A gene encoding the major rice storage protein, glutelin, was isolated and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The cloned gene (λINE 3) contains three short introns and codes for a prepro-glutelin protein of 499 amino acids (M r 56 305) identical with that deduced from the type II glutelin cDNA. In the 5′-flanking region, a sequence similar to the legumin box characteristic to leguminous 11 S globulin genes can be detected around 60 bp upstream from the transcription start site.
