抄録
ASYMMETRIC LEAVES2 (AS2) gene is involved in morphogenesis of leaves in Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular analysis demonstrated that the AS2 represses the expression of class I KNOX genes and some abaxial identity genes. To reveal how AS2 suppresses the expression of these genes and functions in leaf development, we studied the subcellular localization of AS2 protein. The AS2 localizes to a sub-nuclear body around the nucleolus and we designated this body the AS2 body. The AS2 protein contains a plant-specific AS2/LOB domain that consists of the C motif containing four cysteine residues, a single conserved glycine residue and the leucine-zipper-like sequence. The AS2/LOB domain includes a short stretch of basic residues (RRK) in the C-motif. In order to identify the signal in AS2 that is required for its localization to the AS2 body, we made DNA constructs that encoded mutant AS2 proteins with various deletions or amino acid substitutions and investigated sub-nuclear localization of these mutant proteins. We also examined whether the localization to the AS2 body is required for the function of AS2 in morphogenesis of leaves. We will present latest results of these experiments.
