Abstract:

【Objective】 The AP2/EREBP transcription factors are known to be unique in plants, and they are involved in growth, development and signal transduction in many physiological and biochemical responses. In this study, all the rice AP2/EREBP genes were cloned and used to dissect their expression alteration responsive to different abiotic stresses, providing a foundation for exploring the mechanism of rice stress-resistance molecular regulation. 【Method】 A microarray gene chip was used to analyze the AP2/EREBP gene expression profiling in rice seedlings under the treatment of PEG, low-temperature, high-salt, ABA and GA. The expression patterns of selected differentially expressed genes were further identified by quantitative real-time PCR. 【Result】 Forty-two AP2/EREBP genes were detected differentially expressed under at least one abiotic stress by using a microarray chip containing the whole AP2/EREBP gene family, and the alteration of gene expression from array data was confirmed by qRT-PCR. Two AP2/EREBP genes were found differentially regulated at the same direction by all stresses; however each of the rest forty differentially expressed AP2/EREBP genes had the same or distinct expression pattern responsive to different abiotic stresses. 【Conclusion】 Two AP2/EREBP genes might play key molecular regulation roles responding to abiotic stresses in rice. The identified differentially expressed AP2/EREBP genes have the same or distinct molecular responsive mechanism to different abiotic stresses.

Key words: rice, AP2/EREBP, microarray, abiotic stress