Structure, expression, and evolution of the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase genes of petunia and tomato

5-Enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase is an enzyme of the shikimate pathway which is located in the chloroplasts in higher plants. This enzyme is the target of the nonselective herbicide glyphosate. We have isolated and sequenced cDNA clones encoding EPSP synthase from petunia and tomato. The deduced amino acid sequences of the two enzyme precursors show 93% identity in the mature protein regions and 58% identity in the transit peptides. The sequences of the plant enzymes show significantly greater similarity to bacterial EPSP synthases than to fungal EPSP synthases. A genomic clone containing an EPSP synthase gene was isolated from a library of petunia DNA and was shown to contain seven intervening sequences. This gene is expressed approximately 25-fold higher in flower petals than in other organs of petunia. Transcription of this gene is initiated at multiple sites in petunia leaves and in a glyphosate-tolerant petunia cell line overproducing EPSP synthase mRNA. In petals, however, transcription of this gene is initiated almost entirely from only one of these sites. In contrast to petunia, the levels of EPSP synthase mRNA in different organs of tomato do not differ significantly.