Identification of Serk Gene from Bract Derived Embryogenic and Non - Embryogenic Calli of Four Diploid Banana Cultivars from South India

Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase (SERK) gene is known to be a marker of somatic embryogenesis in several plant species. The present study reported the presence of SERK gene from bract derived embryogenic calli bearing somatic embryos. The analysis of the expression pattern of the SERK gene during embryogenic cell formation and somatic embryogenesis revealed that SERK expression continued during pro embryogenic mass formation. In the present study the amplified product of cDNA from the somatic embryos has molecular size 1459 bp. The non- embryogenic callus also showed the presence of faint bands. In all the samples the amplified product from β - actin primer showed bands of 650 bp with similar intensity in both the embryogenic and non- embryogenic samples.