In order to isolate the total cDNA of rice (Oryza sativa L.) epsps gene, RT-PCR was carried out with template of rice first-strand cDNA and primers designed according to rice EPSP synthase genomic sequence obtained in previous study. A 1 585-bp cDNA fragment was amplified and cloned. The 1 585-bp cDNA contains an open reading frame (ORF) comprising of 1 533 nucleotides (nt) which encodes a 511 residue polypepetides, including 67 amino acids chloroplast transit peptide and 444 amino acids EPSP synthase mature peptide. A comparison between the EPSP synthase of different sources indicates that the mature peptide shows more than 51% identity except for the fungi EPSP synthase and the transit peptide shows considerably less sequence conservation. The copy number of rice epsps gene is estimated to be one copy per haploid rice genome using southern blot. RT-PCR indicated that rice epsps gene is expressed in rice leaves, endosperms and roots and has the highest expression level in leaves.
