MADS-box

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The MADS box is a conserved sequence motif. The genes which contain this motif are called the MADS-box gene family. [1] The MADS box encodes the DNA-binding MADS domain. The MADS domain binds to DNA sequences of high similarity to the motif CC[A/T]6GG termed the CArG-box. [2] MADS-domain proteins are generally transcription factors. [2] [3] The length of the MADS-box reported by various researchers varies somewhat, but typical lengths are in the range of 168 to 180 base pairs, i.e. the encoded MADS domain has a length of 56 to 60 amino acids. [4] [5] [6] [7] There is evidence that the MADS domain evolved from a sequence stretch of a type II topoisomerase in a common ancestor of all extant eukaryotes. [8]

Contents

Origin of name and history of research

The first MADS-box gene to be identified was ARG80 from budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , [9] but was at that time not recognized as a member of a large gene family. The MADS-box gene family got its name later as an acronym referring to the four founding members, [1] ignoring ARG80:

In A. thaliana, A. majus, and Zea mays this motif is involved in floral development. Early study in these model angiosperms was the beginning of research into the molecular evolution of floral structure in general, as well as their role in nonflowering plants. [11]

Diversity

MADS-box genes have been detected in nearly all eukaryotes studied. [8] While the genomes of animals and fungi generally possess only around one to five MADS-box genes, genomes of flowering plants have around 100 MADS-box genes. [12] [13] Two types of MADS-domain proteins are distinguished; the SRF-like or Type I MADS-domain proteins and the MEF2-like (after MYOCYTE-ENHANCER-FACTOR2) or Type II MADS-domain proteins. [8] [13] SRF-like MADS-domain proteins in animals and fungi have a second conserved domain, the SAM (SRF, ARG80, MCM1) domain. [14] MEF2-like MADS-domain proteins in animals and fungi have the MEF2 domain as a second conserved domain. [14] In plants, the MEF2-like MADS-domain proteins are also termed MIKC-type proteins referring to their conserved domain structure, where the MADS (M) domain is followed by an Intervening (I), a Keratin-like (K) and a C-terminal domain. [12] In plants, MADS-domain protein form tetramers and this is thought to be central for their function. [15] [16] The structure of the tetramerisation domain of the MADS-domain protein SEPALLATA3 was solved illustrating the structural basis for tetramer formation [17]

A geneticist intensely investigating MADS-box genes is Günter Theißen at the University of Jena. For example, he and his coworkers have used these genes to show that the order Gnetales is more closely related to the conifers than to the flowering plants. [18]

MADS-box is under-studied in wheat as of 2021. [19]

In Zea mays the mutant Tunicate1 produces pod corn. Tunicate1 is a mutant of Z. mays MADS19 (ZMM19), in the SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE gene family. ZMM19 can be ectopically expressed. [19]

Such ectopic expression of ZMM19 in A. thaliana enlarges sepals, suggesting conservation. [19]

Function of MADS-box genes

MADS-box genes have a variety of functions. In animals, MADS-box genes are involved in muscle development and cell proliferation and differentiation. [14] Functions in fungi range from pheromone response to arginine metabolism. [14]

In plants, MADS-box genes are involved in controlling all major aspects of development, including male and female gametophyte development, embryo and seed development, as well as root, flower and fruit development. [12] [13]

Some MADS-box genes of flowering plants have homeotic functions like the HOX genes of animals. [1] The floral homeotic MADS-box genes (such as AGAMOUS and DEFICIENS) participate in the determination of floral organ identity according to the ABC model of flower development. [20]

Another function of MADS-box genes is flowering time determination. In Arabidopsis thaliana the MADS box genes SOC1 [21] and Flowering Locus C [22] (FLC) have been shown to have an important role in the integration of molecular flowering time pathways. These genes are essential for the correct timing of flowering , and help to ensure that fertilization occurs at the time of maximal reproductive potential.

