Abstract:Based on EST sequences from an ethephon-induced latex SSH cDNA library of Hevea brasiliensis, a full-length cDNA encoding AP2/ERF type gene named as HbERFB4-1, was cloned from H. brasiliensis by RACE-PCR. The HbERFB4-1 cDNA has full length of 732 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 444 bp, and encodes 147 amino acid residues. No introns were detected in HbERFB4-1gene. The deduced HbERFB4-1 contains an AP2 domain and three NISs, which shows high identity to AP2/ERF in Populus trichocarpa,Ricinus communis,Arabidopsis thaliana and Glycine max, counting for 78%、71%、62% and 55%, respectively. Phyogenetic analysis showed that HbERFB4-1 belonged to the B4 subfamily of ERF family. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that the transcription of HbERFB4-1 in latex was low, but it was rapidly induced by ethephon, suggesting that HbERFB4-1 is involved in the ethylene signal pathway in latex of H. brasiliensis.