John W Chandler | PubMed Health

PubMed2004

An alpha-crystallin gene, ACD31.2 from Arabidopsis is negatively regulated by FPF1 overexpression, floral induction, gibberellins, and long days.

A gene sequence was isolated from a differential display experiment to find transcripts altered in expression by overexpression of FLORAL PROMOTING FACTOR 1 (FPF1) in Arabidopsis thaliana. The gene, ACD31.2, encodes an alpha-crystallin domain containing protein with homology to small heat shock proteins. In addition to down-regulation by FPF1 overexpression, the ACD31.2 transcript is also down-regulated by long days, floral induction, and by gibberellin in wild-type plants. Expression is highest in leaves and stems.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

When negative is positive in functional genomics.

The post-genomic era has caused classical approaches to analyse gene function to be reviewed and refined. Conventional reverse genetic approaches to predict gene function have drawbacks in terms of genetic redundancy and being limited mainly to well-characterized genomes. The relatively recent use of dominant-negative transgenes has been successful in elaborating certain pathways and it is now possible to extend this technique to convert transcription factors into dominant repressor functions by fusion to repressor domains such as ENGRAILED from Drosophila. This methodology opens up new possibilities to overcome genetic redundancy, to identify novel gene functions and also to apply information on conserved protein domains between species to repress heterologous protein function.

Animals↗