Cloning of Nicotianamine Synthase Genes, Novel Genes Involved in
the Biosynthesis of Phytosiderophores |
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| Authors: | Kyoko Higuchi Kazuya Suzuki Hiromi Nakanishi Hirotaka Yamaguchi Naoko-Kishi Nishizawa Satoshi Mori |
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| Affiliation: | Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 1–1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, 113–8657 Tokyo, Japan (K.H., K.S., H.N., H.Y., N.-K.N., S.M.);Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, 4–1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi-shi, 332–0012, Saitama, Japan (K.H., K.S., H.Y., S.M.) |
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| Abstract: | Nicotianamine synthase (NAS), the key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway for the mugineic acid family of phytosiderophores, catalyzes the trimerization of S-adenosylmethionine to form one molecule of nicotianamine. We purified NAS protein and isolated the genes nas1, nas2, nas3, nas4, nas5-1, nas5-2, and nas6, which encode NAS and NAS-like proteins from Fe-deficient barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv Ehimehadaka no. 1) roots. Escherichia coli expressing nas1 showed NAS activity, confirming that this gene encodes a functional NAS. Expression of nas genes as determined by northern-blot analysis was induced by Fe deficiency and was root specific. The NAS genes form a multigene family in the barley and rice genomes. |
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