Changes in gene expression in response to abiotic stress in grapevine (Vitis vinifera).

摘要

Grapes are the most economically important fruit crop. Although grapevine is moderately resistant to drought and salinity stresses, growth rates and crop yields can be adversely affected by water deficit, salt, and cold temperatures. Study of the effects of these stresses on gene expression can help us to understand how the plant copes with these stresses, which could lead to the development of grapevines that are more stress tolerant. In order to perform large scale gene expression studies, high quality RNA must be extracted from the plant tissues. We compared the yield, quality and cost of 15 RNA isolation protocols on grape leaves and found two reliable protocols, a Tris-LiCl and a RNeasy-PEG method. RNA from shoots of plants exposed to cold, PEG or salt stress for up to 24 hours was hybridized to Affymetrix GeneChipRTM microarrays. The number of probe sets whose expression significantly changed in response to stress as compared to control increased with increasing time of stress exposure. More changes in steady state transcript abundance were observed in response to cold than to PEG or salt as compared to control. Significant changes in transcription factors and hormone-related transcripts were seen. Steady state transcript abundance of ABA-related genes were increased by all three stresses. Among the ten transcription factors with the most increased transcript abundance, five belonged to the AP2 domain family. An ortholog of the CBF/DREB1 gene family was identified, and named VvCBF4. VvCBF4 mRNA expression was increased in response to cold stress in both shoots and roots. Sixty-eight transcripts with expression patterns similar to VvCBF4 were identified. These included genes encoding transcription factors, signaling, and stress response genes.