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Season- and age-associated telomerase activity in Ginkgo biloba L.

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Abstract

Telomeres have lately received considerable attention in the development of broad-leaved tree species. In order to determine tissue-, sex-, season- and age-specific changes in telomerase activity in ginkgo trees, analyses of the telomerase repeat amplification protocol were carried out. In all of the tissues detected (embryonal callus, microspore tissues and leaves) telomerase activity was found, with differences between these activities statistically significant (P < 0.05). The highest telomerase activity was found in embryonal callus, suggesting that ginkgo trees have tissue-specific telomerase activity. Tissues containing high levels of dividing cells also have high levels of telomerase activity. No significant difference of telomerase activity was found between male and female trees (P > 0.05). In the annual development cycle, the highest telomerase activity was found in April and a decreasing trend over time in the four age groups studied: 10, 20, 70 and 700 year. The most obvious decline appeared in trees of the 700 year old group, suggesting that ginkgo trees have season-specific telomerase activities and trees of various ages react differently to seasonal changes. The mean annual telomerase activity showed a regular decreasing trend in all leaf samples analyzed from 10 to 700 year old ginkgo trees. We conclude that maintenance of telomere length depends on season- and age- associated telomerase activity. An optimal telomere length is regulated and maintained by telomerase in Ginkgo biloba L.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30901141). The authors thank Feng Wang and Zheng Tan of the State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and members of the botany laboratory for providing the method of telomerase activity analysis and Renyuan Zhu and Xiaohong Zhou for support during the sample collection at the Wofo Temple of the Beijing Botanical Garden and the Fragrant Hills Park. The authors also thank Pengjun Cheng for revising the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, 162#, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Han Song, Di Liu, Fenglan Li & Hai Lu

  2. National Engineering Laboratory for Tree Breeding, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Han Song, Di Liu, Fenglan Li & Hai Lu

  3. Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Han Song, Di Liu, Fenglan Li & Hai Lu

  4. Tree and Ornamental Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory State Forestry Administration, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Han Song, Di Liu, Fenglan Li & Hai Lu

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  1. Han Song
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  2. Di Liu
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  3. Fenglan Li
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  4. Hai Lu
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Correspondence to Hai Lu.

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Song, H., Liu, D., Li, F. et al. Season- and age-associated telomerase activity in Ginkgo biloba L.. Mol Biol Rep 38, 1799–1805 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-010-0295-8

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