Characterization and Expression of a Novel Member (JBURE-II) of the Urease Gene Family from Jackbean [Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC]

• Autor(a) principal: Alves, Melissa Pires
• Data de Publicação: 2003
• Outros Autores: Grossi-de-Sá, Maria Fátima, Barcellos, Grace Bernardes Silva, Carlini, Célia Regina Ribeiro da Silva, Moraes, Marcelo Gravina de
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UCB
• Texto Completo: http://twingo.ucb.br:8080/jspui/handle/10869/691; https://repositorio.ucb.br:9443/jspui/handle/123456789/7884
• topic: Abscisic acid; Canavalia ensiformis; Gene; Jackbean; Seed maturation; Urease (EC 3.5.1.5)

Canavalia ensiformis (jackbean) seeds contain the proteins urease and canatoxin, a variant form of the jackbean urease. Here we have cloned a cDNA encoding another isoform of urease, called JBURE-II. This cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR using as template total RNA extracted from C. ensiformis tissues. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that JBURE-II clones share 86% similarity with known jackbean urease. The presence in C. ensiformis of a family of urease-related genes with at least three members was demonstrated by Southern blot analysis. In order to understand the pattern of expression of the JBURE-II gene, we collected tissue samples from different stages of flower and embryo development. The results of RT-PCR show that JBURE-II is expressed from flower buds throughout seed maturation. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR indicates that expression of urease and JBURE-II genes is induced in seedlings and in leaves treated with abscisic acid, a phytohormone involved in seed maturation and wound response. This work constitutes the first report on the presence of a family of urease genes in jackbean, and provides characterization of a cDNA encoding a new member of this gene family.