Cloning and Identification of a cDNA Encoding Putative Microtubule-associated Proteins from Hevea brasiliensis

The cell skeleton of laticiferous cell might play a very important role in latex production and latex flow,and in wound healing and laticifer blocking of tapped Hevea brasiliensis.In order to understand the relationship between cell skeleton of laticiferous cells and latex exploitation and laticifer blocking,a clone R329 was isolated from the subtracted cDNA library of Hevea brasiliensis,which showed high homology with microtubule-associated proteins.The complete cDNA of R329 was obtained by using 3'-and 5'-RACE strategies.It was 788 bp long containing an 435 bp ORF,flanked by a 173 bp 5'-UTR and a 179 bp 5'-UTR including a poly(A)tail of 28 bp.The DNA sequence of R329 is available from the GenBank databases under the accession number AY461412.The transcripts of R329 were observed by RT-PCR,no signal was detected in leaves of Hevea brasiliensis,whereas significant signals of transcripts were clearly shown in latex isolated from virgin rubber trees,regularly tapped trees and ethylene-treated rubber trees.These results indicate that the expression of the gene is strongly induced by stress(wound and ethylene)treatments.