Cloning， expression and characterization of a nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) gene from tobacco

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) is a housekeeping enzyme that maintains the intracellular levels of all (d)NTPs used in biosynthesis except ATP. Here we report that a full-length cDNA encoding nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) was cloned using yeast two-hybrid approach. A tobacco NDPK gene was obtained and designated as NtNDPK1. NtNDPK1 is 704 bp in length and encodes a putative 16.2 kD protein of 148 amino acids. Phylogenic analysis showed that NtNDPK1 is highly homologous to other plant NDPK genes and identified as type I (NDPK1). RNA-gel blot analysis showed that there was no significant difference of NtNDPK1 expression in roots, stems, leaves and buds. And expression of NtNDPK1 was induced by ABA and PEG and repressed by NaCl, but not significantly affected by Paraquat, wounding and low temperature (4℃) treatments, indicating that NtNDPK1 may play a certain role in response to abiotic stress. In vitro phosphorylation assay demonstrated that NtNDPK1 had autophosphorylation activity.