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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #254189
Title: Differential Expression of Salt Stress-related Genes in Wild Beta vulgaris

Author
item EL-ZOHAIRY, S - Ageri
item EL-AWADY, ABLA - Ageri
item EISSA, HALA - Ageri
item EL-KHISHIN, DINA - Ageri
item NASSAR, ABLA - Ageri
item McGrath, Jon

Submitted to: Egyptian Journal of Genetics and Cytology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2008
Publication Date: 1/10/2009
Citation: El-Zohairy, S., El-Awady, A., Eissa, H.F., El-Khishin, D.A., Nassar, A., McGrath, J.M. 2009. Differential Expression of Salt Stress-related Genes in Wild Beta vulgaris. Egyptian Journal of Genetics and Cytology. 38:187-206.

Interpretive Summary: Salt tolerance is an important character needed for Egypt’s unique conditions particularly for sugar beet in newly reclaimed lands. Seedling emergence is the most sensitive stage of crop growth, therefore improving the abiotic stress resistance of sugar beet during crop establishment phase is of outmost importance. In general, sugar beet accumulates sodium, preferentially in leaves of mature plants which may help in the process of land reclamation to reduce sodium in soils for subsequent growth of salt sensitive crops. Seedlings treated with salt showed different expression of genes, many of which have no described functions. A molecular catalog of genes known to be regulated by salt will help to identify mechanisms of salt tolerance in germinating beets, and will be a useful source of genetic markers for enhancing germplasm with tolerance to salinity during emergence.

Technical Abstract: Differential display reverse transcription (DDRT) technique was used to detect differentially expressed genes for wild Beta vulgaris in response to salt stress. Two month-old seedlings were treated with 250 mM Na for 1H, 10H and untreated seedlings were used as controls. A group of differentially displayed (DD) cDNA fragments were obtained, 53 of which were chosen, sequenced, analyzed using NCBI's BLAST module and finally classified into 4 clusters according to their expression patterns (up, down, up - down, and down –– up regulations). Results of the database sequence alignment identified 19 fragments with no homology in the databases, 23 fragments with homology to unknown or hypothetical ESTs with unknown functions in other organisms and 11 fragments with significant homology to genes and/or proteins with known function including Beta vulgaris chitinase and Lectin-like protein, Glycerol-3-phosphate permease like protein, phospholipase A2, ethylene forming enzyme like dioxygenase, RNA Helicase, Small GTP-binding protein, Thioredoxin H3 and Low temperature responsive glycine-rich RNA binding protein. These results implicate that several pathways are involved in the plant's response to salt stress which still needs to be elucidated further.