Molecular cloning and expression analyses of RPS3a gene from mulberry under abiotic stresses and among different mulberry varieties.

A full-length cDNA sequence coding ribosomal protein S3a of mulberry tree, which we designated MmRPS3a (GenBank accession No. KR610331), was cloned based on mulberry expressed sequence tags. Sequence analysis showed that the MmRPS3a is 1089 bp long and contains a 80-bp 5'-UTR (untranslated region) and a 220-bp 3'-UTR. Its open reading frame consists of a 789-bp encoding 262 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 30.053 kDa and an isoelectric point of 9.84. Homology analysis revealed that MmRPS3a gene is highly conservative in mulberry and other species including Morus notabilis, Theobroma cacao, and Ricinus communis. Phylogenetic analysis based on MmRPS3a of other species showed that mulberry had a closer relationship with Prunus persica, Arabidopsis thaliana, Solanum tuberosum, Solanum lycopersicum, and Vitis vinifera. The results of quantitative PCR analysis showed that the transcriptional level of MmRPS3a mRNA changed significantly under the conditions of hypothermia, aridity, salt stress, and varieties of differing resistances.