The mechanism by which phytohormones, like abscisic acid (ABA), regulate gene expression is unknown. An activity in nuclear extracts that interacts with the ABA response element (ABRE) from the 5' regulatory region of the wheat Em gene was identified. A complementary DNA clone was isolated whose product is a DNA binding protein (EmBP-1) that interacts specifically with an 8-base pair (bp) sequence (CACGTGGC) in the ABRE. A 2-bp mutation in this sequence prevented binding of EmBP-1. The same mutation reduced the ability of the ABRE to confer ABA responsiveness on a viral promoter in a transient assay. The 8-bp EmBP-1 target sequence was found to be conserved in several other ABA-responsive promoters and in promoters from plants that respond to signals other than ABA. Similar sequences are found in promoters from mammals, yeast, and in the major late promoter of adenovirus. The deduced amino acid sequence of EmBP-1 contains conserved basic and leucine zipper domains found in transcription factors in plants, yeast, and mammals. EmBP-1 may be a member of a highly conserved family of proteins that recognize a core sequence found in the regulatory regions of various genes that are integrated into a number of different response pathways.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/250/4978/267.full.pdf

A plant leucine zipper protein that recognizes an abscisic acid response element

Plant developmental processes are controlled by both endogenous programs and environmental stimuli. As a photomorphogenetic mutant, hy5 of Arabidopsis has been isolated and characterized. Our detailed characterization has revealed that the mutant is deficient in a variety of stimulus responses, including gravitropic response and waving growth of roots, as well as light-dependent hypocotyl elongation. In the roots and hypocotyl, the hy5 mutation also affects greening and specific cell proliferation such as lateral root formation and secondary thickening. Those phenotypes indicate that the HY5 gene is responsible for the regulation of fundamental developmental processes of the plant cell: cell elongation, cell proliferation, and chloroplast development. Molecular cloning of the HY5 gene using a T-DNA-tagged mutant has revealed that the gene encodes a protein with a bZIP motif, one of the motifs found in transcriptional regulators. Nuclear localization of the HY5 protein strongly suggests that the HY5 gene modulates the signal transduction pathways under the HY5-related development by controlling expression of genes downstream of these pathways.

/pdf/the-arabidopsis-hy5-gene-encodes-a-bzip-protein-that-2vr71hsrlc.pdf

The Arabidopsis HY5 gene encodes a bZIP protein that regulates stimulus-induced development of root and hypocotyl

Phosphorylation of Histone H3 Is Required for Proper Chromosome Condensation and Segregation

Wheat is the most important staple crop in temperate zones and is in increasing demand in countries undergoing urbanization and industrialization. In addition to being a major source of starch and energy, wheat also provides substantial amounts of a number of components which are essential or beneficial for health, notably protein, vitamins (notably B vitamins), dietary fiber, and phytochemicals. Of these, wheat is a particularly important source of dietary fiber, with bread alone providing 20% of the daily intake in the UK, and well-established relationships between the consumption of cereal dietary fiber and reduced risk of cardio-vascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and forms of cancer (notably colo-rectal cancer). Wheat shows high variability in the contents and compositions of beneficial components, with some (including dietary fiber) showing high heritability. Hence, plant breeders should be able to select for enhanced health benefits in addition to increased crop yield.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/fes3.64

The contribution of wheat to human diet and health

The predicted products of floral homeotic genes, AGAMOUS (AG) from Arabidopsis thaliana and DEFICIENS A (DEF A) from Antirrhinum majus, have been shown previously to share strong sequence similarity with transcription factors from humans (SRF) and yeast (MCM1). The conserved sequence between these proteins is localized within a domain known to be necessary for the DNA binding and for the dimerization of SRF. We have isolated six new genes from A. thaliana, AGL1-AGL6, which also have this conserved sequence motif. On the basis of the sequence comparison between the AG and AGL genes, they can be assigned to two subfamilies of a large gene family. RNA dot blot analysis indicates that five of these genes (AGL1, AGL2, AGL4, AGL5, and AGL6) are preferentially expressed in flowers. In addition, in situ RNA hybridization experiments with AGL1 and AGL2 show that their mRNAs are detected in some floral organs but not in others. Our results suggest that these genes may act to control many steps of Arabidopsis floral morphogenesis. In contrast, the AGL3 gene is expressed in vegetative tissues as well as in flowers, suggesting that it functions in a broader range of tissues. We discuss possible roles of this gene family during the evolution of flowers.

/pdf/agl1-agl6-an-arabidopsis-gene-family-with-similarity-to-37l809ecls.pdf

AGL1-AGL6, an Arabidopsis gene family with similarity to floral homeotic and transcription factor genes

The opaque-2 locus (o2) in maize regulates the expression of many members of the zein multigene family of storage proteins. cDNA clones for a wild-type allele of the (o2) locus (O2) were isolated from a maize endosperm cDNA library and sequenced. We found a 258-nucleotide 5' leader sequence containing three short open reading frames followed by a sequence specifying a protein of 437 amino acids. The presumptive amino acid sequence of the protein (O2) specified by the O2 cDNA contains a "leucine-zipper" domain characteristic of some mammalian and fungal transcription activation factors. lacZ-O2 fusion constructs, using nearly the entire coding region of O2 or only a fragment specifying the leucine-zipper domain, were expressed in Escherichia coli. In an in vitro binding assay, the beta-galactosidase-O2 fusion proteins bound to two specific regions on the 5' side of the coding sequence in a zein genomic clone. This suggests that the O2 protein affects zein transcription through direct interaction with one or more zein promoter elements.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/87/1/46.full.pdf

