Genetic diversity of seed storage proteins in diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid Avena species

Abstract

Genetic diversities of 106 Avena accessions, including diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid species, derived from different countries were characterized based on seed storage proteins polymorphism using SDS-PAGE. A total of 24 protein bands and 72 protein patterns were detected in all 106 accessions. The genetic similarity value varied from 0.50 to 1.00. The seed storage protein patterns were largely independent of environmental fluctuation. Accessions of the same species or with identical genome constitutions had the same or similar protein patterns. Relatively lower within-species variations were observed compared with among-species variations. The AACCDD genome hexaploid species and the AA genome diploid species were more divergent than other species, with percentages of polymorphic bands of 85.7% and 61.1% respectively. In the AA genome diploid species, the AsAs genome diploids displayed higher variations than the modified AA genome diploid species. Clustering results showed a close relationship between the hexaploid species and the AACC genome tetraploid species. The AABB genome tetraploid species were similar to the AsAs genome diploid species, with the exception of the species A. agadiriana with AABB genome constitution, which showed a close relationship with the AcAc genome diploid species A. canariensis and the polyploid species carrying the A and C genomes.