Signal transduction pathways that regulate CAB gene expression. Progress report

Abstract

We have completed the initial genetic and phenotypic characterization of several classes of new mutants that affect CAB gene expression. The doc mutants (for dark overexpression of cab) are characterized by elevated levels of CAB gene expression in the dark; however, unlike the previously isolated de-etiolated mutants (also isolated in my lab), the doc mutants still appear etiolated. The doc alleles define 3 loci, each of which maps to a separate chromosome. The details of the mutant isolation scheme and the genetic and phenotypic description of these new mutants are described. The second class of mutants, the gun mutants (for genomes uncoupled) show accumulation of CAB mRNA in the absence of chloroplast gene expression and development. Thus, the normally tightly coordinated expression between the chloroplast and nuclear genes that encode chloroplast-destined proteins has been uncoupled. We have shown that the Arabidopsis HY3 locus encodes the type B phytochrome apoprotein gene and have characterized the phenotypes of null hy3 alleles to ascertain a role for this phytochrome in Arabidopsis development. We have also isolated and characterized a number of alleles of the phytochrome A gene.