Articles
DEVELOPMENT AND GENE EXPRESSION IN SAFFRON CORMS
Article number
650_14
Pages
141 – 153
Language
English
Abstract
The corm occupies a central position in saffron life cycle, as it is the vegetative organ that accumulates reserves for sprouting after dormancy periods.
Until now, not much is known about the physiology of the corm and its gene expression pattern.
In an attempt to obtain information about this organ, six developmental stages were defined in the corm and analysed two of them, generating 650 partial complementary DNA sequences (expressed sequence tags, ESTs) from two cDNA libraries constructed from corms.
In the first one, at a stage characterized by storage accumulation and corm growth (C3), a remarkable amount of sequences with similarity to genes related to cell growth; protein synthesis, folding and degradation; transcription factors; and proteins related to the formation and maintenance of cell wall and other cellular structures were found.
Furthermore, many sequences with similarity to genes involved in defence and stress responses, and to carbohydrate metabolism were detected.
In the second library, from dormant corms (C4), a greater percentage of sequences with similarity to genes related to transport of nutrients and metabolites was present.
In both libraries, a high percentage of sequences with no similarity in the public databases was found (36 % in C3 and 50 % in C4) remarking the lack of knowledge about gene expression in the corm.
Until now, not much is known about the physiology of the corm and its gene expression pattern.
In an attempt to obtain information about this organ, six developmental stages were defined in the corm and analysed two of them, generating 650 partial complementary DNA sequences (expressed sequence tags, ESTs) from two cDNA libraries constructed from corms.
In the first one, at a stage characterized by storage accumulation and corm growth (C3), a remarkable amount of sequences with similarity to genes related to cell growth; protein synthesis, folding and degradation; transcription factors; and proteins related to the formation and maintenance of cell wall and other cellular structures were found.
Furthermore, many sequences with similarity to genes involved in defence and stress responses, and to carbohydrate metabolism were detected.
In the second library, from dormant corms (C4), a greater percentage of sequences with similarity to genes related to transport of nutrients and metabolites was present.
In both libraries, a high percentage of sequences with no similarity in the public databases was found (36 % in C3 and 50 % in C4) remarking the lack of knowledge about gene expression in the corm.
Authors
M. Álvarez-Ortí, L.G. Gómez, A. Rubio, J. Escribano, J. Pardo, F. Jiménez, J.-A. Fernández
Keywords
cDNA libraries, Crocus sativus, ESTs, sequencing
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