Robert A. Nepomuceno | Jolly Chatterjee | Robert Coe | Jacqueline Dionara | William Paul Quick
Functional genomics through the use of gain of function approach such as full-length cDNA overexpression is often utilized to potentially identify gene function. The gain-of-function approach offers an advantage over loss-of-function mutants since most species have a large proportion of redundant genes, and the function of such genes is impossible to identify using a gene-knockout approach because the redundant copy just compensates for the loss of function created. In this study, full-length cDNA was generated from RNAs derived from rice seedling root tissues. A rice overexpression mutant manifesting debilitating dwarfism was generated, however, closer examination of the fl-cDNA revealed it to be a polyadenylate binding protein of Schizosaccharomyces cerevisiae origin. The fl-cDNA is 2,254 bp with the longest predicted ORF of 2,013 bp, representing 89.31% of the total length. The predicted polypeptide is 670 amino acid residues. Analysis of the protein sequence revealed a dominant RNA recognition motif (RRM) at amino acid positions 134-204, 227-297, and 330-400. RNA recognition motif (RRM) is characterized by 90 amino acid residues with two conserved sequences of eight and six amino acids, called RNP-1 and RNP-2, respectively, in the protein primary structure. Proteins with RNA recognition motif have multitudes of functions which include the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) that function in the processing of hnRNAs into a mature mRNA as well as a trans-regulatory factor in gene expression proteins involved in the regulation of alternative splicing, RNA stability, and translation and protein components of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein.
ISSN 2719-1990 (Print)
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