Analysis of Two Clonal Lines (Embryogenic and Non-Embryogenic) of Agave fourcroydes Using AFLP and MSAP

Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis is a very efficient way to propagate economically important plants; however, not all genotypes within a species can be propagated using this method, as a combined effect of both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms may be involved in the response. The aim of the present study was to perform a comparative analysis of the genetic differences through amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and the epigenetic differences through methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) of two Agave fourcroydes clonal lines, one highly embryogenic (K33) and the other non-embryogenic (K7). Genetic and epigenetic variabilities existed within each clonal line; however, the polymorphic profiles from the two marker systems allowed us to clearly distinguish the two clonal lines before somatic embryogenesis induction. During the induction, the changes detected were mainly 1) unmethylated fragments in the initial explants that were methylated during induction (methylation events) and 2) fragments with different methylation states in the initial explant that were unmethylated in some stages of the process (demethylation events). K33 showed greater dynamism in relation to methylation/demethylation events, while K7 presented the methylation events in a more constant range and at higher levels during all process.