Induction of homologous low temperature and ABA-responsive genes in frost resistant (Solanum commersonii) and frost-sensitive (Solanum tuberosum cv. Bintje) potato species.

A DNA fragment corresponding to a low-temperature- and ABA-responsive gene (Scdhn1) was amplified by PCR from genomic DNA of a wild, frost-resistant potato species, Solanum commersonii. A homologous gene (Stdhn1) was identified in Solanum tuberosum cv. Bintje, a frost-sensitive domesticated potato cultivar. The expression of the gene was studied during low temperature and ABA treatments in both Solanum species. The analysis revealed that both low temperature and ABA lead to the accumulation of a 1 kb transcript that corresponded to the PCR fragment. The induction of the gene was relatively rapid and maximum amounts of the transcripts were detected already after 1 day and 7 h of treatment with low temperature and ABA, respectively. Previous results have shown that there is no increase in the amount of endogenous ABA in S. tuberosum during low-temperature treatment, which indicates that two independent signalling pathways lead to the induction of this gene.