Sugarcane genes associated with sucrose content

Abstract

Background -: Sucrose content is a highly desirable trait in sugarcane as the worldwide demand for cost-effective biofuels surges. Sugarcane cultivars differ in their capacity to accumulate sucrose and breeding programs routinely perform crosses to identify genotypes able to produce more sucrose. Sucrose content in the mature internodes reach around 20% of the culms dry weight. Genotypes in the populations reflect their genetic program and may display contrasting growth, development, and physiology, all of which affect carbohydrate metabolism. Few studies have profiled gene expression related to sugarcane's sugar content. The identification of signal transduction components and transcription factors that might regulate sugar accumulation is highly desirable if we are to improve this characteristic of sugarcane plants.

Oligomerization, Membrane Association, and in Vivo Phosphorylation of Sugarcane UDP-glucose Pyrophosphorylase

“…The reactions were incubated at 95°C for 10 min, followed by 40 cycles at 95°C for 15 s and 60°C for 1 min as described by Varkonyi-Gasic et al (14). The sugarcane polyubiquitin gene (CA179923) was used as a reference sample (15) using the primers that are described in Table 1. The reactions were conducted with three biological replicates, each in triplicate.…”

Genotype–phenotype mapping and the end of the ‘genes as blueprint’ metaphor

“…This question has marked the evolution of evolutionary theory ever since the rediscovery of Mendel's work at the beginning of the twentieth century, which immediately generated an apparent conflict with the Darwinian view of gradual evolution (Mayr & Provine 1998). Famously, the answer proposed by the architects of the Modern Synthesis is that genes determine phenotypes, as in the oft-cited metaphors of a 'genetic blueprint' or a 'genetic programme' (for recent examples of usage, see Cuntz et al 2008;Larsen 2008;Shoguchi et al 2008;Papini-Terzi et al 2009). This sort of answer bypasses the process of development, which is treated as an incidental blackbox with no direct causal relevance to the evolutionary process.…”

Expression Profile of Signal Transduction Components in a Sugarcane Population Segregating for Sugar Content

“…The use of cDNA microarrays to evaluate an F 1 sugarcane population that segregates for a certain trait may provide more insight into plant signaling and gene function than classical mutagenesis studies [30]. Recently, Casu et al [7] and Papini-Terzi et al [37,38] used this strategy to identify genes associated with high sucrose accumulation in sugarcane stem. The genomics approach has been the method of choice in the search for coarse regulatory mechanisms of sugarcane sucrose accumulation and signaling [3-7, 28, 37, 38].…”