title: The SLENDER gene of pea encodes a gibberellin 2-oxidase.
abstract: The amount of active gibberellin (GA) in plant tissues is determined in part by its rate of catabolism through oxidation at C-2. In pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds, GA 2-oxidation is controlled by the SLN (SLENDER) gene, a mutation of which produces seedlings characterized by a slender or hyper-elongated phenotype. We cloned a GA 2-oxidase cDNA from immature pea seeds by screening an expression library for enzyme activity. The clone contained a full-length open reading frame encoding a protein of 327 amino acids. Lysate of bacterial cultures expressing the protein converted the C(19)-GAs, GA(1), GA(4), GA(9), and GA(20) to the corresponding 2beta-hydroxy products. GA(9) and GA(20) were also converted to GA(51) and GA(29) catabolites, respectively. The gene appeared to be one member of a small family of GA 2-oxidases in pea. Transcript was found predominantly in roots, flowers, young fruits, and testae of seeds. The corresponding transcript from sln pea contained a point mutation and did not produce active enzyme when expressed heterologously. RFLP analysis of a seedling population segregating for SLN and sln alleles showed the homozygous mutant allele co-segregating with the characteristic slender phenotype. We conclude that SLN encodes GA 2-oxidase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, 4017 ALS, Corvallis, Oregon 97331-7304, USA.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Proebsting
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hedden
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015723:Gene Library; D017343:Genes, Plant; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; C121463:gibberellin 2-dioxygenase