Identification of the Likely Orthologues of RCD1 within the Plant Family Brassicaceae.

Abstract

RCD1 is a signal transduction factor binding protein that gateways a myriad of developmental and stress-related pathways. It was first reported in the wild plant A. thaliana. Brassica napus is a cultivated member of the family Brassicaceae, in which the presence of this gene was reported. Using the homology data of these two family-related species, gene for this protein was mined within the genomes of Brassica carinata, Brassica juncea and Brassica oleracea, using sets of degenerate primers designed on homologous portions of the A. thaliana and B. napus orthologues. The newly identified sequences were then compared and studied using in-silico means and their 3D structures were modelled for having an estimate on their functions. Results demonstrate intergeneric conservation of this proteins domains on structural and functional levels. The newly found orthologues show potential to be regulated under salinity and oxidative stresses apart from being involved in several developmental stages. These homologues are in-stable in-vivo and bear motifs for binding a wide-variety of transcription factors. The structure superimposition studies suggest that these Brassica orthologues bear the WWE domains having transferase activity, the fact that can dramatically increase the survival of these agriculturally important crop plants amid the adverse environmental conditions.