Transcription profiling by array of Arabidopsis over-expressing RAP2.2

Comparison of rosette leaves of two different RAP2.2 overexpressing lines with wild type leaves. The AP2/EREBP transcription factor RAP2.2 was shown to bind to a cis-acting motif within the phytoene synthase promoter from Arabidopsis. To investigate effects of increased RAP2.2 levels, two RAP2.2 overexpressing Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Wassilewskija) lines were generated: one line, nosr2, carried the nos promoter and showed a two-fold increase in RAP2.2 transcript level, the second line, cmr-5, carried four copies of the CaMV-35S enhancer and showed a 12-fold increase. However, neither weak nor strong increase in RAP2.2 transcript amounts had any effect on RAP2.2 protein levels as shown by Western blot analysis. The strong robustness of RAP2.2 protein levels towards transcriptional changes can be explained by specific protein degradation which includes SINAT2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase which was isolated using a two-hybrid approach. Accordingly, global gene expression analysis using both RAP2.2 overexpressing lines showed only minor transcriptional changes which are probably due to minor growth variation than to mechanisms involved in the down-regulation of RAP2.2 protein amounts.

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Welsch R, Maass D, Voegel T, Dellapenna D, Beyer P