Studies of gene expression using varieties of sugarcane tolerant to aluminum (Saccharum spp.)

• Grant number: 13/06318-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal researcher: Andrea Soares da Costa Fuentes
• Grantee: Mariane de Souza Oliveira
• Home Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Of all the chemical attributes, toxicity of aluminum (Al) is a major chemical barrier to strengthening of root system and its ability to absorb water and nutrients. Plant species differ significantly in Al tolerance and its mechanisms are controlled by different genes and by different biochemical pathways. Moreover, no data are available for structural and functional genomics on these genes in sugarcane varieties. However, with the advent of techniques for gene expression analysis provides a unique opportunity to study some characteristics that make them tolerant. These techniques have been applied successfully to study the function of these genes and characterization of a variety tolerant. Experiments are conducted in a greenhouse and laboratory seeking to meet the following objectives: in silico analysis of sequences encoding genes involved in tolerance to aluminum; selection of genes related to oxidative stress caused by Al and related production organic acids; propagation and plant growth; quantification of the expression of selected genes by quantitative PCR in plants grown in soil and nutrient solution with high content of Al. Thus this project aims to analyze the expression of genes with reported response to stress aluminum. Three varieties of sugarcane, previously studied in relation to its tolerance to Al, will be used in these analyzes. The lack of information about the function of these genes in these varieties shows the importance of these studies for better understanding of the mechanisms involved in aluminum tolerance in sugarcane.