What are ESTs?

The gene expression Expressed Sequence Tags or ESTs are single-pass sequences of cDNA clones randomly chosen from a library. They have the advantage of being fast and cheap to obtain, allowing for mass production with limited expense in time and resources. The EST sequences can then be used for homology searches in public databases, retrieving significant information about the putative function of the ESTs. In this way we can collect important data on the expression pattern of the organism or tissue in question, opening the way for further studies.

Our Approaches

• Genes of special interest can be identified and the full-length sequence reconstructed. The functional analysis of specific genes can be performed following their cloning into expression vectors.
• The ESTs can be used to produce DNA arrays, a powerful tool for the analysis of the whole expression pattern of a tissue. This approach would allows for the identification of genes involved in the same metabolic pathway as well as the interactions between regulatory genes

Our statistics..

We have obtained a total of 13686 ESTs from two cDNA library of C.arabica, of roots and leaves. A total of 48 gene fragments with an NBS-LRR domain have been sequenced from two genomic library enriched for gene linked to the resistance to several pathogens. All these transcripts have been used to construct a microarray; This database essentiall features the EST sequence and their putative functional classification upon blast.