Post-harvest regulated gene expression and splicing efficiency in storage roots of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

Abstract

Sixteen post-harvest upregulated genes from sugar beet comprising five novel sequences were isolated by subtractive cloning. Transcription profiles covering a period of up to 49 days after harvest under controlled storage conditions and in field clamps are reported. Post-harvest induced genes are involved in wound response, pathogen defense, dehydration stress, and detoxification of reactive oxygen species. An early induction of a cationic peroxidase indicates a response to post-harvest damage. Wound response reactions may also involve genes required for cell division such as a regulator of chromatin condensation and a precursor of the growth stimulating peptide phytohormone phytosulfokine-alpha. Surprisingly, also three putative non-protein coding genes were isolated. Two of these genes show intron specific and storage temperature dependent splicing of a precursor mRNA. The temperature dependent splicing of an intron containing sugar beet mRNA is also maintained in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. The storage induced genes are integrated into a model that proposes the response to several post-harvest stress conditions. Temperature regulated splicing may be a mechanism to sense seasonal temperature changes.

Temperature-Dependent Alternative Splicing of Precursor mRNAs and Its Biological Significance: A Review Focused on Post-Transcriptional Regulation of a Cold Shock Protein Gene in Hibernating Mammals

“…It was shown that temperature-dependent alternative splicing of OsbZIP58 affects grain filling of rice [ 93 ]. In sugar beet, Bvnpcg2 and Bvnpcg3 are subjected to temperature-dependent alternative splicing, resulting in regulation of the sensitivity to seasonal temperature changes [ 94 ]. In Medicago, temperature-dependent alternative splicing of MtJMJC5, a jumonj C domain-containing demethylase homologue, is involved in the circadian clock [ 95 ].…”

Alternative splicing of the maize Ac transposase transcript in transgenic sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

“…Recent biotechnological improvements using transformation technologies for sugar beet include salt tolerance and the delay of bolting time (Liu et al 2008; Mutasa-Gottgens et al 2009). Furthermore, tissue specific and storage induced genes and their promoters were identified (Kloos et al 2002; Oltmanns et al 2006; Rotthues et al 2008; Stahl et al 2004). These may be applicable for the spatial and temporal expression of genes to achieve desired biotechnological improvements.…”

Identification and Characterization of a Multigene Family Encoding Germin-Like Proteins in Cultivated Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

“…It is worth noting that ten GLP genes classified into two distinguishable clades in a phylogenetic tree have been described from bryophyte, a moss used as a model organism for studies on plant evolution, development, and physiology (Nakata et al 2004). Additionally, at least 9, 7, 6, and 5 GLP genes were isolated from maize (Alexandrov et al 2009), grape (Godfrey et al 2007), sugar beet (Rotthues et al 2008), and pea (Gucciardo et al 2007), respectively.…”