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Maize cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPC) is encoded by a small multi-gene family consisting of gpc1, gpc2, gpc3 and gpc4. GAPC3/4 protein is synthesized in roots during anoxic conditions and is known to be one of the 'anaerobic polypeptides'. We further analyzed the gpc gene family by isolating full-length cDNA clones of gpc2, gpc3, gpc4 and genomic clones of gpc2 and gpc4. The deduced amino acid sequence of GAPC4 has 99.4% identity with that of GAPC3 as compared to only 81% with either GAPC1 or GAPC2 amino acid sequence. Based on the deduced amino acid sequence identity we designated GAPC1 and GAPC2 as group I (97% identical) and GAPC3 and GAPC4 as group II (99.4% identical). As previously reported for gpc3, transcript levels were also induced for gpc4 by anaerobiosis. Neither heat shock, cold nor salt stress induced the expression of gpc3 or gpc4. In contrast, the transcript accumulation of gpc1 and gpc2 either remained constitutive or decreased in response to anoxia. The upstream regions of gpc2 and gpc4 contain typical eukaryotic promoter features with transcription start points at 76 and 68 bp upstream of their respective translation initiation sites. Transient expression analysis of gpc4 promoter-beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene constructs in bombarded maize suspension culture cells was used to examine the role of 5'-flanking sequence of gpc4. The gpc4 promoter (-1997 to +39 bp) was sufficient to induce GUS activity approximately three-fold in response to anaerobiosis. 5'-unidirectional deletion analysis revealed that the critical region of gpc4 required for its induced expression lies between -290 and -157. This region has reverse-oriented putative 'anaerobic response elements', G-box like sequences, and a GC motif similar to that previously defined as a regulatory element of maize adh1 and Arabidopsis adh, as well as the sequences found in other environmentally inducible genes. The relevance of these elements in conferring anaerobic induction of gpc4 gene expression is discussed.

The distribution of the cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene family (Gpc) in the maize genome was investigated; a genetic variant of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity is also described. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of an F2 population shows that the variant is not linked to the three known Gpc genes. However, this trait is linked to one of two genomic DNA fragments that hybridize to a fragment of the Gpc3 coding region, implying the existence of a fourth Gpc gene. Antibodies and cDNA clones were used to investigate the organ-specific expression of the Gpc genes. Results were compared with the expression of the Gpc genes. Results were compared with the expression of the alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (Adh1) gene. RNA and protein levels were examined in seedling roots and shoots, as well as the leaves, developing endosperm and embryo, and the aleurone. In general, it was found that Gpc3 expression behaves in parallel with Adh1 in these organs, and protein levels closely parallel that of RNA for each gene examined. Both Gpc3 and Adh1 show a marked increase in expression during endosperm development, reaching a maximum 15 days after pollination, but no expression is detected in the leaf. Gpc1 expression is similar to that of Gpc2, with an overall decrease in the level of RNA during endosperm development. This expression is discussed in terms of the common sequences found upstream of genes expressed in the developing maize seed.

Two cDNA clones for maize cytosolic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase are described. One is about 97% similar in coding capacity to a previously published clone [Brinkmann et al. (1987). J. Mol. Evol. 26, 320-328], while the other shows only 88% similarity. Evidence points toward the three cDNAs being the products of three genes, to be called Gpc1, Gpc2, and Gpc3. When the least similar clone, corresponding to Gpc3, was used to analyze RNA gel blots, anaerobic treatment for 6 hours induced RNA accumulation in the shoots 15.6-fold, while a 1-hour shift from 28 degrees C to 40 degrees C increased accumulation 5.1-fold. Roots had a higher basal level of expression, leading to a 6.0-fold anaerobic induction, and a 2.4-fold heat stress induction. RNA gel blot analysis using the clone corresponding to Gpc2 showed decreased RNA accumulation within 6 hours of anaerobiosis, while analysis with the previously published clone, corresponding to Gpc1, showed a decrease within 24 hours. Neither Gpc1 nor Gpc2 showed heat stress induction, while some other known anaerobic genes did. Through the use of hybrid selection, in vitro translation, and immune precipitation, the relative expression of the three genes is shown. The role of the observed changes in gene expression is discussed in relation to stress physiology.