Isolation and characterization of a gene involved in ethylene biosynthesis from Arabidopsis thaliana

The ethylene forming enzyme (EFE) is a key factor in ethylene biosynthesis. To understand better the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis in vegetative tissues, we set out to isolate and characterize a complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding the EFE from Arabidopsis thaliana. An A. thaliana cDNA library was screened with pTOM 13, a tomato cDNA coding for the EFE. A cDNA clone (pEAT1) was isolated. The cDNA is 1200 nucleotides (nt) in length and predicts a protein of M(r) 36,663. The insert includes the complete open reading frame of 972 bp and shows strong homology with several reported sequences, both at the nt and amino acid level. In whole seedlings, expression of pEAT1 was enhanced by wounding, ethrel, Fe2+, and 1-amino-cyclopropane-carboxylic acid (ACC) treatments. In contrast, heat shock had no effect on the expression.