Abstract

CASTRO GUZMAN, Sonia; OGATA AGUILAR, Nisao; CANO ASSELEIH, Leticia M.  and  SANCHEZ SANCHEZ, Odilón. Variability of the nuclear gene G3pdh in Jatropha curcas L.. Polibotánica [online]. 2015, n.40, pp.99-107. ISSN 1405-2768.

Jatropha curcas L. is native of tropical America; in our country it has mainly been used as a medicinal and food since pre-Hispanic times. Currently the oil extracted from its seeds has gained international importance as it can be transformed into biodiesel. The knowledge on the genetic variability of the species is scarce. A gene used successfully for the study of patterns of variation and origin of cassava (Manihot esculenta L.) and cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is the nuclear gene G3PDH (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase) involved in photosynthesis. In this paper, we used the same gene to explore its variability in J. curcas. Fifteen populations from different areas of Mexico were examined (Veracruz, Campeche, Yucatán y Quintana Roo). The gene was amplified using primers originally designed by Strand et al. (1977) to isolate around 1000 bp. Two additional internal primers designed by Olsen y Schaal (1999) were used to amplify shorter sections of 600 and 800 bp approximately. As a result a 500 bp section of the G3pdh of J. curcas L. was amplified and tested for variation at population level showing its usefulness for studies of genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns.

Keywords : gene G3pdh; genetic diversity; haplotypes.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )