Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Potongan DNA Gen Sterol Metiltransferase 1 (SMT1) Asal Kelapa Sawit

Abstract

Slow height increment is a desirable character in oil palm breeding, and brassinosteroid is an important hormone associated with the character. Sterol methyltransferase 1 (SMT1) is a key gene associated with brassinosteroid biosynthesis. One of the molecular marker development approaches is identifying and characterization of genes associated with the target character. The study aims to isolate and characterize the nucleotide sequence diversity of the SMT1 gene. PCR amplification of the SMT1 gene from Elaeis oleifera (E.o.), E. guineensis (E.g.), and their hybrids (E.g. × E.o.) was done using SMT1 gene-specific primers. The SMT1 gene fragment representing partial intron 8, exons 9, intron 9, and partial exon 10 was successfully amplified and the fragment sequenced in this study. The total nucleotide sequences found in this study were between 501-505 bp, encoded a ranged from 104-105 amino acid residues. A conserved domain of the amino acid residues associated with brassinosteroid biosynthesis was identified in the translated polypeptide, confirming the amplicon’s identity as the SMT1 gene fragment. The identified SMT1 gene nucleotide sequence variabilities may be used to develop molecular markers useful for oil palm breeding programs, especially for the low height increment character.

Keywords: Brasinosteroid, dwarf stature, sterol