transcriptome alteration due to mel1 mutation

Members of the ARGONAUTE gene family are known to have roles in RNA-mediated silencing during development. One of these, MEL1, was shown to be germ-cell specific and essential for progression through sporogenesis at both premeiotic mitosis and meiosis. To understand how the MEL1 gene product is responsible for these effects requires analysis of the changes of the transcriptome. The mel1 gene was identified by TOS 17 insertion mutagenesis of Oryza sativa Japonica, cultivar Nipponbare. The TOS 17 insertion line of mel1 and the wild-type parent were the sources of RNA. RNA was extracted from rice panicle (3 cM) of rice grown under natural conditions in rice fields. Small RNAs associated with MEL1 and small RNAs in total RNA were sequenced by Illumina GAII.