title: Cloning and characterization of a maize pollen-specific calcium-dependent calmodulin-independent protein kinase.
abstract: A calcium-dependent calmodulin-independent protein kinase (CDPK) has been cloned from maize (Zea mays). The sequence predicts a 550-amino acid (predicted molecular mass is 60 kDa) protein with two major functional domains: an N-terminal catalytic domain highly homologous to protein kinases and a C-terminal domain resembling calmodulins. Northern analysis shows that the expression of the maize CDPK gene is pollen specific and that its transcription is restricted to late stages of pollen development. Western blots reveal a major abundance of CDPK protein at the stage of pollen germination. In vitro germination and pollen tube growth are impaired upon addition of a calmodulin antagonist (calmidazolium), CDPK inhibitors (W-7), and antisense oligonucleotides directed against CDPK mRNA. These observations indicate that the function of the pollen-specific maize CDPK protein is required for germination and pollen tube growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Ciba Agricultural Biotechnology, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Estruch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadwell
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merlin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crossland
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D005796:Genes; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011058:Pollen / Q000201:enzymology; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases