Sains Malaysiana 47(8)(2018): 1709–1723

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4708-10

Cloning and Analysis of the Eg4CL1 Gene and Its Promoter from Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

(Pengklonan dan Analisis Gen Eg4CL1 dan Promoternya daripada Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.))

YUSUF CHONG YU LOK^1,2, IDRIS ABU SEMAN³, NOR AINI AB SHUKOR^4,5, MOHD NORFAIZULL MOHD NOR⁶ & MOHD PUAD ABDULLAH^6*

¹Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kampus Jasin, 77300 Merlimau, Melaka, Malaysia

²Agricultural Biotechnology Research Group, Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

³Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), No 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁴Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁵Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Product, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁶Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences,

Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Diserahkan: 9 September 2016/Diterima: 26 April 2018

ABSTRACT

The empty fruit bunches of oil palm have been used as the raw material to produce biofuel. However, the lignin present in oil palm tissues hampers the enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass and lower the yield of biofuel produced. Hence, various efforts were taken to identify the lignin biosynthetic genes in oil palm and to investigate their regulation at the molecular level. In this study, a lignin biosynthetic gene, Eg4CL1 and its promoter were isolated from the oil palm. Eg4CL1 contains the acyl-activating enzyme consensus motif and boxes I & II which are present in other 4CL homologs. Eg4CL1 was clustered together with known type I 4CL proteins involved in lignin biosynthesis in other plants. Gene expression analysis showed that Eg4CL1 was expressed abundantly in different organs of oil palm throughout the course of development, reflecting its involvement in lignin biosynthesis in different organs at all stages of growth. The presence of the lignification toolbox - AC elements in the 1.5 kb promoter of Eg4CL1 further suggests the potential role of the gene in lignin biosynthesis in oil palm. Together, these results suggested that Eg4CL1 is a potential candidate gene involved in lignin biosynthesis in oil palm.

Keywords: Biofuel; lignin; oil palm; promoter; 4CL

ABSTRAK

Tandan kosong buah kelapa sawit telah digunakan sebagai bahan asas untuk menghasilkan biofuel. Walau bagaimanapun, lignin yang terdapat dalam tisu kelapa sawit menghalang proses sakarifikasi enzimatik biojisim lignoselulosa dan mengurangkan hasil bahan api biologi yang dihasilkan. Oleh itu, pelbagai usaha telah diambil untuk mengenal pasti gen biosintesis lignin dalam kelapa sawit dan untuk mengkaji pengawalaturannya pada peringkat molekul. Dalam kajian ini, gen biosintesis lignin, Eg4CL1 dan promoternya telah dipencilkan daripada kelapa sawit. Eg4CL1 mengandungi motif konsensus enzim pengaktifan asil dan kotak I & II yang terdapat dalam homolog 4CL yang lain. Eg4CL1 berkelompok bersama dengan protein 4CL yang diketahui terlibat dalam biosintesis lignin dalam tumbuhan lain. Analisis pengekspresan gen menunjukkan bahawa Eg4CL1 diekspres dengan banyak dalam organ kelapa sawit yang berbeza pada semua peringkat pertumbuhan, mencerminkan penglibatannya dalam biosintesis lignin dalam organ yang berbeza pada semua peringkat pertumbuhan. Kehadiran peti alat lignifikasi - unsur AC dalam promoter Eg4CL1 1.5 kb selanjutnya menyokong potensi gen ini yang berperanan dalam biosintesis lignin pada pokok kelapa sawit. Secara keseluruhannya, keputusan kajian ini mencadangkan Eg4CL1 sebagai calon gen yang berpotensi terlibat dalam biosintesis lignin pada pokok kelapa sawit.

Kata kunci: Biofuel; kelapa sawit; lignin; promoter; 4CL

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: puad@upm.edu.my