Light-inducible and constitutively expressed DNA-binding proteins recognizing a plant promoter element with functional relevance in light responsiveness.

Abstract

Four cis‐acting elements, designated as Boxes I, II, III and IV, have previously been identified as functionally relevant components of the light‐responsive chalcone synthase (CHS) promoter in parsley (Petroselinum crispum). This paper describes the isolation of three cDNAs encoding proteins which bind specifically to Box II, one of two cis‐acting elements found within a 52 bp CHS promoter region shown here to be sufficient for light responsiveness in parsley. The deduced amino acid sequences of all three proteins reveal conserved basic and leucine zipper domains characteristic of transcription factors of the bZIP class. Nucleotide sequences recognized by these factors contain an ACGT motif common to many cis‐acting elements. Therefore, we have termed the proteins CPRF‐1, −2 and −3 (Common Plant Regulatory Factor). The characteristics of CPRF‐1 binding to Box II and the timing of transient CPRF‐1 mRNA accumulation during light exposure of previously dark‐grown parsley cells are consistent with the hypothesis that this factor participates in the light‐mediated activation of the CHS gene in parsley.

Two bZIP proteins from Antirrhinum flowers preferentially bind a hybrid C‐box/G‐box motif and help to define a new sub‐family of bZIP transcription factors

“…The library was prepared in λgt10 using a cDNA cloning kit and following the manufacturer's instructions (Amersham Plc). Plaques were screened using an oligonucleotide to the conserved basic domain of plant bZIP proteins (5Ј-GGA-ATT-CTA-ATC-GTG-AAT-CTG-CAA-GAA-GGT-CGA-GGC-TGA-GGA-AAC-AGG-CT-3Ј; Weisshaar et al, 1991) which was kinase-labelled using γ-labelled [ 32 P]dCTP as described in Jackson et al (1991). One positive clone was identified; it was subcloned into pBluescript and then used to re-screen the library at low stringency (2ϫ SSC, 65°C washing conditions).…”

“…The S-TAG CPRF2-911 fusion protein contained 206 extra amino acids from the vector and from the N-terminal end of CPRF-2, with a predicted molecular weight of 37.9 kDa. This construct was obtained by subcloning the NcoI-XbaI fragment from CPRF-2 which encodes the N-terminal portion before the bZIP domain of CPRF-2 in-frame and upstream of the bZIP domain of bZIP911 (Weisshaar et al, 1991).…”

“…These different features serve to make the bZIP family of transcription factors large and diverse in plants ( DeLisle and Ferl, 1990;Foster et al, 1994;Meier and Gruissem, 1994;Mikami et al, 1989;Schindler et al, 1992a;Staiger et al, 1991;Tabata et al, 1991;Weisshaar et al, 1991;Williams et al, 1992) and make the understanding of target gene selection, biological function and analogy between species difficult.…”

Differential Interactions of Promoter Elements in Stress Responses of the Arabidopsis Adh Gene

“…Positions -192 to -185 contain a G-box-like sequence (Gbox-2: 5'-CCAAGTGG-3'), which does not share the common 5'-ACGT-3' core motif recognized in most b-ZIP binding proteins (Weisshaar et al, 1991;Schindler et al, 1992b. The G-box-2 region we have chosen as a target for mutagenesis is part of a larger in vivo footprint area (see Fig.…”

Characterization of a maize G‐box binding factor that is induced by hypoxia

“…This bipartite structure is characteristic of the bZlP class of DNA binding proteins (Vinson et aL, 1989). To date, 11 cDNAs GBFs have been isolated from five different plant species, all of them are bZlP proteins (Guiltinan et aL, 1990;Meier and Gruissem, 1994;Oeda et aL, 1991;Schindler et aL, 1992a;Tabata et aL, 1989;Weisshaar et al, 1991). Amino acid sequence comparison Maize GBF induced by hypoxia 597 of the plant GBFs shows a high degree of conservation (85% or more identical residues) in the basic domain, the amino acids that are thought to come in contact with the DNA.…”