title: Molecular cloning of beta-galactosidase from Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) and its gene expression with fruit ripening.
abstract: We have cloned a cDNA fragment encoding a beta-galactosidase from Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) fruit (JP-GAL). It contained an untranslated sequence of 182 nucleotides at the 5' end, a presumptive coding sequence of 2,193 nucleotides and an untranslated sequence of 268 nucleotides including a polyadenylation signal and a poly (A) tail at the 3' end. It encoded a protein with a calculated molecular weight of 80.9 kDa which consists of 731 amino acids. Both the nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequences showed a 98% sequence identity with that obtained from the apple beta-galactosidase cDNA. The peptide sequence obtained from the purified Japanese pear beta-galactosidase III matched the deduced amino acid sequence of SVSYDHKAIIINGQKRILISG (amino acid 25-45). Northern blot analysis showed that the probe derived from JP-GAL hybridized to a single 2.6 kb RNA. The mRNA was detected solely in the fruit; none was detected in the buds, leaves, roots or shoots of the Japanese pear. The steady-state level of the beta-galactosidase mRNA was measured during fruit ripening in three cultivars, Housui, Kousui (early ripening) and Niitaka (late ripening). The results showed that regardless of the cultivar, no JP-GAL mRNA was detected in the immature fruit. Increment of the mRNA level with fruit ripening coincided with the increase in the beta-galactosidase III activity. Our results showed that the expression of JP-GAL correlated with fruit softening and JP-GAL may be beta-galactosidase III.
authors.affiliation: College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, 252-8510 Japan. tateishi@brs.nihon-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tateishi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiba
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaki
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018744:DNA, Plant; D005638:Fruit / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D019685:Rosales / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase