title: LKP1 (LOV kelch protein 1): a factor involved in the regulation of flowering time in arabidopsis.
abstract: In plants, light is not only an energy source but also a very important signal that modulates development and differentiation. Here, we report a putative photo-regulatory factor sequence in LKP1 (LOV kelch protein 1). LKP1 cDNA encodes a protein of 610 amino acids and with a molecular weight of 65 905 with an LOV domain and kelch repeats. LOV domains are present in a number of sensor proteins involved in the detection of light, oxygen or voltage. The LKP1 LOV is very similar to the LOV domains in NPH1, a plasma membrane-associated blue light receptor kinase that regulates phototropism (Huala, E., Oeller, P.W., Liscum, E., Han, I-S., Larsen, E. & Briggs, W.R. (1997) Science, 278, 2120-2123). LKP1 mRNA accumulates in roots, stems, flowers and siliques. It is most abundant in leaves, and least abundant in seeds. Transgenic plants with a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene driven by a 1.5 kb LKP1 promoter display strong GUS activity in leaves. Transgenic plants with a 35S:LKP1 cDNA gene overexpress LKP1 mRNA. These plants have elongated hypocotyls and petioles with elongated cells, and exhibit distinct cotyledon movement during the day. Expression of 35S:LKP1 in transgenic Arabidopsis promotes late flowering in plants grown under long-day, but not under short-day conditions. Vernalization does not affect the late flowering phenotype of the 35S:LKP1 plants. Transgenic plants possessing the 35S:GFP-LKP1 construct also have long hypocotyles and petioles, and a late flowering phenotype, suggesting that the GFP-LKP1 fusion protein is active. The GFP-associated fluorescence in 35S:GFP-LKP1 plants is observed in nuclei and cytosol, indicating that LKP1 is a new nucleo-cytoplasmic factor that influences flowering time in the long day pathway of Arabidopsis.
authors.affiliation: Gene Research Center, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa 761-0795, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiyosue
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C410503:ZTL protein, Arabidopsis; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins