Coexpression Networks of Phosphate Deficiency Genes

Phosphate (Pi) deficiency triggers the differential expression of a large set of genes, which communally adapt the plant to low Pi bioavailability. To infer functional modules in early transcriptional responses to Pi deficiency, we conducted time-course microarray experiments and subsequent coexpression-based clustering of Pi-responsive genes by pairwise comparison of a large number of genes against a customized data base. Arabidopsis were hydroponically grown in the presence (control) or absence of phosphate. Samples to be analyzed were collected at 0, 1, 6, and 24 h. Differentially expressed transcripts were determined at the respective time points. The experiment was conducted 3 times.