Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
8352790 | Plant Physiology and Biochemistry | 2018 | 9 Pages |
Abstract
The relation between water status and expression profiles of desiccation -related genes has been studied in the desiccation tolerant (DT) aeroterrestrial green microalga Trebouxia gelatinosa, a common lichen photobiont. Algal colonies were desiccated in controlled conditions and during desiccation water content (WC) and water potential (Ψ) were measured to find the turgor loss point (Ψtlp). Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to measure the expression of ten genes related to photosynthesis, antioxidant defense, expansins, heat shock proteins (HSPs), and desiccation related proteins in algal colonies collected during desiccation when still at full turgor (WCâ¯>â¯6â¯g H2O gâ1 dry weight), immediately before and after Ψtlp (â4â¯MPa; WCâ¯â¼â¯1â¯g H2O gâ1 dry weight) and before and after complete desiccation (WCâ¯<â¯0.01â¯g H2O gâ1 dry weight), quantifying the HSP70 protein levels by immunodetection. Our analysis showed that the expression of eight out of ten genes changed immediately before and after Ψtlp. Interestingly, the expression of five out of ten genes changed also before complete desiccation, i.e. between 0.2 and 0.01â¯g H2O gâ1 dry weight. However, the HSP70 protein levels were not affected by changes in water status. The study provides new evidences of the link between the loss of turgor and the expression of genes related to the desiccation tolerance of T. gelatinosa, suggesting the former as a signal triggering inducible mechanisms.
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Authors
Elisa Banchi, Fabio Candotto Carniel, Alice Montagner, Francesco Petruzzellis, Gregor Pichler, Valentino Giarola, Dorothea Bartels, Alberto Pallavicini, Mauro Tretiach,