Identification and expression characterization of dhurrin pathway genes in sugarcane. Dhurrin Pathway in Sugarcane

The relationship of modern sugarcane hybrids to Saga varsicolor raises the intriguing possibility that sugarcane possesses an evolutionarily conserved dhurrin biosynthetic pathway. Using sorghum exemplar transcripts the cognate transcript was assembled in sugarcane and verified by magnetic bead capture. MinION sequencing and structural modelling. Cyanogenic potential and expression profiling was performed in developing seedlings and in older seedlings upon the addition of nitrogen. Dhurrn accumulation in sugarcane is used as a nitrogen store rather than as the basis for defence against predation.