Isolation and characterization of maize cDNAs encoding a high mobility group protein displaying a HMG-box

Abstract
CDNAs encoding a nonhlstone chromosomal high mobility group (HMG) protein corresponding to the animal HMG1 family were isolated from a maize cDNA library using an immunoscreening approach. The cDNAs revealed an open reading frame of 471 base pairs together with 413 base pairs of flanking region, in agreement with the size of mRNA detected by Northern analysis of maize endosperm RNA. Like its animal counterparts the 17146 Da maize HMG protein contains a basic amlnotermlnus and an acidic carboxytermlnus. The HMG-box region of this plant HMG protein shows striking sequence similarity to members of the vertebrate HMG1 family. Based on Southern blot hybridization analysis of genomlc DNA, the isolated cDNA appears to be derived from a single or low copy gene.