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2013 ASHS Annual Conference

15698:
The Evolutionary History and Diverse Physiological Roles of the Grapevine Calcium-dependent Protein Kinase Gene Family

Wednesday, July 24, 2013: 9:00 AM
Springs Salon A/B (Desert Springs J.W Marriott Resort )
Zong-Ming Cheng, Dept Plant Sci & Landscape Systems, Knoxville, TN
Fei Chen, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
Bin Cai, Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
Marianna Fasoli, Universita degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy
Giovanni Battista Tornielli, Universita degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy
Silvia Dal Santo, Universita degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy
Mario Pezzotti, Universita degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy
Liangsheng Zhang, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA
Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are molecular switches that bind Ca2+, ATP, and protein substrates, acting as sensor relays and responders that convert Ca2+ signals, created by developmental processes and environmental stresses, into phosphorylation events. The precise functions of the CDPKs in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) are largely unknown. We therefore investigated the phylogenetic relationships and expression profiles among the 17 CDPK genes identified in the 12x grapevine genome sequence, resolving them into four subfamilies based on phylogenetic tree topology and gene structures. The origins of the CDPKs during grapevine evolution were characterized, involving 13 expansion events. Transcriptomic analysis using 54 tissues and developmental stages revealed three types of CDPK gene expression profiles: constitutive (housekeeping CDPKs), partitioned functions, and pollen/stamen-specific CDPKs. We identified three duplicated CDPK genes that had evolved from housekeeping to pollen-specific functions and whose origin correlated with that of seed plants, suggesting neofunctionalization with an important role in pollen development and also potential value in the breeding of seedless varieties. We also found that CDPKs were involved in three abiotic stress signaling pathways and could therefore be used to investigate the crosstalk between stress responses.
See more of: Plant Biotechnology (Oral)
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