Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Novel Lectin Gene from Lycoris radiata

Abstract

By the use of RACE-PCR with RNA extracted from Lycoris radiata young leaves, the full-length cDNA of L. radiata agglutinin (LRA) was cloned. The full-length cDNA of LRA was 669 bp and contained a 477 bp open reading frame encoding a 158 amino acid protein. Through comparative analysis of lra gene and its deduced amino acid sequence with those of other Amaryllidaceae species, it was found that lra encoded a precursor lectin with signal peptide. LRA was a mannose-binding lectin with three mannose-binding boxes like lectins from other Amaryllidaceae species. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA revealed that lra belonged to a low copy gene family. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that lra constitutively expressed in various plant tissues including leaf, root, stem and inflorescence, and highly expressed in the inflorescence.

Keywords::

• Amaryllidaceae
• cDNA
• Lectin
• RACE-PCR
• Lycoris radiata

Database Accession No.::

• AY191306

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by China National Transgenic Plant Research and Commercialization Project Fund, China National High-Tech “863” Program, China Ministry of Education and UK/CHINA Science and Technology Collaboration Fund.