title: Cloning and characterization of Fortune-1, a novel gene with enhanced expression in male reproductive organs of Cycas edentata.
abstract: To better understand the molecular mechanisms controlling development of sexual characters in Cycas edentata, we attempted to clone genes expressed differentially in male or female reproductive organs. We report a novel gene, named Fortune-1 (Ft-1), with enhanced expression in male reproductive organs. The 593-base-pair Ft-1 cDNA is predicted to encode a 77-amino-acid protein, and exists as a single copy gene in the C. edentata genome. Ft-1 expression is enhanced in male cones, including the cone axis, microsporophylls and microsporangia, but is reduced in ovules and undetectable in megasporophylls. Ft-1 is also weakly detectable in leaves. In roots and stems of C. edentata, Ft-1 transcripts are undetectable. The secondary structure prediction and homology search of Ft-1 protein show that it has a helix-loop-helix motif, and is without any homologue in the database.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 10, Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119026.
authors.forename: Pingyu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Keng-Hock
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Pwee
authors.forename: Hugh T W
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Prakash P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D029624:Ferns / Q000235:genetics*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger