Abstract
We have found that elicitor and electric stimulus (30 V, 30 sec) induce the calcium influx, which increase chitinase mRNA levels in cultured rice cells (Oryza sativa L. japonica cv. Nipponbare). Some calcium channel blockers inhibited the increase of intracellular calcium concentration and chitinase gene expression. In this study we aimed at cloning and functional analysis of rice calcium channel gene.
A novel Oryza sativa calcium channel cDNA clone (OsCC1, 2791 bp) was isolated using RT-PCR derived from a Arabidopsis thaliana calcium channel (AtTPC1) sequence. The cDNA clone had a 2274 bp insert containing a single open reading frame of 758 amino acids and showed about 70 % homology to AtTPC1. Yeast mutant cells of calcium channel, were transformed with OsCC1 cDNA, and calcium uptake in yeast cells was measured. OsCC1 rescued the calcium uptake activity of the mutant. I suggested that OsCC1 has a function of calcium channel.
