Molecular analysis of ethylene-insensitive mutants in arabidopsis. Progress report

摘要

The subject of this study is the biochemical basis of ethylene reception. The Arabidopsis thaliana ETR gene codes for the ethylene receptor or is involved in transduction of the ethylene-generated signal. We have cloned an etr mutation which results in a decrease in the ethylene response of the plant, with a decrease in ethylene binding of about five-fold. Two genes have been found in the cloned region which confer resistance. By sequence analysis, the first protein contains three distinct regions: a transmembrane region, a serine/threonine protein kinase region, and a control region similar to the RAS-binding region of yeast adenylate cyclase. The second protein contains a zinc-finger; since sequence of the first protein shows no mutant-dependent changes, and transition metals have been implicated in ethylene binding, this protein could be the ETR gene product. However, no mutant dependent differences have been found in this protein, either. The mutation could be upstream of the coding region of either gene and involve regulatory elements, so we are continuing to sequence. (MHB)