A. S. Kochevenko^1,2, A. R. Fernie²

¹Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
²Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Golm, Germany;
e-mail: andkochevenko@gmail.com

This study presents evidence for the role of ВСАТ3 and ВСАТ4 proteins in the synthesis of branched-chain-amino-acids in tomato Solanum lycopersicum. ВСАТ3 and ВСАТ4 genes were located­ on tomato chromosomal map by RFLP method (restriction fragment length polymorphism). Using confocal microscopy it was shown that BCAT3-GFP and BCAT4-GFP fusion proteins were localised in chloroplasts. It was observed that these aminotransferase isoforms exhibited distinct kinetic­ properties and a differential expression pattern of mRNA levels in various tomato tissues.

Keywords: aminotransferases, branched-chain-amino-acids, green fluorescent protein, recombinant protein, Solanum lycopersicum