title: Braving the attitude of altitude: Caragana jubata at work in cold desert of Himalaya.
abstract: The present work was conducted to understand the basis of adaptation in Caragana jubata in its niche environment at high altitude cold desert of Himalaya. Molecular data showed predominance of genes encoding chaperones and those involved in growth and development at low temperature (LT), a major cue operative at high altitude. Importantly, these genes expressed in C. jubata in its natural habitat. Their homologues in Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Glycine max did not exhibit similar trend of gene expression at LT. Constitutive expression and a quick up-regulation of the above genes suggested the ability of C. jubata to adjust its cellular machinery to maintain growth and development in its niche. This was reflected in LT(50 )(the temperature at which 50% injury occurred) and LT mediated photosynthetic acclimatory response. Such molecular and physiological plasticity enables C. jubata to thrive in the high altitude cold desert of Himalayas.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 6, Palampur (H.P.) 176061, India.
authors.forename: Pardeep Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: Deep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mala
authors.forename: Geetika
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bhagwat
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.forename: Anil Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Surender Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Vats
authors.forename: Paramvir Singh
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar