Regulation of gene expression by chromosome 5A during cold hardening in wheat

• Published in: Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG 2010-04, Vol.283 (4), p.351-363
• Main Authors: Kocsy, Gábor, Athmer, Benedikt, Perovic, Dragan, Himmelbach, Axel, Szűcs, Attila, Vashegyi, Ildikó, Schweizer, Patrick, Galiba, Gábor, Stein, Nils
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Genetics and Genomics; Barley; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbohydrate metabolism; Cereals; Chromosomes; Chromosomes, Plant; Cold; Cold acclimation; Cold Temperature; Cold tolerance; Embryos; Flowers & plants; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene regulation; Genomes; Genomics; Hardness; Human Genetics; Life Sciences; Metabolism; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Multigene Family; Original Paper; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Sampling; Temperature; Transcription; Transcription, Genetic; Triticum - genetics; Triticum - physiology; Triticum aestivum
• ISSN: 1617-4615; 1617-4623
• DOI: 10.1007/s00438-010-0520-0

Cold hardening is necessary to achieve the genetically determined maximum freezing tolerance and to reduce yield losses in winter cereals. The aim of the present study was to determine a set of genes with an important role in this process, by comparing of chromosome 5A substitution lines with different levels of freezing tolerance, since chromosome 5A is a major regulator of this trait. During 21 days of treatment at 2°C, 303 genes were up-regulated, while 222 were down-regulated at most sampling points, and 156 at around half of them (out of the 10,297 unigenes studied). The freezing-tolerant substitution line exhibited 1.5 times as many differentially expressed genes than the sensitive one. The transcription of 78 genes (39 up-regulated) proved to be chromosome 5A-dependent. These genes encoded proteins involved in transcriptional regulation, defence processes and carbohydrate metabolism. Three of the chromosome 5A-related genes, coding for a cold-responsive, a Ca-binding and an embryo and meristem-related protein, were genetically mapped and characterized in further detail. The present experimental system was appropriate for the selection of chromosome 5A-related genes involved in short- and long-term cold acclimation in wheat. By modifying the expression of these genes it may be possible to improve freezing tolerance.