Rice PHYC gene:: structure, expression, map position and evolution

Although sequences representing members of the phytochrome (phy) family of photoreceptors have been reported in numerous species across the phylogenetic spectrum, relatively few phytochrome genes (PHY) have been fully characterized. Using rice, we have cloned and characterized the first PHYC gene from a monocot. Comparison of genomic and cDNA PHYC sequences shows that the rice PHYC gene contains three introns in the protein-coding region typical of most angiosperm PHY genes, in contrast to Arabidopsis PHYC, which lacks the third intron. Mapping of the transcription start site and 5'-untranslated region of the rice PHYC transcript indicates that it contains an unusually long, intronless, 5'-untranslated leader sequence of 715 bp. PHYC mRNA levels are relatively low compared to PHYA and PHYB mRNAs in rice seedlings, and are similar in dark- and light-treated seedlings, suggesting relatively low constitutive expression. Genomic mapping shows that the PHYA, PHYB, and PHYC genes are all located on chromosome 3 of rice, in synteny with these genes in linkage group C (sometimes referred to as linkage group A) of sorghum. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that rice phyC is closely related to sorghum phyC, but relatively strongly divergent from Arabidopsis phyC, the only full-length dicot phyC sequence available.