Two cDNAs from Arabidopsis thaliana encode putative RNA binding proteins containing glycine-rich domains

Two related DNA sequences encoding small (-17kDa) glycine-rich proteins (GRPs) have been isolated from an Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA library. AtGRP7 and AtGRP8 encode proteins with a bipartite structure consisting of an amino-terminal putative RNA-binding domain and a carboxyl-terminal domain composed of stretches of glycines and serines with interspersed hydrophilic residues. These cDNAs exhibit structural similarity to a class of stress-induced transcripts found in other plant species. The proteins encoded by AtGRP7 and AtGRP8 may be members of a family of proteins which serve a vital role in RNA transcription or processing during stress.