Expansin gene expression and anoxic coleoptile elongation in rice cultivars

Coleoptiles of rice seeds that germinate under anoxia usually elongate to a length far exceeding the elongation that takes place under aerobic conditions. It has been suggested that expansins play a rote in this process, but studies examining correlations between transcript levels of expansin genes and anoxic growth of rice coleoptiles are limited. In this study, we used real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis to develop a picture of expansin gene expression (seven alpha- and eight beta-expansins) (EXPA and EXPB) in two rice cultivars showing long (cv. Arborio Precoce) or short (cv. Lamone) coleoptiles when germinated under anoxia. Our qPCR analysis suggested up-regulation occurred for several expansin genes in anoxic coleoptiles in both rice cultivars. However, we found no correlation between transcript Levels and the ability to elongate the coleoptile under anoxia. (c) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.