An Arabidopsis gene family encoding DRE/CRT binding proteins involved in low-temperature-responsive gene expression

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1998 Sep 8;250(1):161-70. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1998.9267.

Abstract

In higher plants, a cis-acting element, DRE/CRT, is involved in gene expression responsive to drought and low-temperature stress. To understand signal transduction pathways from the cold stress signal to gene expression, we characterized a gene family for DRE/CRT-binding proteins DREB1A and CBF1 in Arabidopsis thaliana. DREB1A and CBF1 were shown to be involved in low-temperature-responsive gene expression. We screened an Arabidopsis genomic DNA library with the cDNA fragment of DREB1A as a probe and isolated DREB1A and 2 related genes, DREB1B (= CBF1) and DREB1C. These were arrayed in the order B, A, C in an 8.7 kb region of Arabidopsis chromosome 4. Northern blot analysis using gene-specific probes showed that the 3 DREB1 genes are induced mainly by cold stress but not by osmotic stress in leaves, roots, and stems. Several conserved sequences were found in the promoter regions of all 3 genes. The beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene driven by the DREB1 promoters was induced at transcriptional level by low temperature in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis / physiology
  • Arabidopsis Proteins*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cold Temperature
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Trans-Activators / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • CBF1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • DREB1A protein, Arabidopsis
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB013815
  • GENBANK/AB013816
  • GENBANK/AB013817