A novel regulatory element involved in rapid activation of parsleyELI7gene family members by fungal elicitor or pathogen infection

SUMMARY In parsley ( Petroselinum crispum ), members of the ELI7 gene family were rapidly transcriptionally activated following treatment with an elicitor derived from the phytopathogen Phytophthora sojae . Several cDNA and genomic ELI7 clones were isolated. The deduced amino acid sequences revealed close similarity to fatty acid desaturases/hydroxylases, however, the precise functions are still unknown. Analysis of the promoters of two strongly elicitor-induced family members, ELI7.1 and ELI7.2 , allowed us to functionally pinpoint a novel, independently acting regulatory region (S box), the only major sequence similarity between the two gene promoters. In situ RNA / RNA hybridization using an ELI7.1 gene-specific probe demonstrated that expression of this gene is rapidly and locally induced around infection sites in planta as well.