Maize regulatory gene opaque-2 encodes a protein with a "leucine-zipper" motif that binds to zein DNA

opaque-2 (o2) is a regulatory locus in maize that plays an essential role in controlling the expression of genes encoding the 22-kD zein proteins. Through DNase I footprinting and DNA binding analyses, we have identified the binding site for the O2 protein (O2) in the promoter of 22-kD zein genes. The sequence in the 22-kD zein gene promoter that is recognized by O2 is similar to the target site recognized by other "basic/leucine zipper" (bZIP) proteins in that it contains an ACGT core that is necessary for DNA binding. The site is located in the -300 region relative to the translation start and lies about 20 bp downstream of the highly conserved zein gene sequence motif known as the "prolamin box." Employing gel mobility shift assays, we used O2 antibodies and nuclear extracts from an o2 null mutant to demonstrate that the O2 protein in maize endosperm nuclei recognizes the target site in the zein gene promoter. Mobility shift assays using nuclear proteins from an o2 null mutant indicated that other endosperm proteins in addition to O2 can bind the O2 target site and that O2 may be associated with one of these proteins. We also demonstrated that in yeast cells the O2 protein can activate expression of a lacZ gene containing a multimer of the O2 target sequence as part of its promoter, thus confirming its role as a transcriptional activator. A computer-assisted search indicated that the O2 target site is not present in the promoters of zein genes other than those of the 22-kD class. These data suggest a likely explanation at the molecular level for the differential effect of o2 mutations on expression of certain members of the zein gene family.

Opaque-2 is a transcriptional activator that recognizes a specific target site in 22-kD zein genes.

OPAQUE2 (O2) is a regulatory gene that predominantly affects the expression of the 22-kD class of zein storage protein genes at the level of transcription. The O2 gene encodes a polypeptide belonging to the basic domain/leucine zipper (bZIP) class of transcriptional regulatory proteins. Our prior analyses have demonstrated that the O2 protein binds 22-kD zein gene promoters as a homodimer in vitro and have also suggested that O2 may bind as a heterodimer in vivo. To identify cDNAs encoding other bZIP motifs that might interact with O2, a portion encoding the bZIP motif from an O2 cDNA was used to screen an endosperm cDNA library. Sequence analysis of one isolated recombinant phage indicated the presence of a bZIP motif similar to O2. The protein product of this partial cDNA, designated OHP1, can bind the O2 target site both as a homodimer and in a heterodimeric complex with O2. Whole genome DNA gel blot analysis of maize recombinant inbreds revealed two strongly hybridizing restriction fragments, neither of which mapped close to any locus known to affect zein expression. RNA gel blot analysis revealed an approximately 1.7-kb transcript that is expressed in all organs examined except the female flower and is also expressed in endosperms homozygous for o2 and other mutations that affect zein expression (opaque7, floury2, and Defective endosperm b-30). Based on these results and previously reported data, we propose models to accommodate OHP1 in the regulation of zein gene expression by O2.

OHP1: a maize basic domain/leucine zipper protein that interacts with opaque2.

The opaque-2 (o2) locus in maize encodes a transcription factor involved in the regulation of zein storage proteins. We have shown previously that the O2 protein contains a leucine zipper domain that binds to promoters of 22-kD zein genes. In this paper we characterize an EMS-induced o2 allele, o2-676, that causes a 50% reduction in zein. We have found that the o2-676 mutant protein does not show specific recognition of zein promoter fragments because of the substitution of a lysine residue for an arginine residue within the bZIP domain of o2-676. This particular arginine is conserved within the bZIP domains of all mammalian, fungal, and plant DNA binding proteins of this class. The correlation between this mutation in o2 and the altered pattern of zein expression strongly suggests that O2 regulates transcription of certain members of the zein multigene family through direct interaction with the zein promoters and not through the transcriptional activation of some other regulator of zein gene expression.

/pdf/an-arginine-to-lysine-substitution-in-the-bzip-domain-of-an-4pxirvacxo.pdf

An arginine to lysine substitution in the bZIP domain of an opaque-2 mutant in maize abolishes specific DNA binding.

Development in higher eukaryotes is a complex process involving the differentiation of various cell types that subsequently perform specific functions in the organism. In order to achieve this specification, certain genes must be expressed in some tissues but not in others. Many genes are also expressed only during well-defined developmental periods in order to synchronize the events leading to cell differentiation. One way in which tissue-specific and temporal gene expression can be established is through the action of specific regulatory factors that control the genes in trans. Although examples exist of gene control at posttranscriptional levels, most regulatory events during development are thought to occur at the level of transcription. The mechanisms by which regulatory factors control the transcription of specific target genes are currently being elucidated in many higher organisms. Through these studies, it is becoming increasingly clear that developmental gene regulation involves complex networks of regulatory factors that control multiple downstream targets. One example of this is the regulation of the zein storage protein genes during development of the maize seed. Investigation into the mechanisms responsible for the coordinated regulation of the zein multigene family may provide insight into the general regulatory strategies employed by higher organisms with regard to multigene families. In this chapter we will present a brief overview of maize seed storage protein gene expression. Emphasis will be given to recent contributions to this field of study, especially with regard to the role of trans-acting factors. For more detailed reviews relating to zein gene structure and organization, the reader is referred to Rubenstein and Geraghty (1986), Thompson and Larkins (1989) and Shewry and Tatham (1990).

Milo J. Aukerman

Papers

Maize regulatory gene opaque-2 encodes a protein with a "leucine-zipper" motif that binds to zein DNA

Opaque-2 is a transcriptional activator that recognizes a specific target site in 22-kD zein genes.

OHP1: a maize basic domain/leucine zipper protein that interacts with opaque2.

An arginine to lysine substitution in the bZIP domain of an opaque-2 mutant in maize abolishes specific DNA binding.

Regulation of α-Zein Gene Expression During Maize Endosperm Development