Skip to main content
Log in

Analysis of barley nitrate reductase cDNA and genomic clones

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Barley nitrate reductase cDNA1 and genomic clones2 were isolated by homology with the barley nitrate reductase cDNA clone bNRp10 and sequenced. This is the first reported analysis of a full-length nitrate reductase gene and its corresponding cDNA in the same species. The longest cDNA clone extends to within 9 by of the ATG start codon and the sequence is similar to that reported for the higher plant NR sequences. As expected, the amino acid sequence of barley nitrate reductase is more related closely-to the rice (84% homology) than to the Arabidopsis (62%) sequence. Four different polyA addition sites were identified from sequence analysis of nine barley NR cDNA clones. A 7.3 kb region of a genomic recombinant lambda clone was sub-cloned as two contiguous BamH1 fragments into pBluescript, designated pMJ7 and pMJ8, and sequenced. These clones include the entire nitrate reductase coding region, one large intron, 2.7 kb of untranslated sequence 5′ to the translation start codon and 0.25 kb 3′ to the translation termination codon. The mRNA cap site was identified as a cytosine, 111 bases upstream of the ATG translation start codon. The putative CAAT and TATA boxes were identified at −115 and −33 bp, respectively, with the mRNA cap site designated as +1. The barley nitrate reductase gene coding region strongly favors G or C in the third codon position.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmed A (1987) Use of transposon promoted deletions in DNA sequence analysis. Methods Enzymol 155:177–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Beevers L, Hageman RH (1969) Nitrate reduction in higher plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 20:495–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Caboche M, Rouze P (1990) Nitrate reductase: a target for molecular and cellular studies in higher plants. Trends Genet 6(6):187–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell WH, Gowri G (1990) Codon usage in higher plants, green algae, and cyanobacteria. Plant Physiol 92:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng CL, Dewdney J, Kleinhofs A, Goodman HM (1986) Cloning and nitrate induction of nitrate reductase mRNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:6825–6828

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng CL, Dewdney J, Nam H, den Boer BGW, Goodman HM (1988) A new locus (NIA1) in Arabidopsis thaliana encoding nitrate reductase. EMBO J 7:3309–3314

    Google Scholar 

  • Choi H, Kleinhofs A, An G (1989) Nucleotide sequence of rice nitrate reductase. Plant Mol Biol 13:731–733

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford N, Campbell WA, Davis RW (1986) Nitrate reductase from squash: cDNA cloning and nitrate regulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:8073–8076

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford NM, Smith M, Bellissimo D, Davis RW (1988) Sequence and nitrate regulation of the Arabidopsis thaliana mRNA encoding nitrate reductase, a metalloflavoprotein with three functional domains. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85:5006–5010

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniel-Vedela F, Dorbe MF, Caboche M, Rouze P (1989) Cloning and analysis of the tomato nitrate reductase-encoding gene: protein domain structure and amino acid homologies in higher plants. Gene 85:371–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Del Sol G, Manfioletti G, Schnieder C (1988) A one-tube plasmid DNA mini-preparation suitable for sequencing. Nucleic Acids Res 20:9878

    Google Scholar 

  • Devereux J (1989) The GCG sequence analysis software package, version 6.0. Genetics Computer Group, University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center, 1710 University Ave., Madison, WI 53705

    Google Scholar 

  • Devereux J, Haeberli P, Smithies O (1984) A comprehensive set of sequence analysis programs for the VAX. Nucleic Acids Res 12:387–395

    Google Scholar 

  • Feng S, Holland EC (1988) HIV-1 tat trans-activation requires the loop sequence within tar. Nature 334:165–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Gough JA, Murray NE (1983) Sequence diversity among related genes for recognition of specific targets in DNA molecules. J Mol Biol 166:1–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Gowri G, Campbell WH (1989) cDNA clones for corn leaf NADH:nitrate reductase and chloroplast NAD(P)+:glyceral-dehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Characterization of the clones and analysis of the expression of the genes in leaves as influenced by nitrate in the light and dark. Plant Physiol 90:792–798

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamat HB, Kleinhofs A, Warner RL (1989) Nitrate reductase induction and molecular characterization in rice (Oryza sativa). Mol Gen Genet 218:93–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanley BA, Schuler MA (1988) Plant intron sequences: evidence for distinct groups of introns. Nucleic Acids Res 16:7159–7177

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardwick JP, Huberman E (1988) Consistent results from sequencing double-stranded DNA templates. United States Biochemical Editorial Comments 14(4):19–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Harker AR, Narayanan KR, Warner RL, Kleinhofs A (1986) NAD(P)H bispecific nitrate reductase in barley leaves: partial purification and characterization. Phytochemistry 25:1275–1279

