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Expression of Maturation‐Specific Genes in Soybean Seeds
Author(s) -
Hsing Yueie C.,
Rinne Robert W.,
Hepburn Angus G.,
Zielinski Raymond E.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1990.0011183x003000060036x
Subject(s) - biology , complementary dna , gene , gene expression , messenger rna , cdna library , storage protein , microbiology and biotechnology , differential display , point of delivery , genetics , botany
This laboratory, has previously shown (Rosenberg and Rinne, 1988, Plant Physiol. 87:474‐478) that several polypeptides are synthesized de novo during natural and precocious soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed maturation. The present study was undertaken to investigate soybean seed maturation at the molecular level. The objective of this investigation was to see if changes could be observed at the molecular level that support our previous physiological and biochemical studies. A cDNA library was prepared from poly A* RNA from precociously dried soybean seeds and screened by differential hybridization with probes made from poly A* RNAs isolated from fresh and pod‐dried seeds to isolate dehydration‐related cDNA clones. Hybrid‐selected translation, cross‐hybridization, and DNA sequencing experiments using five clones with the strongest hybridization signals revealed that each appears to encode a 31‐kD polypeptide and represent the same mRNA sequence. The mRNA encoding this protein is expressed exclusively in maturing seeds from =55 d after flowering through maturity. Expression of the 31‐ kD polypeptide mRNA increases about 200‐fold during soybean seed maturation in situ , and it can be induced to a comparable level of expression by precociously maturing 35 d after flowering seeds. Expression of this mRNA occurs predominantly after expression of the genes encoding the major storage proteins, and it coincides temporall with seed desiccation.