Isolation of a cytochrome P450 homologue preferentially expressed in developing inflorescences of Zea mays.

Four cDNA clones exhibiting preferential hybridization to transcripts present in developing maize tassels were isolated by differential screening. One of these cDNA clones hybridizes to transcripts detectable only in the shoot apex. The abundance of this transcript is significantly higher in developing inflorescence apices than in vegetative apices. DNA sequence analysis of a 2107 nucleotide cDNA clone corresponding to this transcript revealed that the transcript encodes a polypeptide of 547 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 58.4 kDa. This polypeptide shares significant sequence similarity with members of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase gene superfamily, including the conserved C-terminal domains typical of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenases.