Characterization and utilization of genes involved with aluminum tolerance in maize / Caracterização e utilização de genes envolvidos na tolerancia ao aluminio toxico em milho

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

Acid soils are found worldwide but most of them are located in tropical and subtropical regions. Aluminum (Al), the most abundant metal on the earth surface, becomes soluble in the soil solution as consequence of low pH in acid soils and achieves phytotoxic levels for most of the cultivated plant species. The first symptom of Al toxicity is the inhibition of the root growth that promote physiological disturbs reducing crop yield. Because of limitations of correcting soil pH by liming and the time-consuming process of traditional plant breeding, the elucidation of the mechanisms involved with plant Al-tolerance and Al-toxicity has received more attention, since the production of genetically altered plants has emerged as an effective and fast strategy to the production of improved cultivars. Two maize lines, Cat100-6 (Al-tolerant) and S1587-17 (Al-sensitive), were used in this study with the aim of understanding at the transcriptional level the alterations promoted by Al on the roots. The research was divided in three main sections: i) detection, cloning and characterization of a gene encoding a Glutathione S-transferase in maize and evaluation of Al effects on its expression; ii) Large-scale evaluation of gene expression in root tips of maize under Al stress using a heterologous system with Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) of sugarcane; and iii) cloning and characterization of the ALMT1 gene in maize and evaluation of Al-effects on its activity. In the first section was observed that Al and Cd-stress induced the GST27.2 gene. Two mutations present on the nucleotide chain of this gene promoted alteration on the amino acid compositions. These alterations might be responsible by alterations on the specificity and activity of the GST enzyme. Besides that, the GST27.2 is a single copy gene in maize and seem to be a new allele of GST27. In the section of large-scale gene expression evaluation were identified 85 genes in root tips of two Al-tolerant contrasting maize lines whose expression was altered by Al stress. Although several of the genes identified here were previously described as Al responsive in other works, to most of them this study is the first report about the involvement of these genes with Al stress. The cloning of the ALMT1 homologue in tissue from the root apex of maize shown that maize has a gene encoding a membrane protein that might be involved with organic molecules transport. Although the protein encoded by the maize homologue gene was not associated with malate transport the activity of this protein was stimulated by the presence of Al. Interestingly, the gene expression of the this gene was repressed by Al in the Al-tolerant and Al-sensitive genotype. This result might be an indicative of existence of posttranscriptional regulation. The results accomplished with the experiments described here launched new light into the understanding of the Al-tolerance and Al-toxicity mechanisms in maize roots. Furthermore, the information presented here will contribute to a more accurate selection of genes that will be used to produce transgenic plants better adapted to soils with high Al concentration

ASSUNTO(S)

maize oligucleotide arrays estresse stress milho arranjos de oligucleotideos proteinas do transporte de membrana membrans transport protein glutationa transferase glutathione transferase

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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