Identification of genes that differentially express during gravitropic response in cucumber roots

Plant roots respond to gravity and moisture gradient by expressing gravitropism and hydrotropism, respectively. It has been shown that gravitropism interferes with hydrotropism and its extent of the interference differs among plant species. Namely, gravitropic response dominantly occurs in the roots of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants even in the presence of moisture gradients. In contrast to cucumber roots, roots of rice (Oryza sativa), lotus (Lotus japonicus) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings show hydrotropism by overcoming their gravitropism. To elucidate the specificity of root gravitropism in cucumber, we attempted to identify genes that differentially express during gravitropic response in cucumber roots.