Regulation of the Arabidopsis Adh Gene by Anaerobic and Other Environmental Stresses

The promoter of the alcohol dehydrogenase ( Adh , E.C.1.1.1.1.) gene from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. is inducible by the environmental stresses anaerobiosis, dehydration and low temperature. Analysis of the Adh promoter using 5′-deletion and substitution mutants has allowed the identification of promoter elements which interact differentially under the different stress conditions. One element, located between positions -160 and -140, consists of a GT/GC-rich motif and functions as a general stress responsive element (GSRE). The G-box-1 sequence (-216 to -209) is necessary only for cold and dehydration induction. We have started to dissect the signal transduction pathways involved in the different environmental stress responses.