Transcript expression analysis of geranyl diphosphate synthase gene in different tissues of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.)

Monoterpenes are one of the major groups of terpenes which are present in black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) as limonene، carvacrol، thymoquinone etc. One of the key genes in monoterpene biosynthesis is geranyl diphosphate synthase (GPPS) that produces a monoterpene precursor. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the genes in black cumin. RNA was extracted، cDNA was synthesized and a partial sequence of GPPS gene was isolated using degenerate primers and sequenced. Moreover، RNA was extracted from different tissues of the species and semi-quantitative RT-PCR using specific primers of GPPS gene and GAPDH as housekeeping gene in order to study the pattern of GPPS gene expression. Results showed that transcript expression of geranyl diphosphate synthase in stem and leaf is significantly higher than that of root، capsule and seed.