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Differential regulation of chlorophyll a oxygenase genes in rice

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Abstract

Chlorophyll b is synthesized from chlorophyll a by chlorophyll a oxygenase. We have identified two genes (OsCAO1 and OsCAO2) from the rice genome that are highly homologous to previously studied chlorophyll a oxygenase (CAO) genes. They are positioned in tandem, probably resulting from recent gene duplications. The proteins they encode contain two conserved functional motifs – the Rieske Fe–sulfur coordinating center and a non-heme mononuclear Fe-binding site. OsCAO1 is induced by light and is preferentially expressed in photosynthetic tissues. Its mRNA level decreases when plants are grown in the dark. In contrast, OsCAO2 mRNA levels are higher under dark conditions, and its expression is down-regulated by exposure to light. To elucidate the physiological function of the CAO genes, we have isolated knockout mutant lines tagged by T-DNA or Tos17. Mutant plants containing a T-DNA insertion in the first intron of the OsCAO1 gene have pale green leaves, indicating chlorophyll b deficiency. We have also isolated a pale green mutant with a Tos17 insertion in that OsCAO1 gene. In contrast, OsCAO2 knockout mutant leaves do not differ significantly from the wild type. These results suggest that OsCAO1 plays a major role in chlorophyll b biosynthesis, and that OsCAO2 may function in the dark.

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Abbreviations

CAO:

chlorophyll a oxygenase

GUS:

â-glucuronidase

RT-PCR:

reverse transcription PCR

T-DNA:

transferred DNA

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics, Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 790-784, Korea

    Sichul Lee & Gynheung An

  2. Department of Molecular Biology, Pusan National University, Keumjung-ku, Pusan, 609-735, Korea

    Jin-Hong Kim, Eun Sang Yoo & Choon-Hwan Lee

  3. Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Kannondai 2-1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8602, Japan

    Hirohiko Hirochika

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  1. Sichul Lee
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  2. Jin-Hong Kim
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  3. Eun Sang Yoo
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  4. Choon-Hwan Lee
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  5. Hirohiko Hirochika
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Lee, S., Kim, JH., Yoo, E.S. et al. Differential regulation of chlorophyll a oxygenase genes in rice. Plant Mol Biol 57, 805–818 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-005-2066-9

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