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E Pichersky

Publications and source records attributed to E Pichersky.

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An evolutionarily conserved protein binding sequence upstream of a plant light-regulated gene.

A protein factor, identified in nuclear extracts obtained from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanaceae) and Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) seedlings, specifically binds upstream sequences from the plant light-regulated gene family encoding the small subunit of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RBCS). RBCS upstream sequences from tomato, pea (Pisum sativum, Leguminosae), and Arabidopsis are recognized by the factor. The factor recognition occurs via a short conserved sequence (G box) whose consensus sequence is 5'-TCTTACACGTGGCAYY-3' (where Y is pyrimidine). This sequence is distinct from the GT motif described previously in RBCS promoters. Two other conserved sequences, showing a lesser degree of evolutionary conservation, are found upstream of the G box but do not bind to the G box binding factor (GBF). Twelve nucleotides within the G box are sufficient for the formation of a stable DNA-GBF complex. GBF is found in both light-grown and dark-adapted tomato leaf extracts, but it is present in greatly reduced amounts in root extracts.

Base Sequence↗

Genomic organization, sequence analysis and expression of all five genes encoding the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from tomato.

We have cloned and sequenced all five members of the gene family for the small subunit (rbcS) of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum cv. VFNT LA 1221 cherry line. Two of the five genes, designated Rbcs-1 and Rbcs-2, are present as single genes at individual loci. Three genes, designated Rbcs-3A, Rbcs-3B and Rbcs-3C, are organized in a tandem array within 10 kb at a third independent locus. The Rbcs-2 gene contains three introns; all the other members of the tomato gene family contain two introns. The coding sequence of Rbcs-1 differs by 14.0% from that of Rbcs-2 and by 13.3% from that of Rbcs-3 genes. Rbcs-2 shows 10.4% divergence from Rbcs-3. The exon and intron sequences of Rbcs-3A are identical to those of Rbcs-3C, and differ by 1.9% from those of Rbcs-3B. Nucleotide sequence analysis suggests that the five rbcS genes encode four different precursors, and three different mature polypeptides. S1 nuclease mapping of the 5' end of rbcS mRNAs revealed that the mRNA leader sequences vary in length from 8 to 75 nucleotides. Northern analysis using gene-specific oligonucleotide probes from the 3' non-coding region of each gene reveals a four to five-fold difference among the five genes in maximal steady-state mRNA levels in leaves.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A cDNA clone encoding a photosystem I protein with homology to photosystem II chlorophyll a/b-binding polypeptides.

We report here the isolation and nucleotide sequence of a complete cDNA clone encoding a photosystem I (PS I) polypeptide that is recognized by a monoclonal antibody made against photosystem II (PS II) chlorophyll a/b-binding (CAB) proteins. The deduced sequence of this PS I protein shows 30% overall identity to PS II CAB sequences, and two long segments within this protein show 50% and 65% identity to the corresponding segments in the PS II CAB polypeptides. Even though the sequence of this PS I CAB protein is substantially divergent from PS II CAB sequences, their hydropathy plots are very similar and suggest they all traverse the thylakoid membrane three times. A segment of the PS I CAB polypeptide shows similarity to the functionally analogous beta subunits of the antenna proteins of purple bacteria. In contrast, no homology was observed between these bacterial proteins and PS II CAB polypeptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Evidence for selection as a mechanism in the concerted evolution of Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) genes encoding the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase.

The nuclear gene sequences encoding RBCS, the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (EC 4.1.1.39) from several plants show extensive interspecific divergence but little intraspecific divergence, suggesting that these genes are evolving in concert within a genome. In this study, the nucleotide sequences of two tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) RBCS genes and a cDNA clone containing the entire coding region of a third tomato RBCS gene were determined. The three genes, designated Rbcs-1, Rbcs-2A, and Rbcs-3A, each belong to a different one of the three RBCS loci in the tomato genome. The nucleotide sequence of Rbcs-1 differs from that of Rbcs-2A and Rbcs-3A by 13.9% and 13.1%, respectively. Rbcs-2A and Rbcs-3A differ from each other by 10.7%. A recently published RBCS gene sequence from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) [Mazur, B. J. & Chui, C.-F. (1985) Nucleic Acids Res. 13, 2373-2386] differs by 10.6% and 11.3% from Rbcs-2A and Rbcs-3A, respectively, and by 15.0% from Rbcs-1. Thus the tobacco gene seems to be phylogenetically as closely related to the tomato genes Rbcs-2A and Rbcs-3A as the latter two are to each other, and more closely related to them than Rbcs-1 is. However, the mature part of the polypeptide encoded by the tobacco RBCS gene differs by five and six amino acids from the corresponding region in the polypeptides encoded by Rbcs-2A and Rbcs-3A, respectively, while these two tomato RBCS polypeptides differ from each other in the mature part by a single amino acid. Rbcs-1, whose nucleotide sequence shows higher divergence from both the tobacco RBCS gene and Rbcs-2A and Rbcs-3A, encodes a polypeptide whose mature part differs by eight amino acids from the corresponding region in the tobacco polypeptide but only by three and four amino acids from the corresponding regions of Rbcs-2A- and Rbcs-3A-encoded polypeptides, respectively. Thus, it appears that in the tomato selection has maintained near uniformity of the coding information in the portion of the RBCS genes encoding the mature polypeptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Reduced enzyme activity and starch level in an induced mutant of chloroplast phosphoglucose isomerase.

