Expression of a novel chickpea Rab-GDI cDNA mainly in seedlings

Small GTPases of the Rab family are important proteins that take part in the control of vesicular membrane traffic, and the Rab-specific GDP dissociation inhibitor protein is one of the most important accessory proteins that regulate this process. A cDNA clone (CanGDI) encoding a Rab-specific GDP dissociation inhibitor was isolated from a cDNA library from growing epicotyls of Cicer arietinum L. cv. Castellana. CanGDI was expressed mainly in seedlings showing weak expression in adult tissues. The protein encoded by CanGDI may be regulating specific Rab proteins from tissues with active cell division and elongation.