Reduction in genome size and DNA methylation alters plant and fruit development in tissue culture induced off-type banana (Musa spp.)
Loading...
Date
2011
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JAPS
Abstract
Shoot tip in vitro micropropagation of banana (Musa AAA East Africa) cv.’ Uganda’ resulted
in off-type plants with an altered plant and fruit development. This study was carried out to
determine epigenetic mechanisms underlying the altered plant and fruit development of the
in vitro derived off-type banana. The off-type banana was compared with in vitro
micropropagation (MP) derived normal banana and conventionally propagated (CP) banana
plants with no tissue culture history in their ancestry as controls. Plant development was
estimated based on plant height, girth and number of days from planting to flowering. Fruit
development was measured as the number of days from flowering to fruit maturation and
senescence. Mechanisms underlying the altered plant and fruit development were
determined based on global cytosine DNA methylation and 2C nuclear DNA content. Leaf
cytosine DNA methylation and 2C nuclear DNA content were determined using reversed
phase HPLC and flow cytometer, respectively. Results showed that the off-type banana was
significantly (P < 0.05) taller and delayed to flower compared with the MP and CP derived
banana. Similarly, the fruits of the off-type banana had significantly (P< 0.05) longer
maturation, ripening and senescence periods than those of the true-totype fruits. The offtype
derived plants had lower (P < 0.05) leaf global cytosine DNA methylation and 2C
nuclear DNA amount compared with the MP and CP derived plants. These findings
suggest that the altered plant and fruit development of the of-type banana are possibly
under the control of reduced cytosine DNA methylation and nuclear DNA content. Further
studies are required to identify specific genes which affect plant and fruit development upon
undergoing demethylation.
Description
Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 2011. Vol. 11, Issue 3: 1450-1456
Keywords
Plant development, Fruit development, DNA methylation, Nuclear DNA content, In vitro induced off-type banana