Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Biology

Supervisor

Dr. Mark Bernards

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important and widely cultivated crop. A substantial cause of soybean yield loss is due to root rot caused by the pathogen Phytophthora sojae. There is an established correlation between preformed soybean root aliphatic suberin and high levels of partial resistance to P. sojae. Since fatty acid ω-hydroxylase (FAωH), which introduces a second functional group to fatty acids, is a critical enzyme in suberin biosynthesis, characterization of soybean FAωHs was undertaken. Six putative soybean FAωHs (Gm FAωHs) were identified using a sequence-based in silico approach. Gene-specific primers were developed and relative expression was analyzed across various tissues using RT-PCR. While differential expression patterns were detected for Gm FAωH-1, Gm FAωH-2, Gm FAωH-3 and Gm FAωH-4, neither Gm FAωH-5 nor Gm FAωH-6 were detected in any of the tissues examined. In comparison with RNA-Seq and EST in silico data, RT-PCR profiles revealed contrasting expression patterns.

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