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Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in developing barley endosperm

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Summary

The expression of the genes encoding B-, C-, D- and γ-hordein, protein Z, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and histone H3 has been studied in developing barley endosperms. The levels of the mRNAs encoding hordein and protein Z increase 3- to 4-fold from 8 to 25 days after anthesis and thereafter decrease, whereas the GAPDH and histone H3 mRNAs are constant from 8 to 15 days and then decline. B- and C-hordein mRNAs are 7 to 100 times more abundant than any of the other mRNA species. Analysis of the transcription rate of the genes encoding B-, C- and D-hordein and protein Z in isolated endosperm nuclei revealed that the rate is correlated with their copy number in the genome. A comparison of the steady-state levels of endosperm-specific mRNA species with the in vitro transcription rates of their respective gene families suggests that the high levels of B- and C-hordein mRNAs are the result of post-transcriptional regulation. Mutanthor 2ca, defective in B-hordein synthesis, has a substantial increase in the level of mRNAs coding for C-hordein and GAPDH, whereas the levels of the other mRNAs are unaffected. In mutantlys 3a, which fails to synthesize the major storage polypeptides, the mRNA levels of B-, C- and γ-hordein and protein Z are dramatically reduced. The in vitro transcription activity of the genes encoding B- and C-hordein and protein Z is 50-fold lower inlys 3a nuclei than in the wild type, accounting for the reduced level of mRNAs and storage protein synthesis in this mutant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Carlsberg Laboratory, Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-2500, Copenhagen Valby, Denmark

    Mikael Blom Sørensen, Verena Cameron-Mills & Anders Brandt

  2. Institute of Genetics, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, DK-1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Mikael Blom Sørensen

Authors
  1. Mikael Blom Sørensen
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  2. Verena Cameron-Mills
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  3. Anders Brandt
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Communicated by H. Saedler

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Sørensen, M.B., Cameron-Mills, V. & Brandt, A. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in developing barley endosperm. Molec. Gen. Genet. 217, 195–201 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02464881

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