Thesis supervisor: Zsuzsanna Benyóné György
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding Abbreviation of location of studies: GNT
Description of the research topic:
The rhizome and roots of this species accumulate many pharmaceutically active substances, belonging to various chemical groups. The most important compounds are the phenolglycoside salidroside and its aglycone tyrosol and phenylpropanoide glycosides of cinnamic alcohol such as rosin, rosavin, rosarin. The aim of the project is to gain more information about the genetic background of the glycoside synthesis in Rhodiola rosea. In course of the work whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of genotypes with extreme high or extreme low salidroside content will be performed and a draft genome will be assembled. Genes encoding the enzymes of the salidroside biosynthesis pathway will be identified and studied. Other salidroside biosynthesis related genes will be identified based on data mining in GeneBank looking for homologous. SNPs or other sequence variations will be identified that may lead to altered amino acid sequence of the studied enzymes or altered expression of the encoding genes, which might be the reason for different glycoside accumulation patterns of the genotypes.