Expression of cysteine proteinase mRNA in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is localized to provascular cells in the developing root

A full-length cDNA clone encoding a chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cysteine proteinase, homologous to rd21gene of Arabidopsis as well as to cysteine proteinase genes from legumes, was isolated. Expression of the mRNA in growing radicles has been located in a very precisely defined longitudinal zone in the stele, corresponding to the area of differentiation of vascular tissues. This result suggests that the encoded proteinase may be involved in programmed cell death events that precede vascular development.