Abstract
To determine the patterns and the levels of expression of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S) promoter and the rice actin 1 (Act1) promoter in rice, transgenic rice plants containing CaMV 35S-$\beta$-glucuronidase (GUS) and Act1-GUS constructs were generated and examined by fluorometric and histochemical analyses. The fluorometric analysis of stably transformed calluses showed that the activity of the rice Act1 promoter was stronger than that of the CaMV 35S promoter in rice cells. In a histochemcial study of the transgenic rices, it was shown that the GUS activity directed by the CaMV 35S promoter was localized mainly in parenchymal cells of vascular tissues of leaves and roots and mesophyll cells of leaves. These results are similar to those of potato, a dicot plant. In contrast, rice plant transformed with Act1-GUS fusion construct revealed strong GUS activity in parenchymal cells of vascular tissue, mesophyll cells, epidermal cells, bulliform cells, guard subsidiary cells of leaves and most cells of the root, suggesting that the rice Act1 promoter is more constitutive than the CaMV 35S promoter. It was also confirmed that in both types of transgenic rice little or no staining was localized in metaxylen tracheary elements of vascular tissue from leaves or roots. These results indicate that the rice Act1 promoter can be utilized more successfully for expression of a variety of foreign gene in rice than the CaMV 35S promoter.