Author(s)

Takashi Yuasa, Yushi Ishibashi, Mari Iwaya-Inoue

Department of Bioresource Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan..

Floral and reproductive organs of higher plants are relatively sensitive to biotic and abiotic stresses compared with the vegetative organs. Calcineurin B-like molecule (CBL) interacting protein kinase (CIPK) has appeared to be involved in acquired tolerance and acclimation under environmental stresses such as salinity, drought and chilling. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR using the vegetative and reproductive organs of tomato Micro-Tom (Solanum lycopersicum L.) at the various developmental stages indicated that SlCIPK2 was expressed specifically in the floral organ. An anti-CIPK specific antibody recognized the recombinant SlCIPK2 specifically and cross-reacted to a CIPK-related polypeptide at a significant level in flower, particularly in stamen. The flower specific CIPK was tightly associated with the microsomes. In vitro pull-down assay of the recombinant SlCIPK2 showed that SlCIPK2 interacts with SlCBLs and stress-responsive transcription factors, SlERF7, SlCBF1 and SlAREB1. The present data suggested that the flower-specific CIPK, SlCIPK2, was involved in calcium signaling in tomato via CBLs and stress tolerance possibly mediated by the stress-responsive transcription factors in stamen.

Calcium; CBL; CIPK; Flower; SnRK; Tomato

Yuasa, T. , Ishibashi, Y. and Iwaya-Inoue, M. (2012) A Flower Specific Calcineurin B-Like Molecule (CBL)-Interacting Protein Kinase (CIPK) Homolog in Tomato Cultivar Micro-Tom (Solanum lycopersicum L.). American Journal of Plant Sciences, 3, 753-763. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2012.36091.