Regulated expression of an alcohol dehydrogenase 1 chimeric gene introduced into maize protoplasts.

Transient-expression analysis has shown anaerobic regulation of the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh1) promoter in a chimeric construct. Chimeric plasmids containing the promoter for the Adh1 gene of maize (Zea mays L.) linked to the coding sequence of the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (cat) gene were introduced into maize protoplasts using electroporation. Both the introduced Adh1 promoter and the endogenous Adh1 gene promoter are regulated at the RNA level, the O2-tension optimum for induction is the same for both, and both promoters initiate transcription from the same site. The demonstration of regulation of a plant gene promoter in a transient expression system will allow the identification of cis acting sequences responsible for regulation.