Journal article

Evaluation of the hormonal state of columnar apple trees (Malus x domestica) based on high throughput gene expression studies


Publication Details

Journal acronymPlant Mol Biol

Author listKrost C., Petersen R., Lokan S., Brauksiepe B., Braun P., Schmidt E.R.

Publication year2013

SourcePlant Molecular Biology

Volume number81

Issue number3

Start page211

End page220

PublisherSpringer Verlag (Germany)

ISSN0167-4412

DOI10.1007/s11103-012-9992-0

LanguagesEnglish

Peer reviewed


Abstract

The columnar phenotype of apple trees (Malus x domestica)
is characterized by a compact growth habit with fruit spurs instead
of lateral branches. These properties provide significant economic
advantages by enabling high density plantings. The columnar growth
results from the presence of a dominant allele of the gene Columnar
(Co) located on chromosome 10 which can appear in a
heterozygous (Co/co) or homozygous (Co/Co)
state. Although two deep sequencing approaches could shed some light
on the transcriptome of columnar shoot apical meristems (SAMs), the
molecular mechanisms of columnar growth are not yet elaborated. Since
the influence of phytohormones is believed to have a pivotal role in
the establishment of the phenotype, we performed RNA-Seq experiments
to study genes associated with hormone homeostasis and clearly
affected by the presence of Co. Our results provide a
molecular explanation for earlier findings on the hormonal state of
columnar apple trees. Additionally, they allow hypotheses on how the
columnar phenotype might develop. Furthermore, we show a
statistically approved enrichment of differentially regulated genes
on chromosome 10 in the course of validating RNA-Seq results using
additional gene expression studies.