title: The Arabidopsis CDC25 induces a short cell length when overexpressed in fission yeast: evidence for cell cycle function.
abstract: The putative mitotic inducer gene, Arath;CDC25 cloned in Arabidopsis thaliana, was screened for cell cycle function by overexpressing it in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast). The expression pattern of Arath;CDC25 was also examined in different tissues of A. thaliana. Fission yeast was transformed with plasmids pREP1 and pREP81 with the Arath;CDC25 gene under the control of the thiamine-repressible nmt promoter. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the expression of Arath;CDC25 was examined in seedlings, flower buds, mature leaves and stems of A. thaliana; actin (ACT2) was used as a control. In three independent transformants of fission yeast, cultured in the absence of thiamine (T), pREP1::Arath;CDC25 induced a highly significant reduction in mitotic cell length compared with wild type, pREP::Arath;CDC25 +T, and empty vector (pREP1 +/- T). The extent of cell shortening was greater using the stronger pREP1 compared with the weaker pREP81. However, Arath;CDC25 was expressed at low levels in all tissues examined. The data indicate that Arath;CDC25 can function as a mitotic accelerator in fission yeast. However, unlike other plant cell cycle genes, expression of Arath;CDC25 was not enhanced in rapidly dividing compared with non-proliferative Arabidopsis tissues.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, PO Box 915, Cardiff, CF10 3TL, UK.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sorrell
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chrimes
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Francis
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size; D015870:Gene Expression; D030781:Organisms, Genetically Modified; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces; D015854:Up-Regulation; D020687:cdc25 Phosphatases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D020687:cdc25 Phosphatases