INVOLVEMENT OF STRESS-RELATED AND CELL-CYCLE GENES IN TRANSITION FROMSOMATIC TO EMBRYOGENIC CELLS OF ALFALFA

Recent molecular studies emphasise the functional role of stress-relat ed genes during development. We have cloned end sequenced the cDNAs of several classic heat shock proteins, a heat shock transcription facto r and a stress regulated calcium dependent protein kinase. Northern an alysis experiments showed, that the mRNA of these genes is increased n ot only during stress, but also during induction of somatic embryos. T o understand the role of these genes in the developmental process requ ires further investigation.