1Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Jalukbari-781 013, Assam, India
*Corresponding Author: Manjusha Das Gupta, Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Jalukbari-781 013, Assam, India, Email: dasguptamanjusha1291@gmail.com
Online published on 10 July, 2023.
Pigmented rice particularly, red and black rice have come into prominence due to their promising antioxidant property. In Assam, all major ecotypes of paddy viz., Ahu, Sali, Bao, Boro have large number of indigenous landraces with red kernel. Although Assam is recognised as a secondary centre of origin and diversity yet gene erosion is assuming serious proportion. It is acknowledged that many indigenous cultivars are facing extinction and there is apprehension that many may be lost even before they are evaluated and characterised. Among different methods, seed protein profile is recognised as fingerprint for a race by International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) as it can resolve interspecific and intraspecific variation without ambiguity.
The present study involves, molecular characterisation and genetic diversity analysis of pigmented and non-pigmented landraces. Seed protein profiles for the paddy landraces were worked out by SDS-PAGE. SDS-PAGE was carried out with two phase gradient buffer system with upper stacking gel and lower separating gel to ensure denaturation of protein while migrating through it.
Among the twenty landraces a total of 15 proteins bands were observed in the size range of 12.1 Kd to >122.0 Kd. Highest protein bands were observed in cultivar Ranjit Amon, Bismuthi and Boro (ecotype) all with 15 protein bands. On the other hand, lowest protein bands were recorded in Amona with only 9 bands. Among the protein bands six with molecular weight >122.0 Kd; 112.0 Kd; 97.4 Kd, 90.0 Kd and 15.0 Kd were consistently found in all the landraces. The dendrogram revealed a total of four clusters. The landrace Amona (red) did not belong to the any cluster and most distantly related to others. On the other hand, some are genetically identical. Agnisali, Suhagmani and Tengeri (all white) had no genetic distance between them and hence identical at molecular level. Within the same cluster both red and white rice landraces were observed. Our study suggested that several proteins bands were detected only on specific rice and it could be as biochemical markers for further research.
Cultivars, Indigenous, Non-pigmented, Pigmented, SDS-PAGE
