Cristina Marco

EcoTILLING for the identification of allelic variants of melon eIF4E, a factor that controls virus susceptibility

BackgroundTranslation initiation factors of the 4E and 4G protein families mediate resistance to several RNA plant viruses in the natural diversity of crops. Particularly, a single point mutation in melon eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) controls resistance to Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) in melon. Identification of allelic variants within natural populations by EcoTILLING has become a rapid genotype discovery method.ResultsA collection of Cucumis spp. was characterised for susceptibility to MNSV and Cucumber vein yellowing virus (CVYV) and used for the implementation of EcoTILLING to identify new allelic variants of eIF4E. A high conservation of eIF4E exonic regions was found, with six polymorphic sites identified out of EcoTILLING 113 accessions. Sequencing of regions surrounding polymorphisms revealed that all of them corresponded to silent nucleotide changes and just one to a non-silent change correlating with MNSV resistance. Except for the MNSV case, no correlation was found between variation of eIF4E and virus resistance, suggesting the implication of different and/or additional genes in previously identified resistance phenotypes. We have also characterized a new allele of eIF4E from Cucumis zeyheri, a wild relative of melon. Functional analyses suggested that this new eIF4E allele might be responsible for resistance to MNSV.ConclusionThis study shows the applicability of EcoTILLING in Cucumis spp., but given the conservation of eIF4E, new candidate genes should probably be considered to identify new sources of resistance to plant viruses. Part of the methodology described here could alternatively be used in TILLING experiments that serve to generate new eIF4E alleles.

Melon Resistance to Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus Is Characterized by Reduced Virus Accumulation.

ABSTRACT The pattern of accumulation of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV; genus Crinivirus, family Closteroviridae) RNA has been analyzed in several cucurbit accessions. In susceptible accessions of melon (Cucumis melo), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), marrow (Cucurbita maxima), and squash (Cucurbita pepo), CYSDV RNA accumulation peaked during the first to second week postinoculation in the first to third leaf above the inoculated one; younger leaves showed very low or undetectable levels of CYSDV. Three melon accessions previously shown to remain asymptomatic after CYSDV inoculation under natural conditions were also assayed for their susceptibility to CYSDV. Hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of noninoculated leaves showed that only one of these, C-105, remained virus-free for up to 6 weeks after whitefly inoculation. In this accession, very low CYSDV levels were detected by RT-PCR in whitefly-inoculated leaves, and therefore, multiplication or spread of CYSDV in C-105 plants appeared to remain restricted to the inoculated leaves. When C-105 plants were graft inoculated, CYSDV RNA could be detected in phloem tissues, but the systemic colonization of C-105 by CYSDV upon graft inoculation seemed to be seriously impeded. Additionally, in situ hybridization experiments showed that, after C-105 graft inoculation, only a portion of the vascular bundles in petioles and stems were colonized by CYSDV and virus could not be found in leaf veins. RT-PCR experiments using primers to specifically detect negative-sense CYSDV RNA were carried out and showed that CYSDV replication took place in graft-inoculated C-105 scions. Therefore, the resistance mechanism may involve a restriction of the virus movement in the vascular system of the plants and/or prevention of high levels of virus accumulation.

Effect of microbial transglutaminase on the protein fractions of rice, pea and their blends

BACKGROUND Transglutaminase (TG) is a transferase that has been used for crosslinking proteins. In general, those interactions are promoted within proteins of the same nature, and very few studies have been conducted for creating new bonds between proteins from different sources catalysed by TG. The effect of TG on the protein fractions of rice flour, pea protein isolate and their blends was studied by using different electrophoretic analyses (simple sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and multistaking SDS-PAGE under reducing and non-reducing conditions). RESULTS TG induced the disappearance of numerous protein bands as a consequence of the formation of large protein polymers, linked by isopeptidic and disulfide bonds, with reduced solubility. The main protein fractions involved in those interactions were the albumins and globulins, from the pea protein isolate, and the rice flour; and the glutelins were also crosslinked. CONCLUSION Composite flours containing the rice flour and the pea protein isolate are proposed for obtaining a protein-enriched dough with better amino acid balance. Also a protein network formed of protein aggregates of high molecular weight can be created in the presence of transglutaminase. Copyright

Effect of Transglutaminase on Protein Electrophoretic Pattern of Rice, Soybean, and Rice-Soybean Blends

ABSTRACT The interactions taking place in composite dough containing rice flour and soybean proteins (5% w/w) in the presence of transglutaminase, an enzyme with cross-linking activity, were studied using different electrophoretic analyses. The interaction between rice proteins and soybean proteins was intensified by the formation of new intermolecular covalent bonds catalyzed by transglutaminase and the indirect formation of disulfide bonds among proteins. The main protein fractions involved in those interactions were both β-conglycinin and glycinin of soybean and the glutelins of the rice flour, although albumins and globulins were also cross-linked. The addition of soybean proteins to rice flour improves the amino acid balance and they also might play an important role on the rice dough properties because soybean proteins interact with rice proteins, yielding protein aggregates of high molecular weight.