XVI International Botanical Congess

Rice beta-glucosidases have been purified and characterized. Only limited information, however, is presently available on genes for beta-glucosidases from rice (Esen, A., 1995, GenBank, U28047). A full-length cDNA, which encodes a putative beta- glucosidase gene, was isolated from a rice root cDNA library. The deduced polypeptide from the cDNA (protein coding region) consists of 521 AA. The polypeptide has a predicted pI of 7.3 and a calculated Mr = 58,522. The AA sequence of the coding region has an intermediate identity (50%) to that of a barley beta-glucosidase BGQ60 gene (GenBank). Northern blot analysis of RNA using the cDNA as probe revealed that the putative beta- glucosidase gene is expressed at high level within 2 days during rice germination. More discussion on possible function and tissue-specific expression of the gene will be presented.