A full-length cDNA and the corresponding At-P5S gene encoding the first enzyme of the proline biosynthetic pathway, the Δ 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) synthetase, were isolated in Arabidopsis thaliana. The At-P5S cDNA encodes a protein of 717 amino acids showing high identity with the P5C synthetase of Vigna aconitifolia. Strong homology is also found at the N-terminus to bacterial and yeast γ-glutamyl kinase and at the C-terminus to bacterial γ-glutamyl phosphate reductase. Putative ATP- and NAD(P)H-binding sites are suggested in the At-P5S protein. The transcribed region of the At-P5S gene is 4.8 kb long and contains 20 exons. Southern analysis suggests the presence of only one At-P5S gene in the A. thaliana genome mapped at the bottom of the chromosome two. Expression analysis of At-P5S in different organs reveals abundant At-P5S transcripts in mature flowering plant. Rapid induction of the At-P5S gene followed by accumulation of proline was observed in NaCl-treated seedlings suggesting that At-P5S is osmoregulated.
