Identification and characterization of a novel gene encoding myb-box binding zinc finger protein in Gossypium arboreum

• Published in: Biologia plantarum Vol. 56; no. 4; pp. 641 - 647
• Main Authors: Zahur, M., Maqbool, A., Irfan, M., Jamal, A., Shahid, N., Aftab, B., Husnain, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2012; Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; drought; gaznf protein; gene expression; heavy metals; Life Sciences; Plant Sciences; salinity; salinity; drought; heavy metals; gene expression; GaZnF protein
• ISSN: 0006-3134; 1573-8264
• DOI: 10.1007/s10535-012-0255-3

Zinc finger proteins are encoded by the genes chiefly involved in stress resistance hormone signal transduction of plants. In this study, a cDNA encoding a zinc finger transcription factor was isolated by the yeast one-hybrid system from Gossypium arboreum using the MYB-box element of the universal stress gene (GUSP1) promoter as bait. The corresponding protein (named GaZnF) can bind specifically to a 13 bp MYB-box region. The GaZnF cDNA is 1093 bp in length, including a 510 bp open reading frame. The predicted GaZnF protein contains ANI-A20 motifs and shares a high sequence similarity with zinc finger proteins from other plants. Spatial expression pattern of GaZnF was studied under drought, heavy metals and salt stresses through real-time PCR. The gene showed enhanced expression under each stress treatment with maximum transcript abundance in root tissues. The results support the hypothesis that G. arboreum zinc finger proteins are involved in plant response to drought, salt and heavy metal stresses.