''enod40'', also known as early nodulin 40, is a
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
found in
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s. The gene has characteristics of both
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
and
Non-coding RNA
A non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is a functional RNA molecule that is not Translation (genetics), translated into a protein. The DNA sequence from which a functional non-coding RNA is transcribed is often called an RNA gene. Abundant and functionally imp ...
genes.
There is
some evidence that the non-coding characteristics of this gene are more widely conserved than the
protein coding sequences.
In
soyabeans ''enod40'' was found to be expressed during
early stages of formation of
nitrogen-fixing
Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular dinitrogen () is converted into ammonia (). It occurs both biologically and abiological nitrogen fixation, abiologically in chemical industry, chemical industries. Biological nitrogen ...
root nodules that are associated with symbiotic soil
rhizobial bacteria.
The gene is also active in roots containing fungi forming phosphate-acquiring
arbuscular mycorrhiza
An arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) (plural ''mycorrhizae'') is a type of mycorrhiza in which the symbiont fungus (''Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi'', or AMF) penetrates the cortical cells of the roots of a vascular plant forming arbuscules. Arbuscul ...
.
An interaction with a novel
RNA-binding protein
RNA-binding proteins (often abbreviated as RBPs) are proteins that bind to the double or single stranded RNA in cell (biology), cells and participate in forming ribonucleoprotein complexes.
RBPs contain various structural motifs, such as RNA reco ...
MtRBP1 (''
Medicago truncatula
''Medicago truncatula'', the barrelclover, strong-spined medick, barrel medic, or barrel medick, is a small annual legume native to the Mediterranean region that is used in genomic research. It is a low-growing, clover-like plant tall with trif ...
''
RNA-binding protein
RNA-binding proteins (often abbreviated as RBPs) are proteins that bind to the double or single stranded RNA in cell (biology), cells and participate in forming ribonucleoprotein complexes.
RBPs contain various structural motifs, such as RNA reco ...
1) investigated in the development of
Root nodule
Root nodules are found on the roots of plants, primarily legumes, that form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, capable plants form a symbiotic relationship with a host-specific strain of bacteria known ...
suggests ENOD40 has a function of cytoplasmic relocalization of
nuclear proteins.
In the study of non-legume plants, the over-expression of ENOD40 in transgenic Arabidopsis lines was observed a reduction of cell expansion.
See also
*
Non-coding RNA#Bifunctional RNA
References
Further reading
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External links
ENTREZ page for ''Lotus japonicus'' ENOD40* {{Rfam, id=RF01845, name=Early nodulin 40
NONCODE entry for ENOD40 RNA
Non-coding RNA