A passion fruit putative ortholog of the SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE1 gene is expressed throughout the in vitro de novo shoot organogenesis developmental program

Rocha, Diego Ismael; Monte-Bello, Carolina Cassano; Aizza, Lilian Cristina Baldon; Dornelas, Marcelo Carnier

A passion fruit putative ortholog of the SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR KINASE1 gene is expressed throughout the in vitro de novo shoot organogenesis developmental program

2016

Rocha, Diego Ismael | Monte-Bello, Carolina Cassano | Aizza, Lilian Cristina Baldon | Dornelas, Marcelo Carnier

The SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE1 (SERK1) gene is known to be related to early somatic and zygotic embryogenesis of numerous species. However, few studies have also shown the involvement of this gene during de novo shoot organogenesis developmental program. Here we report the cloning and characterization of the gene expression pattern of a Passiflora edulis putative ortholog, named PeSERK1, during DNSO-induction from hypocotyl and root explants. PeSERK1 likely encodes a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase showing high sequence similarity to other known SERK1 proteins. The results of in situ hybridization experiments evidenced a dynamic spatial expression pattern for PeSERK1 throughout the DNSO pathway. PeSERK1 transcripts were already detected at the initial hypocotyl and root explants, coincidental with provascular tissue differentiation. After 1 week of culture, PeSERK1 expression was also observed in cells with an intense mitotic activity, at the site of callus initiation. The PeSERK1 expression was observed mainly in actively dividing cells from which meristemoids, shoot-like structures or provascular elements were produced. At later stages of DNSO-induction, PeSERK1 was preferentially expressed at the differentiating shoot apical meristem, including the leaf primordia, and in the procambium. These data indicate that PeSERK1 might have a role during the organogenesis developmental program in Passiflora, apparently associated with the differentiation processes and with the maintenance of a cellular-competent state.

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