Conservation between animals and plants of the cis-acting element involved in the unfolded protein response

Dong Ha Oh, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
Chang Seob Kwon, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
Hiroshi Sano, Nara Institute of Science and Technology
Won Il Chung, Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
Nozomu Koizumi, Nara Institute of Science and Technology

Abstract

Using Arabidopsis thaliana, we identified the cis-element involved in the plant unfolded protein response (UPR). In transgenic plants, tunicamycin stimulated expression of a reporter gene under the control of the BiP promoter and promoter analysis identified a 24bp sequence crucial to this induction. When fused with a minimal promoter, a hexamer of this sequence was sufficient for induction of a reporter gene in protoplasts treated with tunicamycin or dithiothreitol. Induction rate equivalent to original promoter was observed when the assay was conducted in transgenic plants. This 24bp sequence contained two elements also responsible for the UPR in animals. Either of these elements was sufficient for the plant UPR, indicating conservation between animals and plants of cis-elements involved in the UPR. © 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.