title: Characterization of a gene encoding clathrin heavy chain in maize up-regulated by salicylic acid, abscisic acid and high boron supply.
abstract: Clathrin, a three-legged triskelion composed of three clathrin heavy chains (CHCs) and three light chains (CLCs), plays a critical role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) in eukaryotic cells. In this study, the genes ZmCHC1 and ZmCHC2 encoding clathrin heavy chain in maize were cloned and characterized for the first time in monocots. ZmCHC1 encodes a 1693-amino acid-protein including 29 exons and 28 introns, and ZmCHC2 encodes a 1746-amino acid-protein including 28 exons and 27 introns. The high similarities of gene structure, protein sequences and 3D models among ZmCHC1, and Arabidopsis AtCHC1 and AtCHC2 suggest their similar functions in CME. ZmCHC1 gene is predominantly expressed in maize roots instead of ubiquitous expression of ZmCHC2. Consistent with a typical predicted salicylic acid (SA)-responsive element and four predicted ABA-responsive elements (ABREs) in the promoter sequence of ZmCHC1, the expression of ZmCHC1 instead of ZmCHC2 in maize roots is significantly up-regulated by SA or ABA, suggesting that ZmCHC1 gene may be involved in the SA signaling pathway in maize defense responses. The expressions of ZmCHC1 and ZmCHC2 genes in maize are down-regulated by azide or cold treatment, further revealing the energy requirement of CME and suggesting that CME in plants is sensitive to low temperatures.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China. mhzengzk@126.com
authors.forename: Mu-Heng
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Sheng-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Miao-Xian
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ya-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jia-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001895:Boron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D033922:Clathrin Heavy Chains / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013696:Temperature; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D033922:Clathrin Heavy Chains; D000040:Abscisic Acid; D001895:Boron; D020156:Salicylic Acid