Functional analysis of drought responsive genes of cicer arientum
Student name: Ms Pratiksha Jain
Guide: Dr. Ramakrishnan Sitaraman
Year of completion: 2011
Host Organisation: National Institute of Plant Genome Research
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Debasis Chattopadhyay
Abstract: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important legume crops worldwide and a major
source of protein. Drought represents a major constraint to chickpea yield, thus, understanding
of the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance is needed for successful, knowledgebased
crop improvement. In this perspective, transcript profiles of ESTs derived from subtractive
cDNA libraries of two chickpea varieties having contrasting levels of drought-tolerance were
compared to identify putative stress-induced genes. Some new genes (unclassified) whose
function had not yet been analyzed were also found. This project involves functional analysis of
four such genes by taking yeast as the working model system. These genes were heterologously
expressed in yeast and their tolerance to ionic (NaCl, KCl, LiCl) and non-ionic osmotic (sorbitol)
stresses was assayed vis-Ã -vis wild type.
Key Words: chickpea, drought tolerance, ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags), subtractive cDNA
library, functional analysis
