Isolation and detection of transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) in NaCl-stressed black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) using cDNA-AFLP analysis

Plant physiology and biochemistry are both affected by salinity, which is an important abiotic stressor. In this study, we identified transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) in response to salt stress in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) using cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) analysis. Seventy-four TDFs were identified in the leaves of two-year-old plants after NaCl treatment (500 mM for 0, 5, 10 and 15 days). Based on the gene ontology (GO) terminology, 30 TDFs shared high homology with known genes and were classified into 6 groups: metabolism-related factors, defense-related proteins, transcription factors, stress and signal transduction-related factors and energy-related factors. Eight TDFs were selected for further study, and their expression patterns in the leaves were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at different stages of salt stress. Our data provide a theoretical basis for research on the mechanisms of salt tolerance in woody plants.