MNF1, a leaf tissue-specific DNA-binding protein of maize, interacts with the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter as well as the C4 photosynthetic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene promoter.

When gel shift assays were performed with maize nuclear extract and a DNA fragment containing the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, three DNA-protein complexes were observed. Analyses with nuclear extracts prepared from green leaves, etiolated leaves, stems and roots showed that the complexes resulted from the existence of at least two nuclear factors. One of them is presumably a constitutive nuclear factor found in all tissues tested, and another is a leaf-specific factor present both in green and etiolated leaves. This leaf-specific nuclear factor seemed to be identical to MNF1, previously identified as a factor interacting with the promoter of the maize gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase involved in the C4 photosynthesis. Deletion analysis revealed that MNF1 binds to the sequence from -281 to -235 relative to the transcription start site of the CaMV 35S promoter. MNF1-like nuclear protein was also found in tobacco nuclear extracts. The possibility that MNF1 participates as a positive trans-acting factor in the expression of genes in maize leaves is discussed.