title: SVP-like MADS-box protein from Carya cathayensis forms higher-order complexes.
abstract: To properly regulate plant flowering time and construct floral pattern, MADS-domain containing transcription factors must form multimers including homo- and hetero-dimers. They are also active in forming hetero-higher-order complexes with three to five different molecules. However, it is not well known if a MADS-box protein can also form homo-higher-order complex. In this study a biochemical approach is utilized to provide insight into the complex formation for an SVP-like MADS-box protein cloned from hickory. The results indicated that the protein is a heterogeneous higher-order complex with the peak population containing over 20 monomers. Y2H verified the protein to form homo-complex in yeast cells. Western blot of the hickory floral bud sample revealed that the protein exists in higher-order polymers in native. Deletion assays indicated that the flexible C-terminal residues are mainly responsible for the higher-order polymer formation and the heterogeneity. Current results provide direct biochemical evidences for an active MADS-box protein to be a high order complex, much higher than a quartermeric polymer. Analysis suggests that a MADS-box subset may be able to self-assemble into large complexes, and thereby differentiate one subfamily from the other in a higher-order structural manner. Present result is a valuable supplement to the action of mechanism for MADS-box proteins in plant development.
authors.affiliation: The Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin'an, Zhejiang 311300, China. Electronic address: 529454207@qq.com.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin'an, Zhejiang 311300, China. Electronic address: houchm0927@163.com.
authors.forename: Chuanming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: The Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin'an, Zhejiang 311300, China. Electronic address: huangjq@zafu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianqin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: The Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin'an, Zhejiang 311300, China. Electronic address: wzhj21@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhengjia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Nurturing Station for the State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Lin'an, Zhejiang 311300, China. Electronic address: yxu@zafu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yingwu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D031325:Carya / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D026161:MADS Domain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D063245:Plant Development; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D015003:Yeasts
chemical_list: D026161:MADS Domain Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: MADS-box transcription factor; Multimer; Plant flowering; Protein interaction