Molecular characterization of a Trithorax-group homologue gene from Pinus radiata

In eukaryotes, trithorax group proteins play critical roles in the regulation of transcription, cell proliferation, differentiation and development. In this work we report the molecular cloning and characterization of SEPR11, a cDNA from the conifer Monterrey pine (Pinus radiata) encoding a polypeptide homologue of a trithorax group member described in animals and yeast. A full-length clone was isolated from RNA prepared from somatic embryos and contained a 1,239 bp ORF encoding 412 amino acids. Characterization of the isolated sequence revealed that it contains a SPRY domain in the C-terminal region. A comparison of the pine sequence with homologous proteins from plants, animals and yeast revealed that SEPR11 is phylogenetically related to the trithorax group members and not a SPRY-domain containing protein. RT-PCR analyses of transcript abundance in pine tissues demonstrated that SEPR11 is particularly abundant in embryos, suggesting that this gene could be involved during embryo development. The spatial localization of SEPR11 transcripts revealed that gene expression was restricted to the vascular bundle and apical and radicular meristems, suggesting a possible function of this gene in meristem control and vascular bundle development. This work is the first report of the presence of a trithorax group homologue gene in gymnosperm.