title: Jasmonate response of the Nicotiana tabacum agglutinin promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: NICTABA is a carbohydrate-binding protein (also called lectin) that is expressed in several Nicotiana species after treatment with jasmonates and insect herbivory. Analyses with tobacco lines overexpressing the NICTABA gene as well as lines with reduced lectin expression have shown the entomotoxic effect of NICTABA against Lepidopteran larvae, suggesting a role of the lectin in plant defense. Until now, little is known with respect to the upstream regulatory mechanisms that are controlling the expression of inducible plant lectins. Using Arabidopsis thaliana plants stably expressing a promoter-β-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion construct, it was shown that jasmonate treatment influenced the NICTABA promoter activity. A strong GUS staining pattern was detected in very young tissues (the apical and root meristems, the cotyledons and the first true leaves), but the promoter activity decreased when plants were getting older. NICTABA was also expressed at low concentrations in tobacco roots and expression levels increased after cold treatment. The data presented confirm a jasmonate-dependent response of the promoter sequence of the tobacco lectin gene in Arabidopsis. These new jasmonate-responsive tobacco promoter sequences can be used as new tools in the study of jasmonate signalling related to plant development and defense.
authors.affiliation: Ghent University, Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Lab of Biochemistry and Glycobiology, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delporte
authors.forename: Nausicaä
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lannoo
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vandenborre
authors.forename: Maté
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ongenaert
authors.forename: Els J M
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Van Damme
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018548:Cotyledon / Q000378:metabolism; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000235:genetics; D018519:Meristem / Q000378:metabolism; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D003517:Cyclopentanes; D054883:Oxylipins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C011006:jasmonic acid; D005966:Glucuronidase