A maize acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase cDNA sequence

ACCase (EC 6.4.1.2) catalyzes synthesis of the malonyl-CoA required for subsequent synthesis of fatty acids and secondary metabolites in plants. ACCase activity is positively correlated with rates of fatty acid synthesis in both leaves and developing oil seeds, and it is likely to play a key regulatory role in plant lipid synthesis. In maize (Zea mays), most ACCase activity is associated with a high molecular weight, dimeric, MF, plastid-localized polypeptide that is sensitive to inhibition by aryloxyphenoxypropionate and cyclohexanedione herbicides. Complete coding sequences for MF ACCase polypeptides have been published for wheat and for several dicotyledons. Partial maize and rice ACCase cDNAs have also been reported. Here we describe the complete coding sequence of a maize ACCase.