Abstract: A full length cDNA of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase ( GPAT) gene was cloned from sweet pepper by using RT-PCR approach with degenerate primers based on the conserved motifs found in a number of p lant GPAT genes. The CaGPAT is 1 791 bp encoding 463 amino acids, with high homology to tomato GPAT gene. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the amino acid sequence of GPAT in sweet pepper first gathered with that in tomato, then with that in spinach. Northern blot showed that the exp ression of CaGPAT in leaves was higher than that in other organs such as roots, stems, petals and fruits. CaGPAT expression could be significantly induced by low temperature ( 8℃) for 3 h. But it could not be obviously induced by high temperature ( 35℃). The gene expression level had no obvious difference at 5℃, 10℃ and 15℃.
These results demonstrate that CaGPAT expression is closely correlated with plant responding to low temperature.

Key words: Sweet pepper, Gene clone, Gene expression, Low temperature