The gene for pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase in C4 plants: structure, regulation and evolution. 1995

M Matsuoka
BioScience Center, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan.

Pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK; EC 2.7.9.1) is a key enzyme in photosynthesis in plants that exploit the C4 photosynthetic pathway for the fixation of CO2. This review focuses on the structure, regulation and evolution of the C4-type ppdk gene in the maize genome. The C4-ppdk gene in maize consists of 19 exons spanning about 12 kbp. The gene is transcribed from two different initiation sites under the control of two promoters to produce two mRNAs of different sizes. The larger one contains the exon 1 sequence that encodes the chloroplast transit peptide and its product acts as C4-PPDK in chloroplasts, while the smaller one does not contain the sequence and its product may function as a C3-enzyme in the cytosol. This unusual dual promoter system is not unique to the maize C4-type ppdk gene since the same organization is also observed in the rice (C3 plant) ppdk gene and in Flaveria. Thus, the two-promoter system is common to plant ppdk genes from C3 and C4, monocot and dicot plants. A discussion is also presented of the generation of a system for regulation of the expression of the C4-type ppdk gene. A chimeric gene consisting of a reporter gene under the control of the promoter of maize C4-ppdk is exclusively expressed in photosynthetic tissues and not in roots or stems of transgenic rice. The expression of the introduced gene is also regulated by light: it is low in etiolated leaves and is enhanced by illumination. These results indicate that the regulatory system that controls ppdk expression in maize is not unique to C4 plants.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008969 Molecular Sequence Data Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories. Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D011772 Pyruvate, Orthophosphate Dikinase An enzyme that catalyzes the reaction of ATP, pyruvate, and orthophosphate to form AMP plus phosphoenolpyruvate plus pyrophosphate. EC 2.7.9.1. Phosphopyruvate Dikinase,Pyruvate, Phosphate Dikinase,Pyruvate, Pi Dikinase,Dikinase Pyruvate, Orthophosphate,Dikinase Pyruvate, Phosphate,Dikinase Pyruvate, Pi,Dikinase, Phosphopyruvate,Orthophosphate Dikinase Pyruvate,Phosphate Dikinase Pyruvate,Pi Dikinase Pyruvate
D003313 Zea mays A plant species of the family POACEAE. It is a tall grass grown for its EDIBLE GRAIN, corn, used as food and animal FODDER. Corn,Indian Corn,Maize,Teosinte,Zea,Corn, Indian
D005075 Biological Evolution The process of cumulative change over successive generations through which organisms acquire their distinguishing morphological and physiological characteristics. Evolution, Biological
D000595 Amino Acid Sequence The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION. Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D015971 Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in enzyme synthesis. Enzymologic Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Enzymologic,Regulation, Gene Expression, Enzymologic
D017386 Sequence Homology, Amino Acid The degree of similarity between sequences of amino acids. This information is useful for the analyzing genetic relatedness of proteins and species. Homologous Sequences, Amino Acid,Amino Acid Sequence Homology,Homologs, Amino Acid Sequence,Homologs, Protein Sequence,Homology, Protein Sequence,Protein Sequence Homologs,Protein Sequence Homology,Sequence Homology, Protein,Homolog, Protein Sequence,Homologies, Protein Sequence,Protein Sequence Homolog,Protein Sequence Homologies,Sequence Homolog, Protein,Sequence Homologies, Protein,Sequence Homologs, Protein
D018506 Gene Expression Regulation, Plant Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in plants. Plant Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Plant,Regulation, Gene Expression, Plant
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