Citrus sp. are important commercial fruit crops throughout the world that are occasionally devastated by subfreezing temperatures. Poncirus trifoliata (maximum freeze tolerance of -26°C) is a close relative of commercial Citrus sp. (maximum freeze tolerance of -10°C) that has been used in breeding programs to develop more cold-hardy genotypes and as a rootstock to enhance freeze tolerance of the scion. Species with greater freeze tolerance vary in gene expression during cold acclimating temperatures. mRNA differential display (DDRT-PCR) and quantitative relative RT-PCR were used to study down regulation of gene expression in intact P. trifoliata exposed to a gradual cold acclimation regime to enhance our understanding of the mechanism that makes this specie so freeze tolerant. Six down-regulated genes were isolated and sequenced. These down-regulated genes showed high homology to the following known genes: chlorophyll a/b binding protein, photosystem II OEC 23, carbonic anhydrase, tumor related protein, pyrrolidone-carboxylate peptid ase and β-galactosidase. Photoprotection and the global control of gene expression related to photosynthesis appear to be important mechanisms for cold acclimation of P. trifoliata. Key words: Differential display, down-regulated genes, Poncirus trifoliata, cold acclimation and quantitative relative RT-PCR
Normalisation of real-time RT-PCR gene expression measurements in Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to increased metal concentrations
