A chloroplast gene encoding a protein with one zinc finger.

We have sequenced a pea chloroplast gene encoding a protein with a zinc finger (zfp A). The putative protein is conserved in chloroplast DNA and shows sequence homology to the E. coli protein controlling fol C expression. Exposure of etiolated pea leaves to light leads to the accumulation of zfp A transcripts. The accumulation of these transcripts does not require de novo protein synthesis in the chloroplast, although the expression of highly inducible genes such as rbc L requires it. These properties suggest that zfp A encodes a protein involved in the regulation of chloroplast gene expression.