title: Differential expression of the nitrite reductase gene family in tobacco as revealed by quantitative competitive RT-PCR.
abstract: Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Xanthi XHFD8) possesses four nitrite reductase (NiR) genes: nii1, nii2, nii3, and nii4. Their differential expression in leaves and roots was investigated by quantitative competitive RT-PCR using gene-specific primer pairs. These results appear to contradict existing views on the expression of these NiR genes: (i) the mRNA of each of the four NiR genes was distinguishable both in leaves and roots; (ii) nitrate treatment increased nii1 and nii3 mRNA in leaves and roots by at least 4-fold (at least 5-fold in nii2 and nii4 mRNA); and (iii) the steady-state levels of nii1 and nii3 mRNA were almost the same in leaves (6-7 x 10(5) and about 3 x 10(6) copies microg(-1) of total RNA before and after nitrate treatment, respectively) and in roots (3-4 x 10(4) and 3-6 x 10(5) copies microg(-1) of total RNA before and after nitrate treatment, respectively). Very similar relationships were obtained for the steady-state levels of nii2 and nii4 mRNA in roots (2-4 x 10(5) and 8 x 10(6) copies microg(-1) of total RNA before and after nitrate treatment, respectively), and in leaves (5-9 x 10(4) and 4 x 10(5) copies microg(-1) of total RNA before and after nitrate treatment, respectively). These results demonstrate that nii1 and nii3 transcripts are a dominating, but not exclusive, NiR mRNA in leaves, and the same is true for nii2 and nii4 transcripts in roots.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan.
authors.forename: Chiharu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Misa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morikawa
mesh_terms: D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005810:Multigene Family; D009572:Nitrite Reductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009572:Nitrite Reductases