Family HRT

A barley gene encoding a novel DNA-binding protein (HRT) was identified by southwestern screening with baits containing a gibberellin phytohormone response element from an α-amylase promoter. Zinc and DNA binding assays demonstrate that HRT contains three unusual zinc fingers with a CX 8???????�?9CX 10CX 2H consensus sequence. In vivo, functional tests in plant cells indicate that full-length HRT can repress expression from certain promoters including the Amy1/6-4 andAmy2/32 α-amylase promoters. In contrast, truncated forms of HRT containing DNA-binding domains can activate, or derepress, transcription from these promoters. Database analysis identifies two genes similar to HRT in Arabidopsis thaliana and Vicia faba (PMID:9722564).