Expression data from micropropagated Vitis vinifera when transferred to ex vitro conditions

Oxidative stress can arise when in vitro propagated plants developed under low light conditions are exposed to high light during transfer to ex vitro conditions. In such a situation, among the many potential stresses to which the transferred plant can be exposed, oxidative stress is commonly experienced, most likely brought about by absorption of light energy in excess of that required for very low levels of photosynthetic metabolism. In vitro propagated grapevine when transferred to ex vitro conditions with a 4 fold increase in PPFD shows an initial inhibition of PET accompanied by an accumulation of H2O2, suggesting a signal for the upregulation in gene expression and antioxidant enzyme activity, which peaked at 48h after transfer of in vitro grapevine to ex vitro growing conditions. When in vitro propagated plants are exposed to high light upon transfer to ex vitro oxidative stress symptoms occur. To determine whether the underlying pathways activated at the transfer of in vitro grapevine to ex vitro conditions reflect the processes occurring upon light stress we used microarrays. Leaves were harvested from in vitro grown plants immediately prior to transfer to ex vitro condition and 48h after transfer to compare gene expression before and after exposure of these plants to the high light conditions typical of ex vitro growth.