Identification and Expression Analysis of Stress Responsive Genes in Lentil (Lens culinaris)

Abstract

Plants during their growth, experience periodic stress conditions both abiotic (adverse environmental conditions) as well as biotic (infection by pathogens). They appear to respond to these adverse conditions by modulating the expression of many genes. One of the pronounced effects of stress on plant is the enhanced synthesis of a set of proteins-termed ' stress proteins'. Lentil contains asset of genes/proteins which helps this crop to overcome abiotic stresses. In the present study, HSP70 (Heat Shock Protein), LEA (Late Embryogenesis Abundant) and Aldolase genes were identified and cloned in pTZ57RT vector followed by sequencing. Expression analysis was done through Q-PCR which was assessed by using cDNA from all the heat, drought and salinity stressed and unstressed lentil cotyledons. The highest level of transcript of HSP70 was realized upon exposure to heat at 45°C for 3 hour followed by at 45°C for 2 hour and lowest at 40°C for 1hour. LEA gene was identified under drought and salinity stress and highest transcript was at 20% PEG for 3 hour (drought stress) and in salinity stress highest transcript was at 150 mm for 6 hour.  For Aldolase gene highest transcript was recorded after 3, 6 and 12 hr at 100 mM, 150 mM, 200 mM of salinity stress respectively.  From these studies it can be concluded that heat shock protein gene, LEA, and aldolase present in lentil which can be exploited in overcoming the abiotic stresses for obtaining the higher productivity in crop plants through genetic engineering.