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Next Generation Sequencing and de novo Transcriptome Analysis for Prediction of Biosynthetic Genes Involved in Nigella sativa L. Secondary Metabolites Biosynthesis
Project
Project code: JKI-ZGO-08-4185
Contract period: 01.01.2017
- 31.12.2017
Purpose of research: Applied research
Nigella (Nigella sativa L.) is a traditional herb possessing a wide range of biological activities such as antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, antitumor and hepatoprotective. The most important active principles of nigella seed include thymoquinone (TQ), thymol, carvacrol, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone (nigellone), nigellicine, nigellidine and a-hedrin Nevertheless, most of the known pharmacological actions have been attributed to TQ. The biosynthetic pathway of TQ and other active ingredients is not clear. Insufficient genome and transcriptome sequencing data complicate research on the metabolic pathway of TQ and other nigella active metabolites. For the first time in the present study, transcriptomes of nigella seeds will be analyzed. Using NGS technology, a paired-end transcriptome sequencing of nigella seeds of different developmental stages differing for TQ content, will be provided. The transcripts will be annotated against the Nr protein database from NCBI. To investigate the putative function of each transcript, gene ontology (GO) analysis will be carried out. The transcripts will also be aligned to the Plant Transcription Factor Database to identify the TFs which regulate the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds. Metabolic pathway mapping of transcripts will be performed, using the KEGG automatic annotation server, to identify the candidate genes involved in the secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Analysis of differential gene expression will also be performed to reveal the pattern of gene expression. Transcriptome sequencing data will assist in the functional characterization of potential candidate genes involved in the key metabolic pathways and will serve as a basis for future studies on this species.
Section overview
Subjects
- Plant Breeding
- Specialised crops
- Genetic Resources
Framework programme
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Institute for Breeding Research on Horticultural Crops (JKI-ZG)