Functional analysis of tobacco LIM protein Ntlim1 involved in lignin biosynthesis.
The AC-rich motif, Pal-box, is an important cis-acting element for gene expression involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. A cDNA clone (Ntlim1) encoding a Pal-box binding protein was isolated by Southwestern screening. The deduced amino acid sequence is highly similar to the members of the LIM protein family that contain a zinc finger motif. Moreover, Ntlim1 had a specific DNA binding ability and transiently activated the transcription of a beta-glucuronidase reporter gene driven by the Pal-box sequence in tobacco protoplasts. The transgenic tobacco plants with antisense Ntlim1 showed low levels of transcripts from some key phenylpropanoid pathway genes such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, hydroxycinnamate CoA ligase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase. Furthermore, a 27% reduction of lignin content was observed in the transgenic tobacco with antisense Ntlim1.
Kawaoka
A
A
Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd, Central Research Laboratory, 5-21-1, Oji, Kita-ku, Tokyo 114-0002, Japan. akiyoshi.kawaoka@nifty.ne.jp
Kaothien
P
P
Yoshida
K
K
Endo
S
S
Yamada
K
K
Ebinuma
H
H
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008031:Lignin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010666:Phenylpropionates / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D010666:Phenylpropionates; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008031:Lignin