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. 1985 Dec 1;4(12):3055–3061. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1985.tb04045.x

Differential expression of the eight genes of the petunia ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit multi-gene family

Caroline Dean 1, Peter van den Elzen 1,1, Stanley Tamaki 1, Pamela Dunsmuir 1, John Bedbrook 1
PMCID: PMC554622  PMID: 16453647

Abstract

Of the eight nuclear genes in the plant multi-gene family which encodes the small subunit (rbcS) of Petunia (Mitchell) ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, one rbcS gene accounts for 47% of the total rbcS gene expression in petunia leaf tissue. Expression of each of five other rbcS genes is detected at levels between 2 and 23% of the total rbcS expression in leaf tissue, while expression of the remaining two rbcS genes is not detected. There is considerable variation (500-fold) in the levels of total rbcS mRNA in six organs of petunia (leaves, sepals, petals, stems, roots and stigmas/anthers). One gene, SSU301, showed the highest levels of steady-state mRNA in each of the organs examined. We discuss the differences in the steady-state mRNA levels of the individual rbcS genes in relation to their gene structure, nucleotide sequence and genomic linkage.

Keywords: small subunit, ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, gene expression, multi-gene family, nucleotide sequence

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