Ethyl methane sulfonate treatment was used to induce a mutation in the nuclear gene encoding the chloroplast isozyme of phosphoglucose isomerase in Clarkia xantiana. The mutation, which proved allelic to wild type activity, was backcrossed to wild type for five generations so that the two could be compared in a near isogenic background. An immunological analysis showed that the mutant, when homozygous, reduced the activity of the isozyme by about 50%. In contrast to wild type, the mutant showed little change in leaf starch level over a diurnal period or following a 72-hour continuous light treatment. By the end of the diurnal light period, the mutant accumulated only about 60% as much starch as wild type. However, mutant leaves had an increased sucrose level presumably because photosynthate was directly exported from the chloroplasts. The mutant also exhibited reduced leaf weight. These changes in metabolism and growth suggest that the wild type level of plastid phosphoglucose isomerase activity is necessary to achieve wild type carbohydrate status.

Journal Article↗

Molecular characterization and genetic mapping of two clusters of genes encoding chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins in Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato).

We have constructed a tomato genomic library in the gamma Charon 4 phage vector. The library was screened with a pea cDNA probe encoding a chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (CAB), and several recombinant phages containing tomato CAB genes were isolated and characterized by restriction mapping, heteroduplex analysis and nucleotide sequencing. Two phages with overlapping segments of the tomato genome contain a total of four CAB genes, all arranged in tandem. A third phase contains three CAB genes, two arranged in tandem and one in opposite orientation, and an additional, truncated CAB gene. Genetic mapping experiments showed that the four CAb genes on the first two phages belong to a locus, previously designated Cab-1, on chromosome 2. The CAB genes from the third phage belong to the Cab-3 locus on chromosome 3. Complete sequence determination of two CAB genes, one from each locus, and additional sequence determination of about 50% of each of the other five CAB genes showed that each gene within a CAB locus is more similar to other CAB genes in the same locus than it is to the CAB genes from the second locus. Furthermore, the polypeptides encoded by Cab-1 genes diverge significantly from those encoded by Cab-3 genes in the domains of transit peptide and the N terminus of the mature polypeptide but are essentially identical in the rest of the sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nucleotide sequence of the triose phosphate isomerase gene of Escherichia coli.

We report here the complete nucleotide sequence of the E. coli triose phosphate isomerase gene. The gene encodes a polypeptide of 255 amino acids which is approximately 46% homologous to eukaryotic triose phosphate isomerases, and approximately 38% homologous to the enzyme from a thermophilic bacterium, Bacillus stearothermophilus. The nucleotide sequence is 55% homologous to that of the corresponding gene in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the sequence of a gene coding a glycolytic enzyme from a prokaryotic organism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Plant triose phosphate isomerase isozymes : purification, immunological and structural characterization, and partial amino Acid sequences.

We report the first complete purifications of the cytosolic and plastid isozymes of triose phosphate isomerase (TPI; EC 5.3.1.1) from higher plants including spinach (Spinacia oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and celery (Apium graveolens). Both isozymes are composed of two isosubunits with approximate molecular weight of 27,000; in spinach and lettuce the plastid isozyme is 200 to 400 larger than the cytosolic isozyme. The two isozymes, purified from lettuce, had closely similar amino acid compositions with the exception of methionine which was four times more prevalent in the cytosolic isozyme. Partial amino acid sequences from the N-terminus were also obtained for both lettuce TPIs. Nine of the 13 positions sequenced in the two proteins had identical amino acid residues. The partial sequences of the plant proteins showed high similarity to previously sequenced animal TPIs. Immunological studies, using antisera prepared independently against the purified plastid and cytosolic isozymes from spinach, revealed that the cytosolic isozymes from a variety of species formed an immunologically distinct group as did the plastid isozymes. However, both plastid and cytosolic TPIs shared some antigenic determinants. The overall similarity of the two isozymes and the high similarity of their partial amino acid sequences to those of several animals indicate that TPI is a very highly conserved protein.

Journal Article↗