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Expressional diversity of wheat nsLTP genes: evidence of subfunctionalization via cis-regulatory divergence

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Abstract

Previously, the wheat non-specific lipid transfer proteins (TaLTP), members of a small multigene family, were reported to evidence a complex pattern of expression regulation. In order to assess further the expression diversity of the TaLTP genes, we have attempted to evaluate their expression profiles in responses to abiotic stresses, using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression profiles generated herein revealed that the TaLTP genes in group A evidenced highly similar responses against abiotic stresses, whereas differential expression patterns among genes in each group were also observed. A total of seven promoters were fused to a GUS reporter gene and the recombinants were introduced into Arabidopsis, while three promoters evidenced non-detectible GUS activity. The promoters of TaLTP1, TaLTP7, and TaLTP10 included in group A drove strong expressions during plant development with overlapping patterns, in large part, but also exhibited distinct expression pattern, thereby suggesting subfunctionalization processing over evolutionary time. However, only trace expression in cotyledons, young emerged leaves, and epidermal cell layers of flower ovaries was driven by the promoter of TaLTP3 of group B. These results indicate that their distinct physiological functions appear to be accomplished by a subfunctionalization process involving degenerative mutations in regulatory regions.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2009-0064150) and 2008 Research Grant from Kangwon National University to CSJ.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 136-713, Korea

    Hong Wei Wang, Yong Weon Seo & Wook Kim

  2. Department of Plant Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Seoul, 100-715, Korea

    Hyuk Jin Kwon, Won Cheol Yim & Byung-Moo Lee

  3. Plant Genomics Lab., Division of Bio-Resources Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon, 200-701, Korea

    Sung Don Lim & Cheol Seong Jang

  4. Upland Crop Research Division, National Institute of Crop Science, Suwon, Gyeonggido, 441-857, Korea

    Jun-Cheol Moon

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  1. Hong Wei Wang
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Correspondence to Wook Kim or Cheol Seong Jang.

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Wang, H.W., Kwon, H.J., Yim, W.C. et al. Expressional diversity of wheat nsLTP genes: evidence of subfunctionalization via cis-regulatory divergence. Genetica 138, 843–852 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-010-9467-7

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