Zea mays Transcriptome or Gene expression. Zea mays

The metabolic response of maize source leaves to low nitrogen supply was analyzed in maize seedlings by parallel measurements of transcriptome and metabolome profiling. Inbred lines A188 and B73 were cultivated under controlled growth chamber conditions and supplied with either sufficient (15mM) or limiting (0.15mM) nitrate supply. Leaf lamina material was harvested at day 20 and day 30 after germination with the fifth and sixth leaf representing the main source leaf respectively. Four replicates were collecetd from individual plants for each combination of genotype, growth stage and nitrogen treatment. The leaf material was frozen, homogenised and aliquoted for transcriptome and metabolome analysis. The molecular data was further supplemented by phenotypic characterisation of the maize seedlings under investigation. Limited availability of nitrogen caused strong shifts in the metabolite profile of leaves. The transcriptome was less affected by the nitrogen stress but showed strong genotype and age dependent patterns. Nitrogen starvation initiated the selective down-regulation of processes involved in nitrate reduction and amino acid assimilation; ammonium assimilation related transcripts on the other hand were not influenced. Carbon assimilation related transcripts were characterized by high transcriptional coordination and general down-regulation under low nitrogen conditions. Nitrogen deprivation caused a slight accumulation of starch, but also directed increased amounts of carbohydrates into the cell wall and secondary metabolites. The decrease in N availability also resulted in accumulation of phosphate and by strong down-regulation of genes usually involved in phosphate starvation response, underlining the great importance of phosphate homeostasis control under stress conditions. Overall design: Maize inbred lines A188 and B73 were cultivated in pots containing nutrient poor peat soil under the controlled conditions of a growth chamber. The plants were fertilized with modified Hoagland solutions containing either 15mM (high N) or 0.15mM nitrate (low N). Source leaf lamina were harvested at day 20 and day 30 after start of germination for parallel analysis of transcriptome and metabolome profiles. The molecular data is further supplemented by phenotypic characterization of the maize seedlings under investigation.