Zea mays Taxilin Protein Negatively Regulates Opaque-2 Transcriptional Activity by Causing a Change in Its Sub-Cellular Distribution

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043822
• Publication Date: 2012-08-24T21:26:52Z
• Authors: Nan Zhang; Zhenyi Qiao; Zheng Liang; Bing Mei; Zhengkai Xu; Rentao Song
• Keywords: bZIP domain

Zea mays (maize) Opaque-2 (ZmO2) protein is an important bZIP transcription factor that regulates the expression of major storage proteins (22-kD zeins) and other genes during maize seed development. ZmO2 subject to functional regulation through protein-protein interactions. To unveil potential regulatory network associated with ZmO2, a interaction study was carried out using truncated version (O2-2) as bait in yeast two-hybrid screen cDNA library. A homology Taxilin found have stable designated ZmTaxilin. Sequence analysis indicated ZmTaxilin has long coiled-coil domain containing three conserved zipper motifs. Each motifs individually able interact yeast. GST pull-down assay demonstrated between GST-fused extracted from developing seeds. Using onion epidermal cells vivo system, we could change sub-cellular distribution ZmO2. We also this significantly repressed transcriptional activity on 22-kD zein promoter. Our suggests Taxilin-mediated may consequences for activity.