Project name: Microarray profiling of tomato provides an insight into the key transcription factors involved during fruit ripening and development

Description: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) represents an established research model for studying fruit development and ripening processes which is genetically under tight control of various regulatory molecules. Elucidation of these regulatory mechanisms remains important to understand the production and accumulation of various metabolites, which ultimately determines the fruit quality. Therefore, it is essential to develop a platform that allows accurate identification and quantification of the gene transcript levels including transcription factors associated with ripening process. Microarray technology has become mainstream and preferred tool for studying the large number of targeted gene expression in a single run. In the present study, we have developed the microarray platform in the leaf and fruit tissues of four different accessions of tomato in order to check the expression levels of various genes and transcription factors involved in secondary metabolic pathways which directly or indirectly regulates the ripening process. A total of 42313 probes were used in 1 ×44k array of Agilent technology along with the custom design for many genes and transcription factors. A co-expression study revealed several transcription factors whose expression patterns strongly correlates with the genes involved in ethylene, carotenoid and flavonoid biosynthesis and accumulation. The above correlation was validated by generating expression networks using CytoScape v.3.1.1. Real time PCR was also carried out for checking the expression profiles of transcription factors known to regulate the above three pathways. This study provides an insight into multiple events associated with transcription factors involved in secondary metabolism of tomato including maturation and ripening processesOverall design: Gene expression profiles were generated and analysed in leaf and fruit tissues of four different tomato accessions i.e AV, TM, SK and RJ. These accessions originated from different geographical areas of Jammu and Kashmir and showed different maturity progress and differential accumulation of carotenoids in their ripe fruit. AV accession was collected from RTGR, Hyderabad, TM was collected from Kashmir while as SK and RJ were collected from the Chatha and Rajouri regions of Jammu province.

Data type: Transcriptome or Gene expression

Sample scope: Multiisolate

Relevance: Agricultural

Last updated: 2018-04-05