A maize DNA-binding factor with a bZIP motif is induced by low temperature

We have isolated a low temperature-induced maize gene, m lip15, via cross hydridization using rice lip19. The longest cDNA isolated comprised 1179 bp and coded for a 135 amino acid bZIP (basic region/leucine zipper) protein. The gene showed 61.4% and 68.9% identity with the rice gene at the DNA and amino acid sequence levels, respectively, and is distinct from other maize genes that code for bZIP proteins. The level of m lip15 transcript was positively regulated by low temperature in the same way as the lip19 transcript. The levels of the transcript were also strongly increased by salt stress and exogenous abscisic acid, and slightly increased by anaerobiosis, but were not affected by heat shock and drought. The mLIP15 protein and truncated derivatives, produced in rabbit reticulocyte lysates or in an Escherichia coli expression system, were able to bind to a fragment of the wheat histone H3 gene promoter. This binding was diminished by addition of a molar excess of the hexamer sequence 5′-ACGTCA-3′ found in the promoter and of the G-box-like sequence, but not by the addition of the ocs sequence or a mutated hexamer sequence. The factor bound to a promoter region of the maize Adhl gene, expression of which is also induced by low temperature. These results lead to the conclusion that m lip15 is a strong candidate for a low temperature-induced transcription factor in maize.