TOMATO GENES EXPRESS DIFFERENTIALLY IN RESPONSE TO FUNGAL ATTACK

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) belongs to family Solanaceae that comprises more than 3000 species. Several studies are reported on various aspects of tomato genome. However, many important molecular processes have still not been studied in this important plant. Effect of fungal stress on differential gene expression was studied with the help of arbitrary primers. Differential gene expression under fungal infection showed expression of many genes that may have important implications; the expressed genes have been categorized in three categories viz. genes related to cellular metabolism, genes corresponding to defense related proteins and the genes related to poly(A) factors. Outcome of the project is expected to have important implications for the control of gene expression in tomato to improve yields and varieties.