Abstract Detail

Horticulture

Goyali, Juran C. [1], Ghosh, Amrita [2], Igamberdiev, Abir U. [3], Debnath, Samir.C [4].

The DNA methylation status in lowbush blueberry propagated by conventional softwood cutting and micropropagation.

Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait) plants are generally propagated by softwood cutting. Due to higher vegetative growth of in vitro propagated blueberry plants, micropropagation facilitates the quick establishment of new farms and is adapted for large scale commercial production. Plants regenerated via in vitro culture are expected to be identical, but very often results in a number of plants show phenotypic alteration due to genetic and epigenetic variation. Genome-wide distribution of DNA methylation plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression especially during biological development of plants through tissue culture and it responds to environmental stresses. In this study, we globally investigated possible variations in level and pattern of cytosine methylation at the CCGG sites in the blueberry (a cultivar 'Fundy' and a wild clone 'QB 9C') plants propagated by tissue culture relative to the plants propagated by conventional softwood cutting, by the methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) technique employing a pair of isoschizomers, MspI and HpaII, which recognize the same restriction site but are differentially sensitive to cytosine methylation at the CCGG sites. Expressed sequence tag-polymerase chain reaction (EST-PCR) molecular markers were used to examine the genetic fidelity of in vitro derived plants of both genotypes. Monomorphic DNA amplification profiles in EST-PCR analysis confirmed the genetic integrity among micropropagated plants of the cultivar 'Fundy' and wild clone 'QB 9C'. Differential DNA methylation levels and patterns were found in plants of both genotypes propagated by stem cutting and micropropagation.

1 - Memorial University of Newfoundland, Biology, 232 Elizabeth Avenue, MUN, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
2 - Memorial University Of Newfoundland, Department Of Biology, 232 Elizabeth Avenue, St. John's, NL, A1C5S7, Canada
3 - Memorial University of Newfoundland, Biology, 232 Elizabeth Avenue, MUN, St. John’s, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
4 - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Atlantic Cool Climate Crop Research Centre, 308 Brookfield Road, Bldg 25, St. John's, NL, A1E 0B2, Canada

Keywords:
Blueberry
Softwood cuttings
Micropropagation
EST-PCR molecular marker
Clonal fidelity
DNA methylation
Methylation sensitive amplification polymorphism.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 23
Location: Salon 19/20/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:00 PM
Number: 23006
Abstract ID:1048
Candidate for Awards:2015 Graduate Student Best Oral Presentation Award,2015 Macoun-Hill Graduate Student Travel Award