Env Exp Biol (2011) 9: 75–81

haumatin-like protein gene copy number variation in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Abstract

Copy number variations (CNVs) are structural variations in genomes, resulting from the duplication of a section of DNA that is usually from one kilobase to several megabases in size. The aim of this research was to investigate gene copy number variation in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). Twenty nine Scots pine trees from a research pine plantation were tested for CNVs of a thaumatin-like protein (TLP) gene, by utilising real-time PCR with TaqMan probes and a relative quantification approach. DNA quantitation results indicated that CNVs of the TLP gene were detected in the analysed samples. The results were confirmed by repeating the quantitation analysis using a different endogenous control. In addition, all members of an open-pollinated half sib family had increased copy numbers of the TLP gene, indicating the genetic basis of these results. The results presented in this paper are to our knowledge the first reported results of CNV polymorphism in a conifer species.