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeter JM (1987) Molecular analysis of the nar1 locus in barley. MS Thesis, Washington State University

  • Joshi CP (1987) Putative polyadenylation signals in nuclear genes of higher plants: a compilation and analysis. Nucleic Acids Res 15:9627–9640

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinghorn JR, Campbell EI (1989) Amino acid sequence relationships between bacterial, fungal, and plant nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase proteins. In: Wray JL, Kinghorn JR (eds) Molecular and genetic aspects of nitrate assimilation. Oxford Science Publications, Oxford, pp 387–403

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinhofs A, Kuo TM, Warner, RL (1980) Characterization of nitrate reductase-deficient barley mutants. Mol Gen Genet 177:421–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinhofs A, Chao S, Sharp PJ (1988a) Mapping of nitrate reductase genes in barley and wheat. In: Miller TE, Koebner RMD (eds) Seventh International Wheat Genetics Symposium, vol 1. Institute of Plant Science Research. Cambridge Laboratory, Trumpington, Cambridge, pp 541–546

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinhofs A, Warner RL, Hamat HB, Juricek M, Huang C, Schnorr KM (1988b) Molecular genetics of barley and rice nitrate reductases. Curr Top Plant Biochem Physiol 7(35):35–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinhofs A, Warner RL, Melzer JM (1989) Genetics and molecular biology of higher plant nitrate reductases. In: Poulton JE, Romeo JT, Conn EE (eds) Recent advances in phytochemistry, vol. 23: Plant nitrogen metabolism. Plenum, New York, pp 117–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuo TK, Somers DA, Kleinhofs A, Warner RL (1982) NADH-nitrate reductase in barley leaves: Identification and amino acid composition of subunit protein. Biochim Biophys Acta 708:75–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Legerski RJ, Hodnett JL, Gray HB Jr (1978) Extracellular nucleases of Pseudomonas Bal31. III. Use of double-stranded deoxyribonuclease activity as the basis of a convenient method for the mapping of fragments of DNA produced by cleavage with restriction enzymes. Nucleic Acids Res 5:1445

    Google Scholar 

  • Li SF, DeMoss JA (1988) Location of sequences in the nar promoter of Escherichia coli required for regulation by Fnr and NarL. J Biol Chem 263:13700–13705

    Google Scholar 

  • Maniatis T, Fritsch EF, Sambrook J (1982) Molecular cloning: A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • McKnight SL, Kingsbury R (1982) Transcription control signals of a eukaryotic protein-coding gene. Science 217:316–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Melzer JM (1987) Effect of nitrate, light and mutation on nitrate reductase messenger RNA in barley. Dissertation, Department of Agronomy and Soils, Washington State University

  • Melzer JM, Kleinhofs A, Kudrna DA, Warner RL, Blake TK (1988) Genetic mapping of the barley nitrate reductase deficient nar1 and nar2 loci. Theor Appl Genet 75:767–771

    Google Scholar 

  • Melzer JM, Kleinhofs A, Warner RL (1989) Nitrate reductase regulation: Effects of nitrate and light on nitrate reductase mRNA accumulation. Mol Gen Genet 217:341–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray EE, Lotzer J, Eberle M (1989) Codon usage in plant genes. Nucleic Acids Res 17:447–498

    Google Scholar 

  • Prosser IM, Lazarus CM (1990) Nucleotide sequence of a spinach nitrate reductase cDNA. Plant Mol Biol 15:187–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger F, Nicklen S, Coulson AR (1977) DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74:5463–5467

    Google Scholar 

  • Seidman JG, Smith JA, Struhl K (1987) Current protocols in molecular biology, vol 1 and 2. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Shenk T (1981) Transcriptional control regions: nucleotide requirements for initiation of RNA polymerase II and III. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 93:25–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith TF, Waterman MS (1981) Comparison of biosequences. Adv Appl Meth 2:482–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaucheret H, Kronenberger J, Rouze P, Caboche M (1989a) Complete nucleotide sequence of the two homeologous tobacco nitrate reductase genes. Plant Mol Biol 12:597–600

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaucheret H, Vincentz M, Kronenberger J, Caboche M, Rouze P (1989b) Molecular cloning and characterization of the two homeologous genes coding for nitrate reductase in tobacco. Mol Gen Genet 216:10–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner RL, Narayanan KR, Kleinhofs A (1987) Inheritance and expression of NAD(P)H nitrate reductase in barley. Theor Appl Genet 74:714–717

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Communicated by H. Böhme

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schnorr, K.M., Juricek, M., Huang, C. et al. Analysis of barley nitrate reductase cDNA and genomic clones. Molec. Gen. Genet. 227, 411–416 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00273931

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00273931

Key words

Navigation