CPD photolyase gene from Spinacia oleracea: repair of UV-damaged DNA and expression in plant organs

The UV-B radiation contained in solar radiation has deleterious effects on plant growth, development and physiology. Specific damage to DNA caused by UV radiation involves the cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers (CPD) and the pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts. CPDs are repaired by CPD photolyase via a UV-A/blue light-dependent mechanism. The gene for the class II CPD photolyase has been cloned from higher plants such as Arabidopsis, cucumbers and rice. We isolated and characterized the cDNA and a genomic clone encoding the spinach class II CPD photolyase. The gene consisted of 3777 bases and 9 exons. The sequence of amino acids predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA of the gene was highly homologous to that of the higher plants listed above. When a photolyase-deficient Escherichia coli strain was transformed with the cDNA, photoreactivation activity was partially restored, by the illumination with photoreactivating light, resulting in an increased survival and decreased content of CPDs in the Escherichia coli genome. In both the male and female plants, the gene was highly expressed in leaves and flowers under the condition of 14-h light and 10-h dark cycle. The expression in the roots was quite low compared with the other organs.