EXPRESSED SEQUENCE TAGS OF CHINESE-CABBAGE FLOWER BUD CDNA

We randomly selected and partially sequenced cDNA clones from a librar y of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. pekinensis) flower b ud cDNAs. Out of 1216 expressed sequence tags (ESTs), 904 cDNA clones were unique or nonredundant. Five hundred eighty-eight clones (48.4%) had sequence homology to functionally defined genes at the peptide lev el. Only 5 clones encoded known flower-specific proteins. Among the cD NAs with no similarity to known protein sequences (628), 184 clones ha d significant similarity to nucleotide sequences registered in the dat abases. Among these 184 clones, 142 exhibited similarities at the nucl eotide level only with plant ESTs. Also, sequence similarities were ev ident between these 142 ESTs and their matching ESTs when compared usi ng the deduced amino acid sequences. Therefore, it is possible that th e anonymous ESTs encode plant-specific ubiquitous proteins. Our extens ive EST analysis of genes expressed in floral organs not only contribu tes to the understanding of the dynamics of genome expression patterns in floral organs but also adds data to the repertoire of all genomic genes.