Cloning Ubiquitin gene with promoter region from Zea mays L.

Abstract

Ubiquitin is a protein in eukaryote cells and its sequence is highly conserved. The protein has been involved in many cellular processes, such as protein turnover, chromatin structure, cell cycle control, DNA repair and response to heat shock and other stresses. The gene codes for this protein (Ubiquitin gene) and its promoter have been cloned.  The function of the gene and its promoter from many plants like rice, maize and gladiolus plants has been studied. Ubiquitin promoter plays an important role in gene expression in monocot. In this article, we present the results on cloning the gene coding for Ubiquitin protein (Ubi gene) and its promoter from maize line H240 for genetic engineering studies in maize. The data obtained showed that the promoter region, transcription region and TATA box region of cloned Ubi gene from maize line H240 have high level of homology comparing to orthologous sequenes in plant genome. The cloned Ubi gene was submited to the GenBank with assession number JX947345.1. The results of this study will, considerablely, contribute to the study and application of Ubiquitin promoter in gene transfer of monocot, in general, and maize, in particular.