Isolation and characterization of TaDof1 transcription factor in wheat (Triticum-aestivum. L)

The Dof (DNA binding with one finger) proteins are plant specific transcription factors. Dof proteins are apparently encoded by a multiple gene family in higher plants. However, only one Dof gene, WPBF, was reported in wheat. In this study, a member of Dof gene family, TaDof1, was cloned from wheat. TaDof1 encode 291 amino acids, with a predicted molecular mass of 30.348 kDa. At its N-terminal end, a 52 amino acid stretch typical of Dof domain and two serine-rich stretches were observed. Sequence alignment indicated that, in Dof domain, TaDof1 share more than 75% identity with other Dof proteins of different species. TaDof1 was expressed highly in leaves and sheaths, but lowly in roots, and constitutively expressed in developing seeds of 2-12 DAP. It was interesting to note that TaDof1 was differentially expressed between hybrids F-1 and parents in root, sheath and leaf. The implication of the differential expression patterns of TaDof1 was discussed in related to the up-regulation of C-4 pathway related gene in hybrid rice and heterosis.