Abstract
There are several types of K+ channel in organisms and they play various roles in cells. In order to investigate physiological meanings of K+ channel in rice, we studied expression and function of putative outwardly rectifying K+ channel gene cloned from 2 varieties of rice, Hitomebore and Hidekomochi, Japonica cultivar. Phylogenetic analysis of plant K+ channels supported ROK in the outwardly rectifying groups. Molecular size of ROK expressed in yeast cells is about 33kD by gel shift analysis. By using real time PCR detection system, specific expression analysis of ROK in anthers revealed higher in the stage at 10 days than 5 days before the heading. Stage of anther at 10 days before the heading is sensitive to cool temperature in summer.
Study of fusion protein of ROK-GFP revealed expression change in the organella in suspension-cultured cells of Arabidopsis thaliana, which supported ROK is outwardly rectifying K+ across the plasmamembranes.
