Study on the structure of OeAOX2 gene related to rooting among native olive genotypes (Olea europea L.) of Iran

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most important fruit crops throughout the Mediterranean Basin, mainly propagated by cuttings. One of the fundamental processes in woody plant propagation, especially olive is rooting ability of cuttings. Rooting ability in various plants and ecotypes is different significantly. Also, many genes are affecting rooting ability process in plants. One of these is OeAOX2 gene which plays a central role in the balance of reactive oxygen species in plants. OeAOX2 as a candidate gene has been introduced and it induces rooting in an Italian olive population (Cross progenies of Leccino and Dolce Agogia). In this project, rooting ability of 99 semi-hard cutting of Iranian olive genotypes was studied from different provinces of Iran, so genotypes with high- and low-rooting ability were determined. Then, the full length of OeAOX2 gene was evaluated in two Iranian olive genotypes such as Dalahoo (high rooting) and Uzineh (low rooting) from Kermanshah and Golestan provinces, respectively. Also, the sequence of this gene was studied in 20 Iranian olive genotypes with high and low rooting in 5’UTR and exon 1 region. Bioinformatics studies of the OeAOX2 gene indicated that there are many polymorphisms in the introns, but only one polymorphism was observed in the exon levels. On the other hand, polymorphism of the OeAOX2 gene in 20 Iranian olive genotypes did not lead to protein alteration and probably it influenced rooting induction in transcript level.