[Functional genomics of Salvia militiorrhiza IV--analysis of ethylene responsive element binding protein gene].

Objective: To study the ethylene responsive element binding protein genes of Salvia miltiorrhiza through bioinformatics and characterization of its tissue expression in regenerated plantlets.
Method: The ethylene responsive element binding protein genes were obtained by cDNA microarray analyze. BLAST was used for alignment, ORF finder software was used to find open reading frame, Prosite database was used to analyze the protein. Semi-quantitative RT- PCR method was used to detect the gene expression level.
Result: One ethylene responsive element binding protein was obtained, named as SmERF. SmERF had an open reading frame of 699 bp with 5'-URT 87 bp and 3'-URT 166 bp. The putative protein SmERF contains a highly conserved ERF/AP2 domain. Semiquantitative RT- PCR illustrated that SmERF was expressed in all tissues such as root, stem and leaf in regenerated shoots, while the expression level was higher in root than in stem and leaf.
Conclusion: It was the first time to obtain ERF gene in S. miltiorrhiza and set a good foundation for its further functional study.