MULTIPLE SECONDARY PLANT PRODUCT UDP-GLUCOSE GLUCOSYLTRANSFERASE GENES EXPRESSED IN CASSAVA (MANIHOT-ESCULENTA CRANTZ) COTYLEDONS

Six different putative UDP-glucose glucosyltransferase clones were isolated from a cassava cotyledon cDNA library probed with an Ace I-Bgl II restriction fragment from a UDP-glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase from Antirrhinum majus. The heterologous probe contained a glucosyltransferase consensus signature amino acid sequence which was also present in the cassava cDNA clones. Nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences are presented for two of the crones. Northern analysis showed different patterns of expression for the six genes in developing seedling tissues, indicating temporal and tissue-specific regulation. A comparative analysis was made of the six cassava clone derived amino acid sequences and other reported UDP-glucosyltransferase genes. Highly conserved residues in plant genes from three species allow redefinition of essential residues within the signature sequence for secondary plant product metabolism glucosyltransferase genes.