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The stress kinase gene MtSK1 in Medicago truncatula with particular reference to somatic embryogenesis

  • Genetics and Genomics
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Abstract

Medicago truncatula, a model for legume genomics, can be regenerated by somatic embryogensis by the use of a suitable genotype and an auxin plus cytokinin. The stress response induced by explant wounding and culture is increasingly recognized as an important component of somatic embryo induction. We have cloned and investigated the stress kinase gene MtSK1 in relation to somatic embryogenesis in M. truncatula, using the highly embryogenic mutant Jemalong 2HA (2HA) and its progenitor Jemalong. The main features of the MtSK1 protein of 351 amino acids are an N-terminal kinase domain and a C-terminal glutamic acid-rich region, which is predicted to be a coiled-coil. MtSK1 is a member of the SnRK2 subgroup of the SnRK group of plant kinases. Members of the SnRK2 kinases play a role in stress responses of plants. MtSKI expression is induced by wounding in the cultured tissue independent of auxin or cytokinin. However, in both 2HA and Jemalong, as the callus develops in response to auxin plus cytokinin, MtSK1 expression continues to increase. MtSK1 responds to salt stress in vivo, consistent with its role as a stress kinase. The likely role of MtSK1 in stress-induced signaling will facilitate the relating of stress–response pathways to auxin and cytokinin-induced signaling in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the induction of somatic embryogenesis in M. truncatula.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Thomas Kaiser of Corbett Research for his assistance with Real Time PCR and Professor Barry Rolfe (Australian National University, Canberra) for helpful discussions. This work was supported by an Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence grant to the University of Newcastle node of the Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume Research (to RJR).

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  1. Nasir A. Saeed

    Present address: National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Research Council Centre for Integrative Legume Research and School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, 2308, Australia

    Kim E. Nolan, Nasir A. Saeed & Ray J. Rose

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  1. Kim E. Nolan
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  2. Nasir A. Saeed
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  3. Ray J. Rose
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Correspondence to Ray J. Rose.

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Communicated by P. Lakshmanan

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Nolan, K.E., Saeed, N.A. & Rose, R.J. The stress kinase gene MtSK1 in Medicago truncatula with particular reference to somatic embryogenesis. Plant Cell Rep 25, 711–722 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0135-4

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