Erratum to: Transcriptionally and Phylogenetically Analyzing the P Protein Gene of Glycine Decarboxylase for Understanding the Evolution of C3-C4 Species in Brassicaceae

Abstract

Lacking P protein of glycine decarboxylase (GDCP) from the mesophyll cells was one of the major steps for C3 species to evolve into C3–C4 species. Previous studies indicated that the lack of P protein in the mesophyll cells of C3–C4 species of Flaveria is regulated by gene different transcription. In the family of Brassicaceae, most plants show a typical C3 photosynthetic characteristic, which includes some important vegetables and oil crops, while few plants in this family exhibit a C3–C4 type of character. To understand the mechanism of difference in distribution of P protein between the 2 different photosynthetic types, a C3 type of 1.6 kb BnGDCP promoter from Brassica napus was used for detailed analysis in this study. This promoter exhibited the ability to drive beta-glucuronidase gene (GUS) expression in both mesophyll and the bundle sheath cells of C3 species, Arabidopsis. However, the same promoter was also found to drive GUS expression in both the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells of a typical of C3–C4 species such as Moricandia arvensis, which loses the P protein from the mesophyll cells. This implies that in absence of P protein from the mesophyll cells of Moricandia (C3–C4 species) may be regulated by differential transcription of the P protein gene as well. And then, a region, which determines a mesophyll cells specific expression, was narrowed down to 135 bp in length through detailed promoter/reporter gene assay. DNA sequences alignment of the 5′-flanking sequences from either a C3 or C3–C4 species in Brassicaceae indicated that 2 different nucleotide acids only conserved to C3 species were revealed. Phylogenetic analysis of those 5′-flanking sequences of GDCP indicated that C3–C4 species in the genus of Moricandia might have been evolved from different C3 ancestors; interestingly, a C3–C4 species, D. tenuifolia, was indicated to have shared common ancestors with the C3–C4 species, M. spinosa, and the C3 species M. foleyii in Moricandia.