Isolation and Expression Analysis of a SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE (SERK) Gene in Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep

Somatic embryogenesis provides a useful tool to facilitate efficient mass propagation in plants. The SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE (SERK) gene serves a fundamentally important role in somatic embryogenesis of many plant species. The isolation of a SERK gene homolog, namely CaSERK, from Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep. cv. Blue Tung, was reported. Prediction of coding sequence showed that it encoded a protein of 628 amino acids showing high similarity to previously characterized SERK sequences and containing all the features shared by members of the SERK family, including five leucine-rich repeats and the distinctive proline-rich SPP domain. Investigation of CaSERK expression revealed that its transcripts were found throughout the whole somatic embryogenesis process with highest abundance in embryogenic callus. These results indicate that CaSERK might have somatic embryogenesis-associated functions in this economically important ornamental ginger. Detection of CaSERK transcript accumulation in flower and coma bract tissues is suggestive of its additional roles in other developmental signaling pathways.