ISHS Acta Horticulturae 444: III International Symposium on Kiwifruit
MOLECULAR INVESTIGATIONS INTO DIOECY IN ACTINIDIA CHINENSIS |
| Authors: | Lena G. Fraser, C. F. Harvey, G. P. Gill |
| Keywords: | Actinidia chinensis, dioecy, sex determination, cDNA, differential |
| Abstract:
The diploid species Actinidia chinensis has been used to investigate the molecular controls of sex determination in the genus Actinidia. As all known species of the genus are dioecious it is assumed that dioecy preceded speciation. cDNA libraries were constructed from female and male buds of a sibling family of A. chinensis at pre- and post-meiotic stages of pollen development when the sexual differences are being expressed. Radioactive probes made from both female and male RNAs have permitted the identification and isolation of differential cDNA clones from the post-meiotic libraries. The characterization of these colonies is ongoing, and may distinguish genes involved in pollen fertility and development. To help identify differential cDNA clones which are important in sex determination, sequence homology has been sought in the databases. One of the differential clones so far isolated shows high sequence homology to the fil 1 protein expressed in the filaments of the anther and at the base of the petals in snapdragon. | |
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