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A 40-bp A/T-rich repressor element involved in organ-dependent transcriptional regulation of ZmGLU1

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Abstract

Maize β-glucosidase (ZmGLU1) hydrolyzes cytokinin conjugates to release free cytokinins, and regulation of its expression is essential to control cytokinin homeostasis during plant growth and development. Although the promoter of ZmGLU1 gene was found to confer its organ-dependent expression, the underlying mechanism remained to be uncovered. In this study, by promoter deletion assay, a 40-bp A/T-rich sequence in ZmGLU1 promoter region ranging from −798 to −758 (T40) was identified as mediating the repression of promoter activity in seeds and shoot but not in root. Additional fusion of T40 upstream of the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (35S) suppressed 35S-driven gene expression in shoot and seeds. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay further revealed a specific interaction between T40 and an unknown binding protein in seeds and shoot but not in root. The negative correlation between ZmGLU1 gene expression/promoter activity and the intensity of T40–protein interaction suggests that T40 acts as a repressor cis-element involved in ZmGLU1 organ-dependent expression. Furthermore, this result provides a new A/T-rich sequence exhibiting transcriptional repression in higher plant.

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Abbreviations

ZmGLU1:

Maize β-glucosidase

ZmGLU1p :

ZmGLU1 promoter

EMSA:

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay

qPCR:

Quantitative RT-PCR

PIPES:

Piperazine-N,N′-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid)

HEPES-N-2:

Hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid

ppt:

Phosphinothricin

35S :

Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter

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Acknowledgments

This work received financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30700134) and Ministry of Agriculture of China (2009ZX08009-131B). We also thank Prof. F.S. Zhang (China Agricultural University) for his support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Lab of Plant Nutrition, MOA, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China

    Li Zhao, Lixing Yuan & Riliang Gu

  2. Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China

    Li Zhao

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  1. Li Zhao
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  2. Lixing Yuan
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Correspondence to Riliang Gu.

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Zhao, L., Yuan, L. & Gu, R. A 40-bp A/T-rich repressor element involved in organ-dependent transcriptional regulation of ZmGLU1 . Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 105, 291–298 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-010-9867-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-010-9867-5

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