2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Molecular breeding for submergence tolerance in crops
| Project/Area Number |
12556002
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 展開研究 |
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| Research Field |
Breeding science
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
HIRAI Atsushi Agric. Life Sci., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, Professor, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 教授 (60023470)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
YOSHIBA Yoshu Hitachi, Ltd. Central Res. Lab. Senior Res. Sct., 中央研究所, 主任研究員
NAKAZONO Mikio Agric. Life Sci., THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, Assit. Professor, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 助手 (70282697)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2000 – 2001
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| Keywords | Acetaldehyde / Aldehyde dehydrogenase / Submergence / Rice |
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| Research Abstract |
It is known that alcoholic fermentation is important for survival of plants under anaerobic conditions. Acetaldehyde, one of the intermediates of alcoholic fermentation, is not only reduced by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) but also can be oxidized by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). To determine whether ALDH plays a role in anaerobic metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa L.), we characterized a cDNA clone encoding mitochondrial ALDH from rice (Aldh2a). Analysis of subcellular localization of ALDH2a protein and an in vitro ALDH assay indicated that ALDH2a functions in the oxidation of acetaldehyde in mitochondria. A Southern blot analysis indicated that mitochondrial ALDH is encoded by at least two genes in rice. We found that the Aldh2a mRNA was present at high levels in leaves of dark-grown seedlings, mature leaf sheaths and panicles. Interestingly, expression of the rice Aldh2a gene, unlike the expression of the tobacco Aldh2a gene, was induced in rice seedlings by submergence. A possible involvement of ALDH2a in the submergence tolerance of rice was studied.
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