STUDIES ON EXPRESSION OF GENES INVOLVED IN SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS AND STORAGE PROTEIN ACCUMULATION IN SAFFRON CROCUS (CROCUS SATIVUS L.)

To initiate the evaluation of gene expression patterns in saffron, 80 random chosen clones from a cDNA library prepared from corms were immobilized in amino-silane coated slides and hybridised with labelled cDNA from in vitro embryos at different developmental stages.
Constitutive genes showed similar expression patterns at all stages, while developmentally regulated genes changed their expression.
We detected strongly regulated expression of a xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (a cell wall loosening activity enzyme involved in cell growth), formaldehyde dehydrogenase and an abscisic stress ripening protein.
Some unidentified genes also showed high hybridisation signal.
In addition, the expression pattern of the major storage protein, a mannose-binding lectin, was studied by means of RT-PCR. The expression level is higher during summer, when the corm is at a dormant stage, and this lectin accumulates in big storage vacuoles.
Once the corm sprouts and blooms, the expression of this protein decreases to minimum levels.

I International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Biotechnology

M. Álvarez-Ortí, T. Schwarzacher, A. Rubio, S. Blázquez, A. Piqueras, J.-A. Fernández, P. Harrison

cDNA microarrays, development

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.650.15