Identification of seed dormancy related genes in passionflowers species cultivated in Colombia. Identification of the seed dormancy related homologous genes SNL2, CYP707A1 and LIG6 in cultivated species of the genus Passiflora

Species of the genus Passiflora present difficulties for their sexual propagation, due to the presence of physical and physiological dormancy in their seeds. Despite the impact of this dormancy in passion flowers, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate this trait. The objective of this study was to identify in four species of the genus Passiflora cultivated and sampled in the Huila Department of Colombia, the homologs of the main regulatory genes of seed-dormancy, previously characterized in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. These species are Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa (maracuyá), Passiflora edulis f. edulis (gulupa), Passiflora ligularis (granadilla) and Passiflora maliformis (Cholupa). Methodology: Using a degenerate primer strategy based on multiple alignments, it was possible to amplify and sequence the target genes in some of the Passiflora species. The nucleotide and derived protein sequences were used to verify their identity and establish their phylogenetic relationships with other plant homologs. Results: The partial sequences of the genes CYP707A1 of maracuyá (P. edulis f. flavicarpa), gulupa (P. edulis f. edulis) and cholupa (P. maliformis), LIG6 of granadilla (P. ligularis) and cholupa (P. maliformis), and SNL2 in cholupa (P. maliformis) were identified for the first time, confirming their identity and presence of conserved protein domains, allowing to realize a phylogenetic analysis with other homologs belonging to other plant species. The partial nucleotide and derived protein sequences obtained by the present study belong to cultivated specimen of Colombian origin. The sequencing study was carried out attending all legal considerations as part of the Framework Contract for Access to Genetic Resources and their Derivative Products No. 212 of July 19, 2018 (File RGE 287-1), signed before the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.