Abstract：Global genome transcription profiles of the rice variety Pei'ai 64S (Oryza sativa ssp. indica), which grown under no stress and subjected to cold, heat, or drought stresses, were conducted. Transcription profiles were gained for leaves and panicles at seedling, booting , and heading stages from plants under normal condition, or the above stresses using the Affymetrix 60 K GeneChip Rice Genome Array. We identified a gene OsCrGtl (Oryza sativa cold responsive glycosyltransferase-like gene, GenBank accession No. FJ828672), which was sharply induced by cold in leaves and panicles at all the developmental stages tested. The transcription profile of OsCrGtl obtained by the GeneChip analysis was confirmed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis. To analyze the function of OsCrGtl in cold tolerance, a cDNA of this gene following amplification was cloned by RT-PCR. Sequence analyses indicated that its cDNA encodes an open reading frame (ORF) of 462 amino acid residues with theoretical M.W. =50.327 kD and pI =5.35. In silico analysis suggested that the ORF contained a glycosyltransferase domain and was similar to proteins of the glycosyltransferase family in indica and japonica, Zea mays, and Arabidopsis thaliana. By analysis of the deduced promoter region of OsCrGtl for putative cis-regulatory elements with PlantCARE software, 9 matches to known cis-elements related to stress responses were founded. Upon the above results and analysis, OsCrGtl is a novel candidate gene involved in cold-tolerance in rice.
