Differential transcript accumulation in seedling and mature shoots identifies components contributing to corn earworm resistance
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ABSTRACT: As maize seedlings germinate into the soil, they encounter an environment teeming with insects seeking rich sources of nutrition. Maize presumably has developed a number of molecular mechanisms to ensure survival at the beginning of its life cycle. Bioassays indicated maize seedlings were more toxic to caterpillars than shoots from 3 or 4 leafed plants. Microarray technology was utilized to document the expression of a number of genes with potential defensive functions in seedling tissue. In addition to elevated levels of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of DIMBOA (2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one), an anti-insect resistance molecule, other highly expressed genes in the seedling encode the following putative proteins: defensin, hydroxyproline and proline-rich protein, thaumatin-like protein, lipase, cystatin, protease inhibitor, and a variety of proteases. Changes in the levels of gene expression by the microarray technology were well correlated to results using quantitative RT-PCR. The potential resistance genes identified occurred mainly on chromosomes 1 and 5 in the B73 genome. Analysis of promoters of four DIMBOA biosynthetic genes determined that a Dof transcription factor, two of which were differentially expressed in three vegetative stages, is possibly involved in regulation of the DIMBOA biosynthetic pathway. The results indicate that maize employs a wide variety of potential resistance mechanisms in seedling tissue to resist a possible insect attack.
ORGANISM(S): Zea mays
PROVIDER: GSE27709 | GEO | 2011/11/03
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA138117
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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