Molecular characterization of the AP19 gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana: components of the Golgi AP-1 clathrin assembly protein complex.

AP19 is the smallest polypeptide component of AP-1, the clathrin associated protein complex found in clathrin-coated vesicles of the Golgi apparatus. Two genomic clones that encode homologues of AP19 were isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana (AAP19-1 and AAP19-2). Analysis of their nucleotide sequences predict proteins of 162 and 163 amino acids with mr of 18,913 and 18,758 respectively. Amino acid sequence comparisons with mammalian, yeast and plant clathrin associated sequences indicates that the Arabidopsis genes encode polypeptides that are more closely related to the AP19 proteins associated with clathrin-coated Golgi vesicles than to AP17, which is part of the AP-2 complex of endocytic clathrin-coated pits. Ribonuclease protection assays showed that both genes are expressed in all Arabidopsis tissues throughout development. Constitutive transcription of AAP19-1 was confirmed in transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings and plants containing an AAP19-1 promoter::beta-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion by ribonuclease protection assays and GUS histochemical staining.