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Separate cis sequences and trans factors direct metabolic and developmental regulation of a potato tuber storage protein gene
Author(s) -
Grierson Claire,
Du JianSheng,
Zabala Marta,
Beggs Kyle,
Smith Caroline,
Holdsworth Michael,
Bevan Michael
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.1994.5060815.x
Subject(s) - sucrose , biology , gene , transcription (linguistics) , activator (genetics) , gene expression , storage protein , transcription factor , promoter , trans acting , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , mutant , linguistics , philosophy
Summary The expression of genes encoding patatin, a major tuber protein, is highly tissue‐specific but is also modulated by exogenous sucrose. The patterns of transcription observed in potato plants could be due to mechanisms conferring tuber‐specificity or they could reflect the concentrations of sucrose found in different tissues. To distinguish between these possibilities, a detailed examination was made of the function of a region of the promoter previously implicated in conferring tissue‐specific and sucrose‐inducible expression. Internal deletions of this region revealed three separate functional domains regulating expression. The B repeat region acted as a positive activator of transcription in the tuber and was also responsible for a degree of sucrose‐inducibility. The distal region of the A repeat repressed transcription in leaf and tuber tissue, while the proximal region of the A repeat was able to confer sucrose‐responsiveness. Each of these regions specifically bound nuclear proteins which may be putative transcription factors involved in conferring these responses. The region found to confer sucrose‐inducible expression was conserved among some other genes that are also regulated by exogenous sucrose.