Biotech Updates

Expansin Genes Expression and Cell Expansion in Potato Organs

June 4, 2010

In plant cells, growth is restricted by the plant cell wall, which must be loosened for cell expansion to take place. Cell wall loosening occurs with the help of expansins, proteins found in the cell walls that potentially break the hydrogen bonding between primary cell wall components. There are two classes of expansins-the α-expansins (EXPA) and β-expansins (EXPB), which differ in the location where they bind to. There have been no records about the characteristics of the EXPA from potato which led Jieun Jung of the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research and colleagues to investigate the expression and regulation of nine EXPA cDNAs isolated from potato (Solanum tuberosum).

The expression of the isolated EXPA genes was examined in developing tubers and in rapidly growing etiolated stems. Results showed that several EXPA genes are expressed in expanding cells of potato tuber and stem tissues, and the expression of a number of these genes are regulated by hormones during growth.

The abstract of this research can be downloaded at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2010.04.007.