Microarray analysis of heat and/or drought sensitivity of early grain development in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Based on EST-based in silico gene expression analysis a 15k oligonucleotid microarray has been developped in order to monitor environmental stress-dependent gene expression changes in the wheat caryopsis. Using this array, the effect of water withdrawal, with and and without additional heat stress, during the first five days of grain development (0-5 DAA) has been investigated on two wheat cultivars differing in their drought sensitivity. The combined effect of heat and drought (DH) on gene expression was much significant (8-10% of the investigated genes changed >2-fold) in contrast to drought alone (1.5%). Drought and heat stress resulted in the co-ordinated change of the expression of storage proteins, some enzymes involved in sugar/starch metabolism, cell division-related and histone proteins, certain transcription factors, heat shock proteins, proteases and aquaporins. The potential link between the observed gene expression changes and the parallel histological observations indicating the accelerated development of the stressed grains is discussed. 8 samples with 2 biological replicate using dye swap