Expression analysis of a family of nsLTP genes tissue specifically expressed throughout the plant and during potato tuber life cycle.

Non-specific lipid-transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are capable of binding lipid compounds in plant tissues and are coded by the nsLTP genes. Here, we present the analysis of expression of a family of potato (Solanum tuberosum) nsLTP genes that express throughout the developing plant in a highly tissue-specific manner. Three transcript-derived fragments were isolated using an amplified restriction fragment polymorphism-derived technique for RNA fingerprinting that show homology to plant nsLTP genes. These transcript-derived fragments displayed modulated expression profiles related to the development of new tissues, with a peak of transcription around the time of tuberization and just prior to sprout development, at dormancy breakage. In addition, a homologous family of expressed sequence tags was identified whose individual members could be classified according to their tissue specificity. Two subgroups of expressed sequence tags were found to express during tuber life cycle. To study the regulation of potato nsLTP genes, two putative potato nsLTP promoters were isolated and their expression was studied using promoter-marker-gene fusions. The results showed that one of the two promoters directed a highly specific pattern of expression detected in the phloem surrounding the nodes of young plants and in the same tissue of tuber related organs, whereas the second putative promoter showed little tissue or organ specificity. This difference in expression is likely due to a 331-bp insertion present in the tissue-specific promoter.