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Differential expression of a gene for a methionine-rich storage protein in maize

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Summary

A methionine-rich 10 kDa zein storage protein from maize was isolated and the sequence of the N-terminal 30 amino acids was determined. Based on the amino acid sequence, two mixed oligonucleotides were synthesized and used to probe a maize endosperm cDNA library. A fulllength cDNA clone encoding the 10 kDa zein was isolated by this procedure. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA clone predicts a polypeptide of 129 amino acids, preceded by a signal peptide of 21 amino acids. The predicted polypeptide is unique in its extremely high content of methionine (22.5%). The maize inbred line BSSS-53, which has increased seed methionine due to overproduction of this protein, was compared to W23, a standard inbred line. Northern blot analysis showed that the relative RNA levels for the 10 kDa zein were enhanced in developing seeds of BSSS-53, providing a molecular basis for the overproduction of the protein. Southern blot analysis indicated that there are one or two 10 kDa zein genes in the maize genome.

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Author notes

  1. Walter C. Mahoney

    Present address: Kallestad, A Division of Erbamont, 1000 Lake Hazeltine Dr., 55318, Chaska, MN, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Waksman Institute, Rutgers, The State University, 08855, Piscataway, NJ, USA

    Julie Anderson Kirihara & Joachim W. Messing

  2. Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Minnesota, 55108, St. Paul, MN, USA

    John P. Hunsperger & Walter C. Mahoney

Authors
  1. Julie Anderson Kirihara
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  2. John P. Hunsperger
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  3. Walter C. Mahoney
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  4. Joachim W. Messing
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Communicated by G.R. Fink

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Kirihara, J.A., Hunsperger, J.P., Mahoney, W.C. et al. Differential expression of a gene for a methionine-rich storage protein in maize. Molec. Gen. Genet. 211, 477–484 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425704

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425704

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