Full Length Research Paper

Differential expressions of putative genes in various floral organs of the Pigeon orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum) using GeneFishing

Faridah, Q. Z. ^{1, 2}, Ng, B. Z.³, Raha, A. R. ⁴, Umi, K. A. B. ⁵ and Khosravi, A. R.^2*

¹Department of Biology, Faculty Science, University Putra Malaysia.

²Biodiversity Unit, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia.

³Sime Darby, Technology Centre Sdn. Bhd, Selangor, Malaysia.

⁴Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular, Sciences, University Putra Malaysia.

⁵Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (MARDI).

*Corresponding author. E-mail: alikho@gmail.com. Tel.: +60172657685.

Accepted 18 May, 2009

Nine Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) were detected in the five floral organs of Dendrobium crumenatum and three DEGs of relatively high expression in the column, were significantly homologous to the small Heat Shock Protein (HSP) differentially regulated during pollen development and heat stress in tobacco (DEG3-8), pectin methylesterase enzyme (PME) which was a male-flower specific gene in Salix gilgiana (DEG6-1) and the 14-3-3 protein which was differentially expressed and upregulated in Malus x domestica (DEG9-9) during fruit ripening. Generally, the differential expressions of the DEGs in the column and other floral organs were distinct, indicating the suppressive role of column DEGs on other floral organ DEGs. Interactions between the other floral DEGs (excluding column DEGs) indicated pattern expression specificity to each floral organ. Following this investigation, further molecular expression investigations are required and essential to develop and establish an orchid floral ontogenic model.

Key words: Dendrobium crumenatum, Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs), floral organs.