P0781 Identification of Target Genes and Promoters Related to Drought Stress and Their Analysis Through the Generation of Sugarcane Transgenic Plants

Carolina Gimiliani Lembke , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Milton Yutaka Nishiyama-Junior , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo
Paloma Mieko Sato , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo
Flavia Rizzo Rocha , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo
Rodrigo Fandiño , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo
Roberta Alvares Campos , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo
Fabio Fernandes da Rocha Vicente , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo
Carlos Takeshi Hotta , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Glaucia Souza , Institute of Chemistry - University of São Paulo
Sugarcane is one of the most important crop plants in the world due to its capacity of accumulating high levels of sucrose in its stems. Microarrays are being used by our group to study sugarcane responses to drought. We used three different microarray platforms: SUCAST (signal transduction probes), SUCAMET (metabolic pathways probes) and an Agilent custom array (sense and antisense probes). Gene expression profiles were evaluated after 24h, 72h and 120h of drought stress in sugarcane cultivars sensitive and tolerant. A total of 217, 96 and 830 differentially expressed genes were identified in SUCAST, SUCAMET and Agilent arrays, respectively. Sense and antisense transcripts differentially regulated were identified. A gene related to signal transduction and a gene related to protection against drought were selected for further studies. Transgenic sugarcane plants were obtained with target gene silenced. Physiological differences between silenced and control plants were observed when these plants were subjected to drought for seven days. The transcriptome analysis of silenced plants that were continuously irrigated resulted in 352 genes differentially expressed between silenced and control plants. Promoter identification is being conducted for the two genes. BAC clones containing the genes were selected in a sugarcane BAC library. The clones were sequenced using the 454 Genome Sequencer FLX System (Roche) and the Newbler Software was used for sequence assembly. Regions upstream of the gene initiation and with approximately 1,8 kb were cloned in sequencing vectors. Those regions will be transferred to a vector containing GUS reporter gene and evaluated in transgenic plants.
Back to: Poster Abstracts
<< Previous Abstract | Next Abstract >>