Ectopic expression of TATA box-binding protein induces shoot proliferationin Arabidopsis

The TATA boli-binding protein (TBP) is an essential component of transcript ion initiation complexes of all three eukaryotic RNA polymerases. Increasin g evidence suggests that the TBP activity and availability may be regulated to precisely control gene transcription and play an important role in cell type-specific regulation. Arabidopsis TBP-2 is up-regulated in apical shoo t tissues. Overexpression of TBP-2 in transgenic Arabidopsis induces apical shoot proliferation, The expression of some shoot meristem regulatory gene s is altered, These data suggest that the TBP gene dosage and/or expression level may play an important role in controlling shoot production and plant morphology. (C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Publish ed by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.