Abstract Detail

Genetics Section

Katseanes, Kara M. [1], Johnson, Deborah Alongi [1], Hill, Jeffrey P. [1].

Identification of Sugar Transporter Genes in Selaginella kraussiana.

Monosaccharide transporters (MSTs) belong to a gene superfamily that is present in all organisms and has fundamentally important functions in many physiological processes. Identification of these genes across all evolutionarily important groups of plants will help us to evaluate how MST genes have evolved in the broader context of the origin and diversification of land plants. Using degenerate primers designed by the CODEHOP algorithm, a 1510 base pair fragment of a gene has been amplified, cloned and sequenced from Selaginella kraussiana, a species from the most primitive group of non-seed vascular land plants, the Lycophytes. A BLASTX search of GenBank protein database identified more than 35 MST genes with significant similarity to the Selaginella sequence (e values of e-120 or less). This partial gene sequence will be compared phylogenetically with MST genes from an alga, a fern (a more evolved non-seed vascular plant), Spruce (a gymnosperm or non-flowering seed plant), and Arabidopsis (a flowering plant) and a phylogenetic tree will be used to enhance our understanding of biodiversity and gene family evolution. This phylogenetic analysis is an early step in the full characterization of this gene family in this most primitive group of non-seed vascular land plants and will help illustrate how the MST gene family evolved in plants

1 - Idaho State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Campus Box 8007, Pocatello, Idaho, 83209-8007, USA

Keywords:
bioinformatics
Selaginella kraussiana
monosaccharide transporter genes
gene family
alteration of generations
comparative genomics
lycophyte
non-seed plant.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 32-51
Location: Special Event Center (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004
Time: 12:30 PM
Abstract ID:601