title: Inhibition of tobacco nitrite reductase activity by expression of antisense RNA.
abstract: A tobacco nitrite reductase (NiR) cDNA and its corresponding gene were isolated from cDNA and genomic libraries. An NiR antisense mRNA was expressed in transgenic tobacco under the control of a double 35S promoter. Transformants were obtained on a medium containing ammonium as the sole source of nitrogen. One plant growing normally on ammonium but displaying drastically reduced development and chlorotic leaves when grown on nitrate as the sole source of nitrogen was studied further. This plant accumulated nitrite fivefold over wild-type level and showed reduced amounts of ammonium (11% wild-type level), glutamine (19%), and total protein (8%). NiR mRNA and activity were below detectable levels. Under these conditions, nitrate reductase (NR) activity and mRNA were overexpressed, suggesting that N-metabolites resulting from nitrate reduction are responsible for the repression of the expression of the NR gene, independently from the presence or absence of a functional NR protein.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, INRA, Centre de Versailles, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vaucheret
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kronenberger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lepingle
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vilaine
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Boutin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caboche
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009572:Nitrite Reductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D010957:Plasmids; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000201:enzymology; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D009572:Nitrite Reductases