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Isolation and Functional Characterization of a SERK Gene from Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

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Abstract

It is well accepted that somatic embryogenesis serves a primary role in plant regeneration. However, it is also a model system to explore the regulatory and morphogenetic events in the life of a plant. To date, a suite of genes that serve important roles in somatic embryogenesis have been isolated and identified. In the present study, a novel gene designated as GmSERK1 was isolated from soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr). Sequence and structural analysis determined that the GmSERK1 protein, which encodes 624 amino acids, belongs to the somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase (SERK) gene family. GmSERK1 shared all the characteristic domains of the SERK family, including five leucine-rich repeats, one proline-rich region motif, transmembrane domain, and kinase domains. DNA gel blot analysis indicated that a single copy of the GmSERK1 gene resides in the soybean genome. The GmSERK1 tissue-specific and induced expression patterns were explored using quantitative real-time PCR. Dissimilar expression levels in various tissues under different treatments were found. In addition, transient expression experiments in onion epidermal cells indicated that the GmSERK1 protein was located on the plasma membrane. The results from this study suggested that GmSERK1, a member of the SERK gene family, exhibits a broader role in various aspects of plant development and function, in addition to its basic functions in somatic embryogenesis.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key Basic Research Program (2006CB1017, 2009CB1184, and 2010CB1259), the National Hightech R & D Program (2006AA1001 and 2009AA1011), the Natural Science Foundation of China (30671266), and the MOE 111 Project (B08025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soybean Research Institute of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China

    Chao Yang, Tuanjie Zhao, Deyue Yu & Junyi Gai

  2. National Center for Soybean Improvement, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China

    Chao Yang, Tuanjie Zhao, Deyue Yu & Junyi Gai

  3. National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China

    Chao Yang, Tuanjie Zhao, Deyue Yu & Junyi Gai

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  1. Chao Yang
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  2. Tuanjie Zhao
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  3. Deyue Yu
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  4. Junyi Gai
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Correspondence to Junyi Gai.

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Yang, C., Zhao, T., Yu, D. et al. Isolation and Functional Characterization of a SERK Gene from Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Plant Mol Biol Rep 29, 334–344 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-010-0235-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-010-0235-8

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