ISOLATION OF MESSENGER-RNA SPECIES-RELATED TO THE ROOTING INDUCTION IN ALMOND AND APPLE THROUGH THE DIFFERENTIAL DISPLAY TECHNIQUE

Differential display of mRNA has been recently developed as a tool to detect and characterize changes in gene expression. We applied this te chnique to fruit trees plantlets induced to root in vitro, in order to isolate and study genes involved in root induction. A reproducible pa ttern of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products was obtained, both i n almond and apple, in vertical polyacrylamide gels stained with ethid ium bromide. Differences in PCR fingerprinting were detected in mRNAs of basal part of either auxin induced or non induced microcuttings. Th us, we suggest that this technique can be used in woody species to det ect changes among mRNA populations during root induction.