title: Tubulin-based polymorphism (TBP): a new tool, based on functionally relevant sequences, to assess genetic diversity in plant species.
abstract: TBP (tubulin-based polymorphism) is a new molecular marker based tool that relies on the presence of intron-specific DNA polymorphisms of the plant beta-tubulin gene family. The multifunctional and essential role of the tubulin proteins is reflected in the conservation of regions within their primary amino acid sequence. The ubiquitous nature of this gene family can be exploited using primers that amplify the first intron of different beta-tubulin isotypes, revealing specific fingerprints. The method is rapid, simple, and reliable and does not require preliminary sequence information of the plant genome of interest. The ability of TBP to discriminate between accessions and species in oilseed rape, coffee, and lotus is shown. In all cases, TBP was able to detect specific genetic polymorphisms in the context of a simplified and readily appreciable pattern of DNA amplification. The application of TBP for assessing genetic diversity and genome origins in disseminated plant landraces rather than in highly inbred cultivated species is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Biologia, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bardini
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Donini
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gianì
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toschi
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Breviario
mesh_terms: D029688:Brassica napus / Q000235:genetics*; D040503:Coffea / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D000070116:Lotus / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin