Isolation and characterization of cytosolic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase from Capsicum annuum L.

A cDNA clone for a cytosolic Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD) was isolated and characterized from red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The clone consisted of 735 bp containing one open reading frame (ORF) of 459 bp, 46 bp of 5'- and 230 bp of 3'-untranslated region. The nucleotide sequence of the ORF showed 93% homology with that of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and tomato. It encodes a polypeptide of 154 amino acids with a molecular weight of 15,300. Genomic Southern hybridization suggested that only one copy is present. During cold treatment at 4 degrees C, its expression was maintained at a similar level regardless of illumination.