title: Cloning and characterization of a novel Athspr promoter specifically active in vascular tissue.
abstract: The vascular system--xylem, phloem and the cambium--is essential for water supply, nutrient transport, and physical support in higher plants. Although it is known that vascular-specific gene expression is regulated by cis-acting regulatory sequences in promoters, it is largely unknown how many regulatory elements exist and what their roles are in promoters. To understand the regulatory elements of vascular-specific promoters and their roles in vascular development, a T-DNA insertion mutant showing delayed growth and diminished resistance to environmental stress was isolated using promoter trap strategy. The novel gene, Arabidopsis thaliana heat shock protein-related (Athspr), was cloned from Arabidopsis ecotype C24. Strong GUS (β-glucuronidase) staining in the original promoter trap line was found in the vascular tissues of all organs in the mutant. The Athspr promoter was cloned and fused with GUS and eGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) reporter genes to verify its vascular-specific expression in Arabidopsis. Further histochemical analysis in transgenic plants demonstrated a similar GUS expression pattern in the vascular tissues. In addition, ATHSPR-eGFP driven by Athspr promoter was observed in vascular bundles of the transgenic seedling roots. Finally, comparative analysis with promoter motifs from 37 genes involved in vascular development revealed that Athspr and all other promoters active in vascular tissues contained regulatory elements responding to phytohormones, light, biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as those regulating tissue-specific expression. These results demonstrated that the Athspr promoter has a vascular tissue-specific activity and Athspr may have multiple functions in vascular development and resistance against various stresses.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Shengtao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Yingli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address: wangcy@lzu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chongying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D058506:Cambium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058526:Plant Vascular Bundle / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D018744:DNA, Plant; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D005966:Glucuronidase
keywords: Arabidopsis; Athspr; Cis-acting element; Promoter; Reporter gene; Vascular tissue-specific expression