Structure of the pine (Pinus thunbergii) chlorophyll a/b-binding protein gene expressed in the absence of light.

A gene for chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (cab) of pine (Pinus thumbergii) was isolated and sequenced. The gene (cab-6) contains an intron at a position equivalent to the type II cab genes of angiosperms. Transcript mapping analyses show that the amount of the mRNA in the dark is about half of that in the light. The cab-6 gene is expressed in dark-grown seedlings at a very high level, differing from angiosperm cab genes which are induced by light. The cab-6 gene typifies the coniferous plant cab genes in light-independent gene expression.