[Isolation and analysis of a novel MYC gene from rice].

A MYC (Myelocytomatosis) transcription factor gene, OsMYC, was cloned in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The putative protein of the OsMYC gene has a typical DNA binding domain: basic/helix-loop-helix (bHLH) motif at the C-terminus. Its nucleocide sequnce has 78%, 48%, 46% identity with that of the AtMYC2, MYC7E and PG1 genes, respectively. The identity of deduced amino acid between OsMYC and AtMYC2, MYG7E and PG1 is 95%, 84%, and 77% in the bHLH domain, and that is 81%, 54% and 52% in the N-terminus conserved region. The identity is 100% in the nuclear localization signal between them. Phylogenetic comparisons revealed that the OsMYC protein was related to the Arabidopsis AtMYC2, Zea MYC7E and Phaseolus vulgaris PG1. OsMYC gene was expressed at high level in stem, but low level in leaf and root and can be induced by ABA and Fe3+, which is similar to the expression pattern of MYC7E and RAP1 genes. Thus, this gene is a new member of the rice MYC family.