Reference "Cloning of the Arabidopsis and rice formaldehyde dehydrogenase genes: implications for the origin of plant ADH enzymes"

Reference ID

777

Title

Cloning of the Arabidopsis and rice formaldehyde dehydrogenase genes: implications for the origin of plant ADH enzymes

Source

Genetics, 1997, vol. 146, pp. 1131-1141

Authors (4)

Dolferus-R	Osterman-J-C
Peacock-W-J	Dennis-E-S

Abstract

This article reports the cloning of the genes encoding the Arabidopsis and rice
class III ADH enzymes, members of the alcohol dehydrogenase or medium chain
reductase/dehydrogenase superfamily of proteins with glutathione-dependent
formaldehyde dehydrogenase activity (GSH-FDH). Both genes contain eight introns
in exactly the same positions, and these positions are conserved in plant ethanol-
active Adh genes (class P). These data provide further evidence that plant class
P genes have evolved from class III genes by gene duplication and acquisition of
new substrate specificities. The position of introns and similarities in the
nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of the different classes of ADH enzymes in
plants and humans suggest that plant and animal class III enzymes diverged
before they duplicated to give rise to plant and animal ethanol-active ADH
enzymes. Plant class P ADH enzymes have gained substrate specificities and
evolved promoters with different expression properties, in keeping with their
metabolic function as part of the alcohol fermentation pathway.