Transcriptional profile changes in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cv. Malbec induced by UV-B radiation

LIJAVETZKY, D; PONTIN, M; BOTTINI R; MARTINEZ-ZAPATER, JM; PICCOLI, P

Adelaide, Australia

Simposio; 8th International Symposium on Grapevine Physiology and Biotechnology; 2008

Background and Aims: Ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) is a natural component of the solar radiation that affects plant growth, development and morphology. In Mendoza (Argentina), vineyards with top reputation for premium wines are those located at altitudes of 1500 m, where UV-B reaches the higher values, with consequences on berry growth and quality. An analysis of the transcriptional profile changes produced by different UV-B treatments on grapevine plants was undertaken. Methods and Results: Grapevine cv. Malbec plants were grown 45 d under a PAR and then subjected to a similar UV-B dose (analogous to the radiation registered at 1500 m of altitude) but with two different distributions. The treatments were: a) 16 h PAR without UV-B (control) ; b) 16 h PAR + 16 h UV-B; c) 16 h PAR + 4 h UV-B. Total RNA was isolated from apical leaves and used to hybridize grapevine custom Affymetrix GeneChips (developed by the GrapeGen project) containing 23000 probe-sets. For the “4 h” treatment, a total of 4029 genes were differentially expressed (p