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Characterization of three somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase genes from wheat, Triticum aestivum

  • Cell Biology and Morphogenesis
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Abstract

We report here the isolation and characterization of three SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE (TaSERK) genes from wheat. TaSERKs belong to a small family of receptor-like kinase genes, share a conserved structure and extensive sequence homology with previously reported plant SERK genes. TaSERK genes are in general auxin inducible and expressed during embryogenesis in cell cultures. We show here that somatic embryogenesis in Triticum aestivum is associated with high SERK expression which could be enhanced with auxin application and is calcium dependent. TaSERK transcripts could also be enhanced by epibrassinolide and abscisic acid. TaSERK1 and TaSERK2 may have a role in somatic embryogenesis, whereas TaSERK3 appears to be a brassinosteroid-associated kinase (BAK) lacking an SPP motif but shares a characteristic C-terminal domain with other SERK proteins. Also, the transcripts of all the three TaSERK genes could be induced in zygotic and somatic tissues. Although our analysis suggests them to be involved in somatic embryogenesis, they may have a broader role in acquiring embryogenic competence in wheat.

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Abbreviations

SE:

Somatic embryogenesis

SERK:

Somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase

RLK:

Receptor-like kinase

2,4-D:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

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Acknowledgments

B.S. acknowledges the award of Senior Research Fellowship from the University Grants Commission, New Delhi. This research work was financially supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, and the University Grants Commission, New Delhi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India

    Bhumica Singla, Jitendra P. Khurana & Paramjit Khurana

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  1. Bhumica Singla
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  2. Jitendra P. Khurana
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  3. Paramjit Khurana
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Correspondence to Paramjit Khurana.

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Communicated by P. Kumar.

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299_2008_505_MOESM1_ESM.doc

Supplementary Figure 1 Alignment of deduced amino acid sequence of TaSERK1 and TaSERK2 with sequences of other SERK proteins. Conserved domains I to XI are marked with lines at the top and labeled. The hydrophobic amino acid in the signal peptide sequence is highly conserved, depicted by dark gray color, highlighted in purple and blue color is the ATP-binding region and the activation loop, respectively. Red color in sub domain VIII of protein kinase shows the threonine at position 468. The active site of SERK proteins is depicted by brown color. Pink colors show the glycosylation sites and gray color highlights the membrane spanning region. In fluorescent blue color are the 15 invariant amino acids. (DOC 52 kb)

299_2008_505_MOESM2_ESM.ppt

Supplementary Figure 2 Southern analysis of wheat genomic DNA with TaSERK1 probe. An aliquot of 20 μg wheat (T. aestivum) DNA was digested with restriction endonuclease, BglII and Southern hybridization carried out under stringent conditions. (A) The kinase domain and the C-terminal region were used as a probe for highlighting the gene family, and (B) the 3’UTR region was used for specificity. (PPT 3222 kb)

Supplementary Table 1 (DOC 40 kb)

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Singla, B., Khurana, J.P. & Khurana, P. Characterization of three somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase genes from wheat, Triticum aestivum . Plant Cell Rep 27, 833–843 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-008-0505-1

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