Zea mays Transcriptome or Gene expression. Zea mays

Insect elicitors, in particular fatty acid amides like volicitin, have been known to induce defense-related gene expression. Here we investigated transcriptional changes in response to volicitin 60min after treatment locally and in distal parts of the treated leaf. Overall design: 3-Week old Zea mays seedling (inbred line B73) were treated with pure volicitin (1nmol per plant). Controls were untreated. Plants were for 60 min. The second leaf was then taken and a segment of 1 cm cut around the damage site and shock-frozen in liquid N2. 3 segments from 3 individual leaves were pooled for one biological replicate and then stored at -85°prior to RNA extraction. For distal gene expression analysis a 1cm segment was cut about 3 cm leaf upwards from the volicitin application site and also frozen in liquid N2. 3 segments from 3 individual leaves were pooled for one biological replicate and then stored at -85°prior to RNA extraction. 2 biological replicates were performed for each treatment with one dye swap (second sample).