Biochemical and immunological characterization of rice homologues of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 Tat binding protein and subunit 4 of human 26S proteasome subunits.

Previously, we isolated two cDNA clones, TBPOs-1 and TBPOs-2, encoding putative ATPases that are the rice homologues of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) Tat binding protein-1 and subunit 4 of human 26S proteasome. In order to determine the RNA-dependent ATPase activity of these putative proteins, the subclones from these cDNA clones were expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins with maltose-binding protein. The recombinant proteins stimulated ATP hydrolysis in the presence of poly(U) and rice total RNA. In contrast, single- and double-stranded forms of HindIII-digested lambda phage DNA are less effective at stimulating ATP hydrolysis. Western blot analysis using antisera against the TBPOs proteins showed a widespread appearance of these proteins in rice tissues and cultured cells. The TBPOs proteins were also found around the region where rice proteasomes would sediment. In addition, the TBPOs-1 protein bound to tobacco TATA-binding protein in vitro. Thus, we suggest that the TBPOs proteins are novel RNA-dependent ATPases characteristic of DEAD-box proteins and propose that the TPBOs proteins can exist in rice proteasomes. Further, the TBPOs-1 protein is thought to play a role in transcriptional events.