Interaction between proliferating cell nuclear antigen and JUN-activation-domain-binding protein 1 in the meristem of rice, Oryza sativa L.

The eukaryotic polymerase processivity factor, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), interacts with many cell cycle-regulator proteins and with proteins involved in the mechanisms of DNA replication and repair. In the present study using two-hybrid analysis with PCNA from rice, Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare (OsPCNA), we found that OsPCNA interacted in vitro and in vivo with rice JUN-activation-domain-binding protein 1 (OsJab1), which is known as COP9/signalsome subunit 5. Both OsPCNA and OsJab1 transcripts were expressed strongly in the shoot apical meristem and weakly in young leaves, flag leaves, ears, roots and root tips. No expression was detected in the mature leaves. The OsPCNA and OsJab1 proteins were expressed and accumulated mostly in the shoot apical meristem and ears, suggesting that OsJab1 is involved in cell proliferation in cooperation with OsPCNA. The role of OsPCNA with OsJab1 in plant DNA proliferation is discussed.