Expression profile of a gene in response to various abiotic and biotic stresses provides an insight in to its possible role in
stresses. An Early Responsive to Dehydration (ERD) 15 gene (SlERD15) was cloned from the cultivated tomato (Ailsa Craig)
having open reading frame of 486 bp and an intron of 102 bp. SlERD15 encodes 162 amino acids in contrast to 156 amino
acids of previously reported ERD15 (SGN-U214024). SlERD15 encoded protein has a conserved motif PAM2. SlERD15
transcript accumulation was higher in older leaves and tomato fruit at colour break stage than in other plant organs. Expression
profile revealed increase in transcript level of SlERD15 on exposure of Ailsa Craig to dehydration (drought), salinity, ABA,
ethylene, GA3 and salicylic acid. Messenger RNA level of SlERD15 was decreased initially followed by increase in response
to heat and wounding stress. While, transient rise in mRNA level of SlERD15 was noticed in response to cold stress. The
transcript accumulation during seed imbibition also revealed its involvement in early responses due to osmotic stress. There
was a clear difference in mRNA level of ERD15 from two (Solanum lycopersicum and S. pennellii) species when observed
round the clock. This difference in expression patterns as well as in amino acid sequence provides a clue of diversity in function
and regulatory mechanism of the gene from two different sources. Moreover, some information about some other putative ERD
genes from tomato has been presented.