Structure of MADS-box proteins

The MADS box protein structure is characterized by four domains. At the N terminal end is the highly conserved MADS DNA binding domain. [23] Next to the MADS domain is the moderately conserved Intervening (I) and Keratin-like (K) domains, which are involved in specific protein-protein interactions. [23] The carboxyl terminal (C) domain is highly variable and is involved in transcriptional activation and assemblage of heterodimers and multimeric protein complexes. [24]

Human genes

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schwarz-Sommer Z, Huijser P, Nacken W, Saedler H, Sommer H (November 1990). "Genetic Control of Flower Development by Homeotic Genes in Antirrhinum majus". Science. 250 (4983): 931–6. Bibcode:1990Sci...250..931S. doi:10.1126/science.250.4983.931. PMID   17746916. S2CID   15848590.
  2. 1 2 West AG, Shore P, Sharrocks AD (May 1997). "DNA binding by MADS-box transcription factors: a molecular mechanism for differential DNA bending". Molecular and Cellular Biology. 17 (5): 2876–87. doi:10.1128/MCB.17.5.2876. PMC   232140 . PMID   9111360.
  3. ↑ Svensson M (2000). Evolution of a family of plant genes with regulatory functions in development; studies on Picea abies and Lycopodium annotinum (PDF). Doctoral thesis. Uppsala University, Teknisk-naturvetenskapliga vetenskapsområdet, Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology. ISBN   978-91-554-4826-4 . Retrieved 2007-07-30.
  4. ↑ Ma K, Chan JK, Zhu G, Wu Z (May 2005). "Myocyte enhancer factor 2 acetylation by p300 enhances its DNA binding activity, transcriptional activity, and myogenic differentiation". Molecular and Cellular Biology. 25 (9): 3575–82. doi:10.1128/MCB.25.9.3575-3582.2005. PMC   1084296 . PMID   15831463.
  5. ↑ Lamb RS, Irish VF (May 2003). "Functional divergence within the APETALA3/PISTILLATA floral homeotic gene lineages". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 100 (11): 6558–63. Bibcode:2003PNAS..100.6558L. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0631708100 . PMC   164485 . PMID   12746493.
  6. ↑ Nam J, dePamphilis CW, Ma H, Nei M (September 2003). "Antiquity and evolution of the MADS-box gene family controlling flower development in plants". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 20 (9): 1435–47. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msg152 . PMID   12777513.
  7. ↑ Lü S, Du X, Lu W, Chong K, Meng Z (2007). "Two AGAMOUS-like MADS-box genes from Taihangia rupestris (Rosaceae) reveal independent trajectories in the evolution of class C and class D floral homeotic functions". Evolution & Development. 9 (1): 92–104. doi:10.1111/j.1525-142X.2006.00140.x. PMID   17227369. S2CID   9253584.
  8. 1 2 3 Gramzow L, Ritz MS, Theissen G (April 2010). "On the origin of MADS-domain transcription factors". Trends in Genetics. 26 (4): 149–53. doi:10.1016/j.tig.2010.01.004. PMID   20219261.
  9. ↑ Dubois E, Bercy J, Descamps F, Messenguy F (1987). "Characterization of two new genes essential for vegetative growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: nucleotide sequence determination and chromosome mapping". Gene. 55 (2–3): 265–275. doi:10.1016/0378-1119(87)90286-1. PMID   3311883.
  10. ↑ Sommer H, Beltrán JP, Huijser P, Pape H, Lönnig WE, Saedler H, Schwarz-Sommer Z (March 1990). "Deficiens, a homeotic gene involved in the control of flower morphogenesis in Antirrhinum majus: the protein shows homology to transcription factors". The EMBO Journal. 9 (3): 605–13. doi:10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb08152.x. PMC   551713 . PMID   1968830.
  11. ↑ Friedman, William E.; Moore, Richard C.; Purugganan, Michael D. (2004). "The evolution of plant development". American Journal of Botany . 91 (10). Botanical Society of America (Wiley): 1726–1741. doi:10.3732/ajb.91.10.1726. ISSN   0002-9122. PMID   21652320.
