title: Isolation and characterization of homeobox-containing genes of carrot.
abstract: Homeodomains (HDs) are DNA-binding domains that have been well characterized in animals, and HD proteins are thought to be regulators of transcription. To investigate the regulation of gene expression during somatic embryogenesis in carrot, an attempt was made to isolate cDNA clones that encode HD proteins. A cDNA library from carrot somatic embryos was screened with a degenerate oligonucleotide probe that corresponded to a conserved amino acid sequence of HDs, and one cDNA clone (CHB1) encoding an HD protein was isolated. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of this clone contained a putative leucine zipper motif adjacent to the anticipated HD. The homeodomain/leucine zipper (HD-Zip) sequence of this cDNA was used for further screening, and five additional independent clones (CHB2 through CHB6) were isolated. Although the HD-Zip sequences encoded by these clones were similar to each other, the sequences beyond the HD-Zip regions varied greatly. Transcripts corresponding to CHB1 through CHB6 were expressed at different times during somatic embryogenesis. In particular, transcripts corresponding to CHB2 were expressed in close association with the early development of embryos.
authors.affiliation: Biological Institute Faculty of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komamine
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D015723:Gene Library; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000235:genetics*; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D018546:Hypocotyl / Q000166:cytology; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D016350:Leucine Zippers / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger