title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Genetik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotthues
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kappler
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lichtfuss
authors.forename: Dorothee U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Kloos
authors.forename: Dietmar J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hehl
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D027461:Beta vulgaris / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant