SCB1 , a BURP-domain protein gene, from developing soybean seed coats

Abstract

We describe a gene, SCB1 (Seed Coat BURP-domain protein 1), that is expressed specifically within the soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) seed coat early in its development. Northern blot analysis and mRNA in situ hybridization revealed novel patterns of gene expression during seed development. SCB1 mRNA accumulated first within the developing thick-walled parenchyma cells of the inner integument and later in the thick- and thin-walled parenchyma cells of the outer integument. This occurred prior to the period of seed coat maturation and seed filling and before either of the layers started to degrade. SCB1 may therefore play a role in the differentiation of the seed coat parenchyma cells. In addition, the protein product appears to be located within cell walls. The SCB1 gene codes for a new member of a class of modular proteins that possess a carboxy-terminal BURP domain and a variety of different repeated sequences. The sequence of the genomic clone revealed the insertion of a Tgm transposable element in the upstream promoter region but it is not certain whether it contributes to the tissue-specific pattern of SCB1 expression.

Combined Transcriptome and Proteome Analysis Identifies Pathways and Markers Associated with the Establishment of Rapeseed Microspore-Derived Embryo Development

“…They are secreted proteins that are characterized by their abundant expression, their modular structure, and their conserved C-terminal BURP domain (Hattori et al, 1998). BURP domain genes are expressed under a wide range of developmental and environmental conditions, which is reflected in the diverse processes in which they appear to participate, such as development (Batchelor et al, 2002;Wang et al, 2003) and stress (Yamaguchi-Shinozaki and Shinozaki, 1993;Yu et al, 2004). One BURP domain protein, the fava bean (Vicia faba) UNKNOWN SEED STORAGE PROTEIN (USP), is a marker for embryogenic cell types in wild tobacco (Nicotiana plumbaginifolia) cell cultures (Chesnokov et al, 2002).…”

The classical Ubisch bodies carry a sporophytically produced structural protein (RAFTIN) that is essential for pollen development

“…12 A) and Ͼ90% identical to ESTs from inflorescences of various cereal species. All other significant ''hits'' (E value of Ͻ10 Ϫ4 ) were also only from plant accessions, but generally they had only Ϸ35% identity and included the following BURP domain proteins (29): a seed protein of faba bean (30); the ␤ subunit of polygalacturonase isoenzyme 1 from the developing fruit of tomato (31); an desiccation-induced protein of Arabidopsis (32); an auxin down-regulated protein (33) and an aluminum up-regulated protein (34) from soybean hypocotyl and roots, respectively; microspore embryo development-related protein from Brassica napus (29); an apomixisspecific gene product from the flower buds of guinea grass (35) that showed Ϸ45% aa sequence identity over the entire carboxydomain; and a seed coat protein found in developing soybean seed coats (36).…”

The promoter of the Arabidopsis thaliana BAN gene is active in proanthocyanidin-accumulating cells of the Brassica napus seed coat

“…Although the use of Arabidopsis seed mutants has greatly improved our knowledge on testa development and biology (reviewed in Haughn and Chaudhury 2005), there are still only few reports about seed coat-specific genes in literature. To date, specific genes that have been identified in this field are the following ones: members of the barley germin gene family (Wu et al 2000), subtilisin-like protease genes from soybean (SCS1; Batchelor et al 2000) or rapeseed (Dong et al 2004), a BURP-domain containing gene of soybean (SCB1; Batchelor et al 2002), an aquaglyceroporin from pea (PsNIP-1; Schuurmans et al 2003), several cystein endopeptidases associated with programmed cell death of either the outer integument in orchid (Nadeau et al 1996) or the inner integument in rapeseed (BnCysP1; Wan et al 2002) and in Arabidopsis (dVPE; Nakaune et al 2005), an epicatechin-specific glucosyltransferase in Medicago (UGT72L1; Pang et al 2008), and some of the PA-related genes in Arabidopsis (TRANSPARENT TESTA [TT]-like genes; reviewed in Lepiniec et al 2006). Among the 23 known TT-like loci, the BANYULS (BAN) gene is of particular interest.…”