Cloning and characterization of two novel purple pepper genes (CHS and F3H)

Abstract

The complete coding sequences (CDS) of “Yunnan Purple Pepper No.1” (Capsicum annuum L.) CHS and F3H genes were amplified using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction based on the conserved sequence information of some Solanaceae plants and known highly homologous pepper ESTs. The nucleotide sequences analysis of these two genes revealed that pepper CHS gene encodes a protein of 402 amino acids that has high homology with the CHS-like protein of six species: Nicotiana tabacum (92%), Rhododendron simsii (91%), Petunia × hybrida (91%), Solanum tuberosum (90%), Vitis vinifera (90%) and Camellia chekiangoleosa (92%). Sequence analysis of the second gene revealed that the pepper F3H encodes a protein of 365 amino acids that has high homology with the proteins of eight species: N. tabacum (89%), Petunia x hybrida (88%), S. tuberosum (87%), Solanum lycopersicum (88%), Litchi chinensis (82%), Actinidia chinensis (81%), Citrus maxima (81%) and V. vinifera (82%). The tissue expression analysis indicated that the pepper CHS gene was over-expressed in pericarp, moderately in stem and flower, weakly in leaf and placenta, and hardly expressed in root and seed. The pepper F3H gene was over-expressed in pericarp; weakly in leaf, flower and seed, and hardly expressed in root, stem and placenta. Our experiment established the primary foundation for further research on these two pepper genes.

Key words: Pepper, CHS, F3H, tissue expression analysis.