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Acidic and basic class III chitinase mRNA accumulation in response to TMV infection of tobacco

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Abstract

Complementary DNA clones encoding acidic and basic isoforms of the class III chitinase were isolated from Nicotiana tabacum. The clones share ca. 65% identity, are equally homologous to the class III chitinases from cucumber and Arabidopsis, and are members of small gene families in tobacco. An acidic class III chitinase was purified from the intercellular fluid of tobacco leaves infected with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Partial amino acid sequencing of the protein confirmed that it was encoded by one of the cDNA clones. The mRNAs of the class III chitinases are coordinately expressed in response to TMV infection, both in infected and uninfected tissue. The acidic and basic class III chitinases constitute previously undescribed pathogenesis-related proteins in tobacco.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agricultural Biotechnology Research Unit, CIBA-GEIGY Corporation, P.O. Box 12257, 27709, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    Kay Lawton, Eric Ward, George Payne, Mary Moyer & John Ryals

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  1. Kay Lawton
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  2. Eric Ward
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  3. George Payne
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  4. Mary Moyer
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  5. John Ryals
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Lawton, K., Ward, E., Payne, G. et al. Acidic and basic class III chitinase mRNA accumulation in response to TMV infection of tobacco. Plant Mol Biol 19, 735–743 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027070

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027070

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