Effects of space flight on glycyrrhizic acid-related gene mutation in Glycyrrhiza uralensis / 中国中药杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To substantiate the effects of spaceflight on the glycyrrhizic acid-related gene mutation in Glycyrrhiza uralensis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Licorice (G. uralensis) seeds were carried by a recoverable satellite for 18 days (the average radiation dose in the flight recovery module was 0. 102 m x d(-1), the orbit semidiameter 350 km, gravity 10(-6)). After returned to the earth, the satellite-flown seeds and the un-flown seeds (ground control) were planted in the fields of experimental farm. The leaves of each group were used for studying the effects of space flight on the glycyrrhizic acid-related gene mutation including ITS sequence and beta-amyrine synthase gene.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The ITS sequence of glycyrrhizic acid related gene showed no changes after spaceflight. While beta-amyrine synthase gene had some different points after spaceflight and the different points could get the expression.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results indicated that spaceflight induce genetic variation in G. uralensis and spaceflight could also have effects on glycyrrhizic acid-related gene mutation in G. uralensis. It may need to further research how the spaceflight induced the mutation of the glycyrrhizic acid related gene. The results suggested that recoverable satellite-flown condition could bring inheritable mutagenic effects on G. uralensis seeds and maybe used as a tool for accelerating the progress in G. uralensis breeding.</p>