title: Expression of lorelei-like genes in aposporous and sexual Paspalum notatum plants.
abstract: Gametophytic apomictic plants form non-reduced embryo sacs that generate clonal embryos by parthenogenesis, in the absence of both meiosis and egg-cell fertilization. Here we report the sequence and expression analysis of a lorelei-like Paspalum notatum gene, n20gap-1, which encodes a GPI-anchored protein previously associated with apomixis in this species. Phylogeny trees showed that n20gap-1 was evolutionary related to the Arabidopsis                         thaliana lorelei genes At4g26466 and At5g56170. The lorelei At4g26466 disruption was shown to be detrimental to sperm cell release in arabidopsis. RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) analysis revealed the occurrence of several homologous sequences in the Paspalum notatum genome, exhibiting polymorphisms genetically linked to apomixis. Real-time PCR showed that lorelei-family genes present a minor activity peak at pre-meiosis and a major one at anthesis. The apomictic genotype analyzed showed a significantly increased activity at pre-meiosis, post-meiosis and anthesis with respect to a sexual genotype. In situ hybridization assays revealed expression in integuments, nucellus and the egg-cell apparatus. Several n20gap-1 alleles differing mainly at the 3' UTR sequence were identified. Allele-specific real-time PCR experiments showed that allele 28 was significantly induced in reproductive tissues of the apomictic genotype with respect to the sexual genotype at anthesis. Our results indicate that P. notatum                         lorelei-like genes are differentially expressed in representative sexual (Q4188) and apomictic (Q4117) genotypes, and might play a role in the final stages of the apomixis developmental cascade. However, the association of n20gap-1 expression with the trait should be confirmed in significant number of sexual and apomictic genotypes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Central de Investigaciones, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Parque Villarino, Zavalla, Provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvina Andrea
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Felitti
authors.forename: José Guillermo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Seijo
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Maricel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Podio
authors.forename: Natalia Verónica
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Laspina
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Siena
authors.forename: Juan Pablo Amelio
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Silvina Claudia
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Pessino
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D060832:Apomixis / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000235:genetics; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D031781:Paspalum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D010940:Plant Proteins