Assessment of Gene Expression Pattern of Rubisco and some physiological characteristics under Cold Stress Condition in Chickpea

Abstract

Plant responses to low temperatures have been created through cold acclimation process using gene expression regulatory mechanisms. In this research, the quantitative gene expression ratio of rubisco, as an important enzyme participating in photosynthesis and cell energy production, the peroxidation of membrane fatty acids as a damage index, and the changes in proline content as one of the cell protecting mechanisms in normal, acclimation, cold stress and recovery temperatures have been assessed. Our results have shown meaningful differences between thermal treatments in studied characteristics. Increasing Rubisco gene expression accompanied by low damage index and high membrane proline has revealed the importance of Rubisco as one of the effective genes in cell response processes. At the end of cold stress situation and by starting recovery phase, Rubisco gene expression increased which is a sign of decreasing membrane damage, surveying plant cells and stabilizing a new homeostasis in chickpea. All in all, this study showed that the regulation of Rubisco gene expression related with cell protecting agents and membrane damage and can be assumed as one of the important processes in tolerant mechanisms.

Keywords

• acclimation
• cell membrane fatty acids peroxidation
• cold stress
• quantitative gene expression
• rubisco