Identification and Expression Analysis of Dormancy Associated Mads-BOX and Flowering Locus T Genes in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze)

DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-BOX (DAM) gene and FlOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene are involved with dormancy induction and release in several perennial plant species. According to the differential gene expression profiles between dormant and sprouting buds in tea plant, two DAM and one FT cDNAs were cloned and characterized. Further sequence data was obtained from Illumina sequence of the whole tea genome. Sequence analysis showed that FT gene has a 525bp open reading frame encoding 174 amino acid residues, and two DAM genes have 657bp and 693 bp open reading frames respectively, encoding 218 and 230 amino acid residues. DAM and FT genes in tea plant have high sequence homology with the genes cloned in other species. Gene expression patterns were monitored in buds and leaves at different dormant stages in winter. Subsequently, both FT and DAM genes were constructed into pCAMBIA binary vector with CaMV 35s promoter, and transformed into Arabidopsis and poplar successfully. Further results from these studies will be presented.