Identification and functional expression in yeast of a prenylcysteine alpha-carboxyl methyltransferase gene from Arabidopsis thaliana.
Most isoprenylated proteins are alpha-carboxyl-methylated. However, despite numerous studies linking protein isoprenylation in plants to cell cycle control, meristem development, and phytohormone signaling, alpha-carboxyl methylation of isoprenylated plant proteins has not been characterized in detail. Here, we report the cloning of a prenylcysteine alpha-carboxyl methyltransferase gene (AtSTE14) from Arabidopsis thaliana. AtSTE14 restores fertility and enzymatic activity to a ste14 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, confirming its identity as a bona fide prenylcysteine alpha-carboxyl methyltransferase gene. Furthermore, the presence of AtSTE14 transcripts in various Arabidopsis organs suggests a ubiquitous role for the AtSTE14 protein in plant growth and development. These results demonstrate that Arabidopsis thaliana possesses a functional prenylcysteine alpha-carboxyl methyltransferase involved in post-isoprenylation protein processing.
Crowell
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DN
Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, 46202-5132, USA. dcrowell@iupui.edu
Kennedy
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D018749:RNA, Plant; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; C056501:protein-S-isoprenylcysteine O-methyltransferase