Isolation, characterization and expression of an elongation factor 1α gene in potato (Solanum tuberosum) cell cultures

Abstract

Using a differential display (DDRT‐PCR) approach to screen genes involved in response to osmotic stress, we isolated six cDNA clones from potato cell cultures. One of these, clone #54, is a member of the gene family encoding the α‐subunit of translation elongation factor 1 (EF‐1α). After sequencing, this clone showed a deduced amino acid sequence of 447 residues. Southern blot analysis revealed that this EF‐1α is a member of a family consisting of at least nine genes. The expression of EF‐1α increased upon osmotic stress mediated by polyethylene glycol (PEG) but was unaffected by abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Salt also increased EF‐1α expression but with a different kinetics. These results indicate that we cloned an EF‐1α in potato which is ABA responsive, independent of osmotic stress.

Abbreviations: DDRT‐PCR, differential display reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction; PEG, polyethylene glycol; RACE, rapid amplification of cDNA ends; RT‐PCR, reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction

Keywords:

• Abiotic stress
• DDRT‐PCR
• EF‐1α
• gene expression
• Solanum tuberosum

Acknowledgments

We express our thanks to Mark Walters for improving the language. Research was funded by Contribution no. 339 of the Istituto di Genetica Vegetale, Portici (CNR‐IGV), Italy.