  12. 1 2 3 Becker A, Theissen G (December 2003). "The major clades of MADS-box genes and their role in the development and evolution of flowering plants". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 29 (3): 464–89. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00207-0. PMID   14615187.
  13. 1 2 3 Gramzow L, Theissen G (2010). "A hitchhiker's guide to the MADS world of plants". Genome Biology. 11 (6): 214. doi: 10.1186/gb-2010-11-6-214 . PMC   2911102 . PMID   20587009.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Shore P, Sharrocks AD (April 1995). "The MADS-box family of transcription factors". European Journal of Biochemistry. 229 (1): 1–13. doi:10.1111/j.1432-1033.1995.0001l.x. PMID   7744019.
  15. ↑ Theissen G, Saedler H (January 2001). "Plant biology. Floral quartets". Nature. 409 (6819): 469–71. Bibcode:2001Natur.409..469T. doi: 10.1038/35054172 . PMID   11206529. S2CID   5325496.
  16. ↑ Smaczniak C, Immink RG, Muiño JM, Blanvillain R, Busscher M, Busscher-Lange J, Dinh QD, Liu S, Westphal AH, Boeren S, Parcy F, Xu L, Carles CC, Angenent GC, Kaufmann K (January 2012). "Characterization of MADS-domain transcription factor complexes in Arabidopsis flower development". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 109 (5): 1560–5. Bibcode:2012PNAS..109.1560S. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1112871109 . PMC   3277181 . PMID   22238427.
  17. ↑ Puranik S, Acajjaoui S, Conn S, Costa L, Conn V, Vial A, Marcellin R, Melzer R, Brown E, Hart D, Theißen G, Silva CS, Parcy F, Dumas R, Nanao M, Zubieta C (September 2014). "Structural basis for the oligomerization of the MADS domain transcription factor SEPALLATA3 in Arabidopsis". The Plant Cell. 26 (9): 3603–15. doi:10.1105/tpc.114.127910. PMC   4213154 . PMID   25228343.
  18. ↑ Winter KU, Becker A, Münster T, Kim JT, Saedler H, Theissen G (June 1999). "MADS-box genes reveal that gnetophytes are more closely related to conifers than to flowering plants". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 96 (13): 7342–7. Bibcode:1999PNAS...96.7342W. doi: 10.1073/pnas.96.13.7342 . PMC   22087 . PMID   10377416.
  19. 1 2 3 Adamski, Nikolai M; Simmonds, James; Brinton, Jemima F; Backhaus, Anna E; Chen, Yi; Smedley, Mark; Hayta, Sadiye; Florio, Tobin; Crane, Pamela; Scott, Peter; Pieri, Alice; Hall, Olyvia; Barclay, J Elaine; Clayton, Myles; Doonan, John H; Nibau, Candida; Uauy, Cristobal (2021-05-01). "Ectopic expression of Triticum polonicum VRT-A2 underlies elongated glumes and grains in hexaploid wheat in a dosage-dependent manner". The Plant Cell . 33 (7). American Society of Plant Biologists (OUP): 2296–2319. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koab119 . ISSN   1532-298X. PMC   8364232 . PMID   34009390.
  20. ↑ Coen ES, Meyerowitz EM (September 1991). "The war of the whorls: genetic interactions controlling flower development". Nature. 353 (6339): 31–7. Bibcode:1991Natur.353...31C. doi:10.1038/353031a0. PMID   1715520. S2CID   4276098.
  21. ↑ Onouchi H, Igeño MI, Périlleux C, Graves K, Coupland G (June 2000). "Mutagenesis of plants overexpressing CONSTANS demonstrates novel interactions among Arabidopsis flowering-time genes". The Plant Cell. 12 (6): 885–900. doi:10.1105/tpc.12.6.885. PMC   149091 . PMID   10852935.
  22. ↑ Michaels SD, Amasino RM (May 1999). "FLOWERING LOCUS C encodes a novel MADS domain protein that acts as a repressor of flowering". The Plant Cell. 11 (5): 949–56. doi:10.1105/tpc.11.5.949. PMC   144226 . PMID   10330478.
  23. 1 2 Jack, Thomas (2004). "Molecular and genetic mechanisms of floral control". The Plant Cell. 16 Suppl (Suppl): S1 –S17. doi:10.1105/tpc.017038. ISSN   1040-4651. PMC   2643400 . PMID   15020744.
  24. ↑ Riechmann, Jose Luis; Meyerowitz, Elliot M. (1997). "MADS Domain Proteins in Plant Development". Biological Chemistry. 378 (10): 1079–1101. ISSN   1431-6730. PMID   9372178.
  25. ↑ "Gene group: MADS box family". HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
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