chloroplast ribosomal protein L12 were identified and sequenced. Mature tobacco L12 protein has 44% amino acid identity with ribosomal protein L7/L12 of Escherichia coli. The longest L12 cDNA (733 nucleotides) codes for a 13,823 molecular weight polypeptide with a transit peptide of 53 amino acids and a mature protein of 133 amino acids. The transit peptide and mature protein share 43% and 79% amino acid identity, respectively, with corresponding regions of spinach chloroplast ribosomal protein L12. The predicted amino terminus of the mature protein was confirmed by partial sequence analysis of HPLC-purified tobacco chloroplast ribosomal protein L12. A single L12 mRNA of about 0.8 kb was detected by hybridization of L12 cDNA to poly(A)+ and total leaf RNA. Hybridization patterns of restriction fragments of tobacco genomic DNA probed with the L12 cDNA suggested the existence of more than one gene for ribosomal protein L12. Characterization of a second cDNA with an identical L12 coding sequence but a different 3'-noncoding sequence provided evidence that at least two L12 genes are expressed in tobacco.     

水稻EPSP合酶cDNA克隆、序列分析及其拷贝数测定

根据本室分离的水稻EPSP合酶基因的基因组序列设计一对引物 ,利用RT_PCR方法首次从水稻 (Oryzasati vaL .subsp .indica)叶片的RNA中扩增获得了水稻编码EPSP合酶的全长为 15 85bp的cDNA片段 ,它含有一个完整的开放读码框 ,编码 5 11个氨基酸 ,包括 44 4个氨基酸组成的成熟肽序列以及N端的 6 7个氨基酸组成的叶绿体转运肽序列。成熟肽氨基酸序列对比表明 ,除真菌来源的EPSP合酶变异较大外 ,其他来源的EPSP合酶同源性较高 ,均在 5 1%以上。而叶绿体转运肽氨基酸序列同源性较低。Southern杂交表明水稻EPSP合酶基因在水稻基因组中以单拷贝形式存在。RT_PCR分析表明 ,水稻EPSP合酶基因在根、未成熟种子和叶片中均有转录表达 ,在叶片中表达量最高     

Analysis of two linked genes coding for the acyl carrier protein (ACP) from Arabidopsis thaliana (columbia)

Two linked genes, A1 and A2, coding for nearly identical isoforms of the acyl carrier protein (ACP) were isolated from an Arabidopsis thaliana (columbia) genomic library and sequenced. The amino acids deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the two genes indicate they encode distinct transit peptides, but the mature proteins are the same except for residue 79. Both genes are predicted to contain three introns in similar positions, although they differ in sequence and length. The introns interrupt regions coding for a) the transit peptide, b) the junction of the transit peptide and mature protein, and c) the highly conserved domain surrounding serine 38 to which the phosphopantetheine is attached. Primer extension analysis indicates that at least A1 is active in young plants.     

Primary structure of the maize NADP-dependent malic enzyme

Chloroplast-localized NADP-dependent malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40) (NADP-ME) provides a key activity for the carbon 4 fixation pathway. In maize, nuclear encoded NADP-ME is synthesized in the cytoplasm as a precursor with a transit peptide that is removed upon transport into the chloroplast stroma. We present here the complete nucleotide sequence for a 2184-base pair full-length maize NADP-ME cDNA. The predicted precursor protein is 636 amino acids long with a Mr of 69,800. There is a strong codon bias found in the amino-terminal portion of NADP-ME that is present in genes for the other enzymes of the C-4 photosynthetic pathway. The NADP-ME transit peptide has general features common to other known chloroplast stroma transit peptides. Comparison of mature maize NADP-ME to the amino acid sequences of known malic enzymes shows two conserved dinucleotide-binding sites. There is a third highly conserved region of unknown function. On the basis of amino acid sequence similarity, the maize chloroplastic enzyme is more closely related to eukaryotic cytosolic isoforms of malic enzyme than to prokaryotic isoforms. We discuss the functional and evolutionary relationship between the chloroplastic and cytosolic forms of NADP-ME.     

Primary structure of maize pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase as deduced from cDNA sequence

We have isolated two overlapping cDNA clones that encompass the entire structural gene for pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase from maize. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence has revealed that the cDNA clones include an insert of a total of 3,171 nucleotides without a poly(A) tail and encode a polypeptide that contains 947 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 102,673. Comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of purified pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase protein with that deduced from the nucleotide sequence shows that the mature form of pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase in the maize chloroplast consists of 876 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 95,353. The amino acid composition of the deduced sequence of pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase is in good agreement with that of the purified enzyme. The region that contains the active and regulatory sites of pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase can be found in the deduced sequence of amino acids. We have predicted the secondary structure and calculated the hydropathy pattern of this region. The extra 71 residues at the N terminus of the deduced sequence of amino acid residues corresponds to the transit peptide which is indispensable for the transport of the precursor protein into chloroplasts. We have compared the primary structure of the pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase transit peptide to those of other proteins and found sequences similar to the consensus sequences found in other transit peptides.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of the gene encoding 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate cytidyltransferase from hairy roots of Rauvolfia verticillata

2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate cytidyltransferase (MCT) catalyzes the third reaction in the plastidial non-mevalonate pathway, which provides the precursors for ajmalicine. A full-length cDNA encoding MCT (RvMCT) was identified from hairy roots of Rauvolfia verticillata. The full-length 1,499-bp cDNA of RvMCT had a 945-bp coding sequence that encoded a 314-amino-acid protein with an N-terminal chloroplast transit peptide of 67 amino acid residues. RvMCT exhibited homology with other plant MCTs at the levels of sequence and structure. The phylogenetic analysis revealed the plant MCTs could be divided into three separated clusters including gymnosperms, monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Gene expression of ajmalicine metabolism (DXR, MCT, MECS, HDS, HDR, STR and SGD) in hairy roots, roots, stems, old leaves, young leaves and barks was analyzed by quantitative PCR. All the seven genes had higher expression levels in hairy roots than in other plant organs. This suggested hairy roots of R. verticillata possessed more active alkaloid metabolism than other organs and it was the reason that hairy roots produced higher levels of ajmalicine. Furthermore, the expression of DXR, MECS, HDS, HDR, STR and SGD genes was not detected in stems (only MCT detected in stems), so it could be presumed that stem acted as a transporter tissue of ajmalicine. Finally, the colour complementation assay indicated that the function of RvMCT was the same as Arabidopsis MCT. Molecular cloning, characterization and functional identification of RvMCT will be helpful to understand more about the role of MCT involved in ajmalicine biosynthesis at the molecular level.     

繁缕核糖体失活蛋白基因克隆及序列分析

采用同源克隆结合RACE法,克隆了繁缕核糖体失活蛋白的全长cDNA,命名为q3(GenBank accession GQ870262)。序列分析结果表明,q3的开放阅读框(ORF)长780 bp,编码259个氨基酸。序列G+C含量为41.5%,与大部分Ⅰ型RIP基因相近。q3编码的蛋白质命名为Q3,理论分子量为28.16 kD,pI为9.44,均与Ⅰ型核糖体失活蛋白相近;包含由23个氨基酸组成的信号肽。功能结构域分析发现,该蛋白含有3个蛋白激酶磷酸化位点、4个络氨酸蛋白激酶磷酸化位点和7个N-肉豆蔻酰化位点。三级结构预测发现,有35.52%的氨基酸残基参与了α螺旋,24.32%的氨基酸残基组成延伸链,40.15%的氨基酸残基随机缠绕其中。基于繁缕及其近缘种核糖体失活蛋白的氨基酸序列构建的系统发育树显示,其结构与经典分类结果基本一致。