Expression of the chlorophyll-a/b-protein multigene family in pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract

To measure transcript levels for individual members of the Cab (chlorophyll a/b protein) multigene family in pea under a range of developmental situations, we developed a system using cDNA synthesis, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and chemiluminescence detection. In order to design gene-specific PCR primers for all genes, a partial genomic clone for a fifth, Type I LHCII (light-harvesting complex of photosystem II) gene, Cab-9 The Cab-9 sequence appears in the Genbank/EMBL databases under the accession number M86906 , was isolated and sequenced. All seven known Cab genes in pea are expressed in light-grown buds and leaves, including several genes previously known only from genomic clones. There appear to be at least two groups of Cab genes in pea which differ in their response to light and development. The first group (consisting of Cab-8, AB96, Cab-215 and Cab-315) includes Type I, Type II and Type III genes, shows a relatively strong response to red light, and has bud transcript levels similar to or slightly higher than leaves. The second group, consisting of the Type I genes Cab-9, AB80 and AB66, shows little or no transcript accumulation 24 h after a red light pulse, and has higher transcript levels in leaves than in buds. Transcript levels for genes in this second group appear to be lower than those of the first group in all developmental situations examined. These data indicate that there has been an evolutionary divergence of the responses to light and development among the Type I LHCII genes.

Light-Regulated and Organ-Specific Expression of Types 1, 2, and 3 Light-Harvesting Complex b mRNAs in Ginkgo biloba

“…Similarly, in maize, a C4 plant having mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells, the expression of six individual Lkcb mRNAs was found to differ between these cell types and during greening (Sheen and Bogorad, 1986). Taken together, the protein studies (Sigrist and Staehelin, 1994) and mRNA studies (Sheen and Bogorad, 1986;White et al, 1992) are consistent with the hypothesis that a11 three types of LHCIIb polypeptide are required during early stages of plastid development.…”

“…In soybean there is also developmental regulation of Lkcb transcripts that supercedes light signals during embryogenesis (Chang and Walling, 1992). Two distinct developmental and light regulation patterns of Lkcb gene expression have also been found in pea (White et al, 1992). Similarly, in maize, a C4 plant having mesophyll and bundle-sheath cells, the expression of six individual Lkcb mRNAs was found to differ between these cell types and during greening (Sheen and Bogorad, 1986).…”

“…In tomato, where the complete family has been cloned, a11 of the sequences are expressed in light-grown leaves; they are most abundant in leaves, less abundant in other green organs, and absent in roots (Piechulla et al, 1991). Similarly, a11 seven Lkcb sequences (comprising Lkcbl and Lhcb2 sequences) cloned from pea are expressed in light-grown buds and leaves (White et al, 1992). However, the relative expression levels of each were quite variable and, as was the case in Ginkgo, the Lkcbl sequences were the most abundant.…”

Ancestral Multipartite Units in Light-Responsive Plant Promoters Have Structural Features Correlating with Specific Phototransduction Pathways

“…1 1 2,1996 both the so-called unit 1 from parsley and mustard chs genes (Schulze-Lefert et al, 1989;Rocholl et al, 1994;Kaiser et al, 1995) and for the I-G unit from tobacco rbcS genes (Argüello-Astorga and Herrera-Estrella, 1995), which are the shortest native sequences from phytochrome-dependent genes that have been shown to function as LREs in gain-of-function experiments. Moreover, the presumed composite structure of LREs may explain why genes that are activated by the same phytochrome-associated transduction pathway, such as the rbcS and cab genes, display such marked differences in their responses to light in terms of the intensity and spectral quality required for their activation, time course and leve1 of the induction, and phytochrome escape kinetics (White et al, 1992(White et al, , 1995Lubberstedt et al, 1994a). It has been proposed that a combinatorial interaction, which is characteristic of complex elements, may allow genes to be induced with different kinetics in response to the same stimulus (Hill and Treisman, 1995).…”

Accumulation of plant antenna complexes is regulated by post-transcriptional mechanisms in tobacco.

“…Currently, five Lhcbl and one of the Lhcb2 genes are known to be present in tobacco. In pea, two genes, Lhcb1-1 and Lhcb1-4, alone account for 70% of cab mRNA in leaves; the Lhcb3-1 gene contributes 25% to the steady state level of cab mRNA in leaves, whereas three other Lhcbl genes and one Lhcb2 gene are weakly expressed (0.4 to 4%; White et al, 1992). In contrast, in tomato only Lhcbl genes 1,2,5, and 6 are expressed at high level (11, 20, 13, and 28%, respectively), accounting for 72% of cab mRNA in leaves.…”