Summary
Two cDNA clones containing the complete coding region of a developmentally controlled (tuber-specific) as well as environmentally inducible (wound-inducible) gene from potato (Solanum tuberosum) have been sequenced. The open reading frame codes for 154 amino acids. Its sequence is highly homologous to the proteinase inhibitor II from tomato, indicating that the cDNA's encode the corresponding proteinase inhibitor II of potato. In addition the putative potato proteinase inhibitor II contains a sequence which is completely homologous with that of another small peptide proteinase inhibitor from potato, called PCI-I. Evidence is presented that this small peptide is probably derived from the proteinase inhibitor II by posttranslational processing.
Northern type experiments using RNA from wounded and nonwounded leaves demonstrate that RNA homologous to the putative proteinase inhibitor II cDNA's accumulates in leaves as a consequence of wounding, whereas normally the expression of this gene is under strict developmental control, since it is detected only in tubers of potato (Rosahl et al. 1986). In addition the induction of this gene in leaves can also be achieved by the addition of different polysaccharides such as poly galacturonic acid or chitosan. In contrast to the induction of its expression by wounding in leaves, wounding of tubers results in a disappearance of the proteinase II inhibitor m-RNA from these organs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bishop PD, Makus DJ, Pearce G, Ryan CA (1981) Proteinase inhibitor-inducing factor activity in tomato leaves resides in oligosaccarides enzymically released from cell walls. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 78:3526–3540
Eckes P, Schell J, Willmitzer L (1985) Organ-specific expression of three leaf-stem specific cDNAS from potato is regulated by light and correlated with chloroplast development. Mol Gen Genet 199:216–224
Graham JS, Pearce G, Merryweather J, Titani K, Ericsson LEH, Ryan CA (1985) Wound-induced proteinase inhibitors from tomato leaves. The cDNA deduced primary structure of preinhibitor II. J Biol Chem 260:6561–6564
Hadwiger LA, Beckman JM (1980) Chitosan as a component of pea-Fusarium solani interactions. Plant Physiol 66:205–211
Hass GM, Hermodson MA, Ryan CA, Gentry L (1982) Primary structures of two low molecular weight proteinase inhibitors from potatoes. Biochemistry 21:752–756
Hollaender-Czytko H, Anderson JK, Ryan CA (1985) Vacuolar localization of wound-induced carboxypeptidase inhibitor in potato leaves. Plant Physiol 78:76–79
Kyte J, Doolittle RF (1982) A simple method for displaying the hydropathic character of a protein. J Mol Biol 157:105–132
Maniatis T, Fritsch EF, Sambrook J (1982) Molecular cloning. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring, Harbor, NY
Nelson CE, Ryan CA (1980) In vitro synthesis of pre-proteins of vacuolar compartmented proteinase inhibitors that accumulate in leaves of wounded tomato plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:1975–1979
Pearce G, Sy L, Russell C, Ryan CA, Hass GM (1982) Isolation and characterization from potato tubers of two polypeptide inhibitors of serine proteinases. Arch Biochem Biophys 213:456–462
Perlman D, Halvorson HO (1983) A putative signal peptidase recognition site and sequence in eucaryotic and procaryotic signal peptides. J Mol Biol 167:391–409
Proudfoot NJ, Brownlee GG (1976) 3′-non-coding region sequences in eucaryotic messenger RNA. Nature 263:211–214
Rosahl S, Eckes P, Schell J, Willmitzer L (1986) Organ-specific gene expression in potato: Isolation and characterization of tuber-specific cDNA sequences. Mol Gen Genet, in press
Richardson M (1979) The complete amino acid sequence and the trypsin reactive (inhibitory) site of the major proteinase inhibitor from the fruits of Aubergine (Solanum melongena L.) FEBS Letters 104:322–326
Ryan CA (1977) Proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors in plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 24:173–196
Ryan CA, Bishop PD, Walker-Simmons M, Brown WE, Graham JS (1985) Pectic fragments regulate the expression of proteinase inhibitor genes in plants. In: Key J, Kosuge T (eds) UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, New Series, vol 22, Liss Inc, New York, p 319–334
von Heijne G (1985) Signal sequences. The limits of variation. J Mol Biol 184:99–103
Walker-Simmons M, Ryan CA (1977) Immunological identification of proteinase inhibitors I and II in isolated tomato leaf vacuoles. Plant Physiol 60:61–63
Walker-Simmons M, Hadwiger L, Ryan CA (1983) Chitosans and pectic polysaccharides both induce the accumulation of the antifugal phytoalexin pisatin in pea pods and antinutrient proteinase inhibitors in tomato leaves. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 110:194–199
Walker-Simons M, Hollaender-Czytko H, Anderson JK, Ryan CA (1984) Wound signals in plants: systemic plant wound signal alters plasma membrane integrity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 81:3737–3741
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by P. Starlinger
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sanchez-Serrano, J., Schmidt, R., Schell, J. et al. Nucleotide sequence of proteinase inhibitor II encoding cDNA of potato (Solanum tuberosum) and its mode of expression. Mol Gen Genet 203, 15–20 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330378
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330378