THE SAME NUCLEAR PROTEINS BIND TO THE 5'-FLANKING REGIONS OF GENES FOR THE RICE SEED STORAGE PROTEIN - 16 KDA ALBUMIN, 13 KDA PROLAMIN AND TYPE-II GLUTELIN

Expression of rice seed storage-protein genes is dramatically regulate d over a short period of seed maturation. To characterize the expressi on mechanism of the rice seed storage protein genes, their expression of major storage protein genes (16 kDa albumin, 13 kDa prolamin and ty pe II glutelin) were compared by RNA blot analysis. Their coordinate e xpression suggests that the transcriptional regulatory machinery is sh ared among the glutelin, prolamin and albumin-genes. We isolated two n ovel genomic genes for prolamins (PG5a and PG5b) and obtained the prom oter region of the glutelin gene by PCR. The 5'-flanking regions of th ese three rice seed storage protein genes were found to contain some s imilar conserved sequences. Nuclear extract partially purified from ma turing rice seeds was used for the gel shift assay of the 5' region of the RA gene. We identified two DNA sequences of RA gene which were re cognized by independent DNA-binding proteins. The complexes of these D NA sequences and DNA-binding proteins were inhibited by the fragments containing the 5' regions of the prolamin and glutelin genes, suggesti ng that these three genes share transcription factors.