A hot pepper gene encoding WRKY transcription factor is induced during hypersensitive response to Tobacco mosaic virus and Xanthomonas campestris.
Plant WRKY transcription factors were previously implicated in the alteration of gene expression in response to various pathogens. The WRKY proteins constitute a large family of plant transcription factors, whose precise functions have yet to be elucidated. Using a domain-specific differential display procedure, we isolated a WRKY gene, which is rapidly induced during an incompatible interaction between hot pepper and Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) or Xanthomonas campestris pv . vesicatoria (Xcv). The full-length cDNA of CaWRKY-a (Capsicum annuum WRKY-a) encodes a putative polypeptide of 546 amino acids, containing two WRKY domains with a zinc finger motif. The expression of CaWRKY-a could be rapidly induced by not only chemical elicitor such as salicylic acid (SA) or ethephon but also wounding treatments. The nuclear localization of CaWRKY-a was determined in transient expression system using tobacco BY-2 cells by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transformation experiment. With oligonucleotide molecules containing the putative W-box sequences as a probe, we confirmed that CaWRKY-a protein had W-box-binding activity. These results suggest that CaWRKY-a might be involved as a transcription factor in plant defense-related signal transduction pathways.
Park
Chang-Jin
CJ
School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, 1, 5-ga, Anam-dong, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea.
Shin
Yun-Chul
YC
Lee
Boo-Ja
BJ
Kim
Ki-Jeong
KJ
Kim
Jeong-Kook
JK
Paek
Kyung-Hee
KH
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002212:Capsicum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014027:Tobacco Mosaic Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016959:Xanthomonas campestris / Q000502:physiology*
D005030:Ethylenes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C036216:ethylene; D020156:Salicylic Acid