title: Cloning, expression and characterization of the putative nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2) gene from moss Conocephalum conicum(L.) Dum.
abstract: Biomacromolecules import into the nucleus is a complex progress which requires the participation of several cytosolic factors, and nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2) is one of essential components in nuclear trafficking. Its main role is to transport RanGDP from cytoplasm to nucleus by interacting with FxFG nucleoporin repeats. In the study a putative new gene, designated as CcNTF2, was obtained from the moss (Conocephalum conicum) cDNA library we have constructed. The full-length cDNA sequence is 913 bp in size contains a 372 bp open reading frame (ORF) flanked by a 195 bp 5'-untranslated sequence and a long 346 bp 3'-non-coding region, encoding 123 amino acids of 13,575.3 Da. Part of the genomic sequence was also cloned and sequenced, which is 1,602 bp long and possesses two exons and one intron. Alignment analysis showed that the CcNTF2 protein is high conserved among plant NTF2 and shares 81% similarity with the ones from Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica rapa. The expression of wild-type CcNTF2 was detected by immunoblotting of extraction of C. conicum and it indicated the putative protein is integral. Through functional expression of CcNTF2-green fluorescent protein (GFP) in tobacco, it was demonstrated that CcNTF2 can accumulate at the nuclear rim. Site-directed mutagenesis analysis confirmed CcNTF2 P71K has influence on the protein import into nucleus. In addition, overexpression of CcNTF2 P71K was observed to be deleterious for the plant cell. It is the first illumination of NTF2 in moss, and our study established the primary foundation for further research on moss NTF2.
authors.affiliation: Key laboratory for Molecular Biology and Biopharmaceuticals, Mianyang Normal University, Mianyang, 621000 Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Chunxiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Qiping
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Zhengsong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Hongchun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Lichun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jintao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D044002:Bryophyta / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D029543:Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins