Transcriptional activation of putative calmodulin genes am-cam-1 and am-cam-2 from Aquilaria microcarpa, in response to external stimuli.

A homology-based cloning strategy yielded two cDNA clones designated Am-cam-1 and Am-cam-2, presumably encoding calmodulin protein from a callus culture derived from the leaf tissues of Aquilaria microcarpa. An appreciable increase in the transcriptional activity of Am-cam-1 was reproducibly observed by exposure of the cell culture to methyl jasmonate, as analyzed by a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression level of the gene also increased when the cells were treated with yeast extract. The transcription of Am-cam-2 was similarly stimulated by the treatment with methyl jasmonate and yeast extract, however, the intensities of the enhanced expression appeared to be lower as compared with that of Am-cam-1. In contrast, Ca(2+)-ionophore A23187 did not show inducing activity for the expression of these two calmodulin genes. These results suggest that Am-cam-1 and Am-cam-2 and their products play important roles in signal transduction processes in methyl jasmonate- and yeast extract-treated cells of A. microcarpa, accompanying the change in the transcriptional activities.