Computational identification of cis-elements in50 regulatory regions of genes associated withcarbohydrate metabolism-related events

Cis-acting regulatory elements are important molecular switches involved in the temporal and spatial expression of a dynamic network of gene activities. This network controls hormone responses, abiotic stress responses and multiple developmental events. In this analysis, a particular emphasis was placed on cis-acting regulatory elements present within the 50 regulatory region of sucrose synthase (SuSy), cell wall invertase (CWI) and sucrose transporter (SUT) gene families in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. The potential cis-acting regulatory elements were predicted by scanning 1.5 kbp of 50 regulatory regions of the SUT, CWI and SuSy genes translational start sites, using various resources for cis-element bioinformatics. Cis-elements associated with phytohormone responsiveness, light responsiveness, elicitor responsiveness and abiotic stress were predicted in varying frequencies within the 1.5 kbp of 50 regulatory region. In addition, cis-elements involved in sugar repression, mineral responses, and cold- and light-inducible gene expression were also identified. Some of the predicted cis-elements have experimental precedent, but many are novel and encourage further exploration. This analysis provides a basis for elucidating transcription regulatory interactions of SUT, CWI and SuSy gene families in regulation of developmental phase transitions under abiotic stress conditions.