A 125 bp promoter fragment is sufficient for strong elicitor-mediated gene activation in parsley.
We describe the nucleotide sequence and some structural characteristics of a single copy gene encoding pathogenesis-related protein 2 (PR2) in parsley (Petroselinum crispum). Transcriptional activation of this gene in cultured parsley cells treated with fungal elicitor leads to a rapid, large and transient accumulation of PR2 mRNA. The deduced PR2 protein belongs to a novel class of evolutionarily conserved polypeptides which are closely related to disease resistance in plants. Functional analysis of a series of truncated PR2 promoter fusions with the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene, using parsley protoplasts for transient expression studies, identified a 5' upstream element between positions -168 and -52 necessary for strong elicitor responsiveness. This small promoter fragment is active in conjunction with its own TATA box region as well as with the corresponding region from a heterologous promoter. The PR2 regulatory region exhibits no sequence similarity to any other elicitor-responsive promoter known to date.
van de Löcht
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Max-Planck-Institut für Züchtungsforschung, Abteilung Biochemie, Köln, FRG.
Meier
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Hahlbrock
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Somssich
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger