Characterization of a strawberry cDNA clone homologous to calcium-dependent protein kinases that is expressed during fruit ripening and affected by low temperature.

A full-length cDNA clone (FaCDPK1) encoding a calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) has been isolated from a strawberry fruit cDNA library. FaCDPK1 contains the basic features of CDPKs: a catalytic kinase domain linked to a regulatory calmodulin-like domain by a junction sequence that has been shown to act as an autoinhibitory pseudosubstrate. Although the calmodulin-like domain of CDPKs typically contains four EF-hand calcium-binding motifs, FaCDPK1 was predicted to contain only three EF-hand motifs. FaCDPK1 gene expression was observed in roots, stolons, meristems, flowers, and leaves. FaCDPK1 mRNA was not detected in young fruits, but accumulated as fruit turned to white, suggesting a role for this gene in the developing strawberry fruit. In ripe fruit the levels of transcript increased in response to low temperature.