Establishing protocols for the isolation of RNA, protein, and the metabolites from potato tubers treated with 1,4- dimethylnaphthalene

Abstract:

Potatoes are ranked the third most important food crop in the world for human consumption, making this crop a vital year-round staple requiring extended storage. Manipulation of temperature, light, and most successfully the use of sprouting inhibitors, can extend storage life and reduce spoilage of potatoes. The compound 1,4-dimethylnaphalene (DMN) is utilized by growers globally as a sprout inhibitor, but its mode of action is poorly understood particularly with respect to changes at the transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic levels. Throughout a potato’s storage cycle, potatoes go through different stages of dormancy including endo-dormancy, or deep dormancy, and eco-dormancy. Endo-dormancy occurs right after harvest and is due to physiological mechanisms within the potato that suppress sprouting even under favorable conditions. Eco-dormancy is a transition in which environmental factors control sprouting. Our goal in this project is to analyze differences in genetic responses in these periods of dormancy following the treatment of DMN to better understand the underlying mechanisms in which these changes occur. Protocols are established as well as standard procedures for the treatment, storage, extraction, and analysis of the endo-dormant and eco-dormant tubers treated with DMN. Samples will be assessed at the transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic level.