title: Cloning and characterization of a bamboo LEAFY HULL STERILE1 homologous gene.
abstract: A cDNA named DlMADS8 was isolated from the young spikelets of the sweet bamboo, Dendrocalamus latiflorus by rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE). DNA sequence analysis showed that DlMADS8 was composed of full ORF and 3'UTR, but without 5'UTR. The cDNA contained 1059 nucleotides and encoded a putative protein of 244 amino acid residues. The gene displayed the structure of a typical plant MADS-box gene, which consisted of a MADS domain, K domain, a short I region, and the C-terminal region. Phylogenetic analysis of plant MADS-box genes based on amino acid sequences revealed that DlMADS8 was grouped into the AGAMOUS-LIKE 2 (AGL2)-like subfamily. It was homologous to the LEAFY HULL STERILE1 (LHS1) genes of grasses. To study the functions of it, DlMADS8 cDNA clone driven by the CaMV 35S promoter was transformed into Arabidopsis thaliana. Transgenic plants of DlMADS8 exhibited the phenotypes of curled leaves and early flowering. After bolting, three novel phenotypes related to inflorescence development were observed in different transgenic plants. No obvious homeotic conversions of floral organs were observed in all of the 35S::DllMADS8 transgenic Arabidopsis plants. These results indicated that DlMADS8 probably plays a role in floral meristem determinacy and is involved in controlling the flowering time of D. latiflorus.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, People's Republic of China. tianbo@mail.kib.ac.cn
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Yongyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dezhu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuanxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D035264:Flowers; D017343:Genes, Plant; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D031787:Sasa / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins