title: Coupling the GAL4 UAS system with alcR for versatile cell type-specific chemically inducible gene expression in Arabidopsis.
abstract: The Aspergillus alc regulon encodes a transcription factor, ALCR, which regulates transcription from cognate promoters such as alcA(p). In the presence of suitable chemical inducers, ALCR activates gene expression from alcA(p). The alc regulon can be transferred to other species and can be used to control the expression of reporter, metabolic and developmental genes in response to low-level ethanol exposure. In this paper, we describe a versatile system for targeting the alc regulon to specific cell types in Arabidopsis by driving ALCR expression from the GAL4 upstream activator sequence (UAS). Large numbers of Arabidopsis lines are available in which GAL4 is expressed in a variety of spatial patterns and, in turn, drives the expression of any gene cloned downstream of the UAS. We have used a previously characterized line that directs gene expression to the endosperm to demonstrate spatially restricted ethanol-inducible gene expression. We also show that the domain of inducible gene expression can easily be altered by crossing the UAS::ALCR cassette into different driver lines. We conclude that this gene switch can be used to drive gene expression in a highly responsive, but spatially restricted, manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Colney Lane, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: Lali
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sakvarelidze
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bush
authors.forename: Gethin R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Leader
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Doonan
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rawsthorne
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects*; D017343:Genes, Plant; D018085:Regulon; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C074202:ALCR protein, Aspergillus nidulans; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors