title: Uncovering legumain genes in rice.
abstract: Legumains are Asn specific cysteine proteases physiologically related to the biosynthesis of vacuolar components, degradation of storage proteins and programmed cell death. The present work identifies and characterizes the genic family of legumains in rice (Oryza sativa), which comprises five different loci. Rice legumains (OsaLegs) were ubiquitously detected in all plant tissues analyzed. However, phylogenetic analyses and gene expression studies demonstrated greater association of OsaLeg2 and OsaLeg3 to seed-related legumains, whereas OsaLeg1, 4 and 5 would act as vegetative-related proteases. Additionally, OsaLeg1 mRNA is strongly induced in senescent leaves. All rice legumain genes respond in different ways to environmental conditions such as wounding, salt and abscisic acid treatments. Mainly, wounding is capable of inducing all the four expressed genes OsaLeg1, 2, 3 and 4. Alternative splicing isoforms, with potential to generate pre-activated OsaLeg1 and OsaLeg2 nonvacuolar enzymes under different environmental situations were also observed.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Christoff
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andreia Carina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Turchetto-Zolet
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Centro de Biotecnologia e Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: rogerio.margis@ufrgs.br.
authors.forename: Rogerio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Margis
mesh_terms: D000040:Abscisic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000235:genetics; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004777:Environment; D015870:Gene Expression; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005810:Multigene Family; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D055049:Salt Tolerance / Q000235:genetics; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000099240:Asparaginyl Endopeptidase
chemical_list: D000040:Abscisic Acid; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000099240:Asparaginyl Endopeptidase
keywords: Caspase-like; Legumain; Plant development; Rice; VPE