title: Diversification of genes encoding mei2 -like RNA binding proteins in plants.
abstract: A predominantly plant-based family of genes encoding RNA binding proteins is defined by the presence of a highly conserved RNA binding motif first described in the mei2 gene of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In silico analyses reveal nine mei2 -like genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and six in Oryza sativa. These predicted genes group into four distinct clades, based on overall sequence similarity and subfamily-specific sequence elements. In situ analysis show that Arabidopsis genes from one of these clades, TEL1 and TEL2, are specifically expressed in central zone of the shoot apical meristem and the quiescent center of the root apical meristem, suggesting that they may somehow function to maintain indeterminacy in these tissues. By contrast, members of two sister clades, AML1 through AML5, are expressed more broadly, a trend that was confirmed by Q-PCR analysis. mei2 -like transcripts with similar sequences showed similar expression patterns, suggesting functional redundancy within the four clades. Phenotypic analyses of lines that contain T-DNA insertions to individual mei2 -like genes reveal no obvious phenotypes, further suggesting redundant activities for these gene products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Garrett H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Nena D G
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Carmel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gilman
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Jeffares
authors.forename: Vernon C W
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Trainor
authors.forename: Maureen R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Veit
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020440:Gene Duplication; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins