• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.604-613
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• 1998

The last enzyme of the sesquiterpen phytoalexin capsidiol synthesis in tobacco cell, 5-epi-aristolochene hydro-xylase which convert 5-epi-aristolochene (EAS) to capsidiol, was cloned by a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction strategy and cDNA library screening. Cloned CYP-B3 contained high probability amino acid matches to known plant cytochrome P450 sequences and open reading frame with the conserved FxxGxRxCxG heme-binding region. Transcripts of CYP-B3 were not detected in control cells, but induced in elicitor-treated cells. Furthermore, CYP-B3 transcripts were induced by fungal extracts and cellulase but not by other stimuli(chilling, heat shock and 2,4-D). Induction of CYP-B3 transcripts by elicitor treatment was not affected by ancymidol and ketoconazole treat-ments suggesting that an inhibition of hydroxylase activity by Cyt P450 inhibitors resulting from post translational processing event.