Data from: Predicting gene function from uncontrolled expression variation among individual wild-type Arabidopsis plants

Gene expression profiling studies are usually performed on pooled samples
grown under tightly controlled experimental conditions to suppress
variability among individuals and increase experimental reproducibility.
In addition, to mask unwanted residual effects, the samples are often
subjected to relatively harsh treatments that are unrealistic in a natural
context. Here, we show that expression variations among individual
wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown under the same macroscopic
growth conditions contain as much information on the underlying gene
network structure as expression profiles of pooled plant samples under
controlled experimental perturbations. We advocate the use of subtle
uncontrolled variations in gene expression between individuals to uncover
functional links between genes and unravel regulatory influences. As a
case study, we use this approach to identify ILL6 as a new regulatory
component of the jasmonate response pathway.