The conserved Ala37 in the ERF/AP2 domain is essential for binding with the DRE element and the GCC box

Abstract
Four AP2/EREBP genes encoding putative ethylene‐responsive element binding factor (ERF)/AP2 domains were cloned from Brassica napus, and these genes could be induced by low temperature, ethylene, drought, high salinity, abscisic acid and jasmonate treatments. These four genes, named BnDREBIII‐1 to BnDREBIII‐4, were highly homologous and the 37th amino acid was the only difference among their ERF/AP2 domains. BnDREBIII‐1 was demonstrated to be able to bind to both dehydration‐responsive element and the GCC box and transactivate the expression of downstream genes, while BnDREBIII‐4 could bind neither. Further results suggested that Ala37 might play a crucial role in the DNA binding or the stability of the ERF/AP2 domain.

This publication has 26 references indexed in Scilit: