title: Isolation and characterization of an endosperm-specific promoter from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).
abstract: Genes coding for avenin-like proteins (ALP) represent a new family of wheat storage protein genes. To find a wheat endosperm-specific promoter, a 1644-bp fragment upstream of the ALP type-B gene (GenBank accession number JN622144) was isolated. The important promoter elements of the ALP type-B gene were ascertained through sequence analysis which revealed that this fragment contains the TATA and CAAT boxes, which are important elements in gene expression. A prolamin box containing an endosperm motif and a GCN4-like motif (GLM) is present at about 300 bp upstream of the translation start site. The promoter sequence has two ESP-like elements and one of them is followed by an RY motif with the nucleotides CATG overlapping. The RY motif is considered the core functional sequence in a promoter. In an attempt to confirm the promoter activity, a series of 5'-deletions of the promoter were fused with the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene, and the constructs were stably introduced into tobacco plants. GUS staining confirmed that the AVL type-B promoter is an endosperm-specific promoter in tobacco seeds. Quantitative analysis of GUS expression in transgenic plants showed that even the shortest 5'-deletion, i.e. a 290-bp promoter sequence within the prolamin box, was sufficient to drive GUS expression in the endosperm. The highest expression level was found in transgenic plants containing the 5'-deletion vector construct pALP-8. This suggests that the ESP-like element overlapping with the RY motif may play a crucial role in the regulatory function of the promoter.
authors: China-UK HUST-RRes Genetic Engineering and Genomics Joint Laboratory, The Genetic Engineering International Cooperation Base of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology (HUST), Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan 430074, China.
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Song
authors: Cui-Ju
authors: CJ
authors: Cui
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Yang-Liu
authors: YL
authors: Sun
authors: Fei-Fei
authors: FF
authors: Wang
authors: Javeed
authors: J
authors: Hussain
authors: Yin
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: Cheng
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: Ming-Jie
authors: MJ
authors: Chen
authors: Yue-Sheng
authors: YS
authors: Wang
authors: Guang-Xiao
authors: GX
authors: Yang
authors: Guang-Yuan
authors: GY
authors: He
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D018744:DNA, Plant; D056625:Endosperm; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016385:TATA Box; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D005966:Glucuronidase