Biopolymers and Cell. 2011; 27 (1): 59-65
Expression of some water stress-induced genes in the seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana grown under conditions of moderate water deficit
J. A. Bobrownyzky
M. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany NAS of Ukraine
2, Tereshchenkivska St., Kyiv, Ukraine, 01601
Aim. In this study we have analyzed the expression of some water stress-inducible genes of Arabidopsis. Methods. A method of growing the A. thaliana seedlings at slowly lowering water potential on an agar-solidified medium was used. Gene expression was analyzed using a method of real-time PCR. Results. We have detected an increased expression of RD29A and AtP5CS, two ABA-dependent genes. At the same time, their expression did not reach the level observed in the experiments where the conditions of acute water stress were imposed. The levels of expression of AtP5CS correlated with the concentration of proline in the seedlings of A. thaliana. However, there was not detected a significant increase in the expression of DREB2A, RD17 and ERD1, three ABA-independent genes. Conclusions. The pattern of gene expression under conditions close to natural ones may differ from that observed under an acute water stress.
Keywords: Arabidopsis thaliana, gene expression, water deficit, real-time PCR, proline.