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Identification of differentially expressed genes in seeds of two near-isogenic Brassica napus lines with different oil content

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Abstract

The regulation of seed oil synthesis in rapeseed is largely unknown. In this study, we compared the gene expression during seed development between two lines of Brassica napus with a 10% difference in oil content. We isolated the immature seeds 15 and 25 days after flowering at periods preceding and including the major accumulation of storage oils and proteins. The differentially expressed gene clones between the two rape lines were isolated by subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH). All SSH clones were arrayed and screened by dot blot hybridization, followed by RT-PCR analysis for selected clones. A total of 217 cDNA clones corresponding to 30 genes were found to have a high expression in seeds with high oil content. Six genes were highly expressed in seeds with low oil content. Northern blot and enzyme activity analysis demonstrated a change in expression pattern of several genes. The results provide information on gene-encoding factors responsible for the regulation of oil synthesis. The possible role of these genes in seeds is discussed. The genes in this study may be suitable as novel targets for genetic improvement of seed oil content and may also provide molecular markers for studies of rape breeding.

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Abbreviations

SSH:

Subtractive suppression hybridization

DAF:

Day after flowering

LO:

Low oil content

HO:

High oil content

OPPP:

Oxidative pentose phosphate pathway

SUSy:

Sucrose synthase

CIPK:

CBL-interacting protein kinase

PK:

Pyruvate kinase

TAG:

Triacylglycerol

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Acknowledgements

We thank Quality Inspection and Test Center for Oilseeds and Products of MOA in China (Wuhan, Hubei province) for measuring the contents of protein and fatty acids in seeds. This work was supported in part by the Provincial Natural Science Foundation of HuBei, China (2005ABA074) and Superintendent Research Foundation of Institute of Oil crops Research in China to Wei Hua. Thanks are also given to two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oil Crops Research, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Wuhan, 430062, China

    Rong-Jun Li, Han-Zhong Wang, Han Mao & Wei Hua

  2. Key Lab of Ministry of Education for Plant Developmental Biology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Rong-Jun Li & Ying-Tang Lu

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  1. Rong-Jun Li
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  2. Han-Zhong Wang
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Correspondence to Wei Hua.

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Li, RJ., Wang, HZ., Mao, H. et al. Identification of differentially expressed genes in seeds of two near-isogenic Brassica napus lines with different oil content. Planta 224, 952–962 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-006-0266-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-006-0266-4

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