Influence of cold stress on expression of invertase and calcium-dependent protein kinase genes in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
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Date
2021-11-12
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Palampur
Abstract
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important food grain legume. Chickpea is sensitive to
cold and suffers substantial yield losses due to cold stress. Invertases hydrolyse sucrose into
glucose and fructose and play an important role in plant growth and development as well as
plants’ responses to various stresses including cold. In addition to invertases, calciumdependent protein kinases (CDPKs) modify gene expression via transcription factors to
achieve systematic plant growth/development and reaction to stresses. Information on
invertases and calcium-dependent protein kinases as well as the role of these genes in stress
tolerance/susceptibility in chickpea is unavailable. In this study, 19 invertase genes (11 cellwall invertase, one vacuolar invertase and seven alkaline/neutral invertase genes) and 31
CDPKs genes were identified in the chickpea genome. These genes were located on 7
chickpea chromosomes. A comprehensive analysis of invertase as well as CDPK genes and
proteins were performed, including gene structure, mRNA structure, cis-acting elements in
the promoter regions, phylogeny, evolutionary relationships, gene duplication events, protein
structure, motifs, domains, physiochemical properties, sub-cellular localization and
interactions of invertases as well as CDPKs with other proteins. Phylogenetic analysis
revealed that chickpea invertases were comprised of five major lineages whereas CDPKs had
four lineages. The members within the same sub-groups shared conserved domains.
Expression analysis revealed that all the invertase genes were functional in chickpea however,
these genes expressed differentially in contrasting chickpea genotype under cold stress and
Ascochyta blight infection. Expression analysis revealed that cell wall invertases were
associated in cold tolerance whereas majority of the CaCDPK genes were involved in low
temperature responses by tolerant as well as sensitive genotypes of chickpea. Invertase genes
associated with Ascochyta blight resistance in chickpea were also identified. The study laid
the foundation for unravelling the complexity of chickpea responses to cold and Ascochyta
rabiei infection and develop protocols for mitigation of cold stress in chickpea.