| Description: | Aneuploid lines have traditionally been important for classical and molecular genetic studies in plants. Although relatively stable aneuploid lines have been maintained for different plant species, the presence of additional chromosomes can potentially lead to physical instability of the genome and, as we have found with a transgenic tobacco aneuploid line, epigenetic changes in gene expression (Papp et al., (1996) Plant J. 10: 469-478). These observations are relevant not only for plant genetics and genome evolution, but also human health since aneuploid genomes are a hallmark of solid tumor cells. The effects of aneuploidy on gene expression are poorly understood and have been studied so far with only a small number of genes. While most of the genes tested are expressed according to the increased gene dosage (i.e. a 50% increase), some are expressed either more strongly or more weakly than expected (Matzke et al. (1999) Bioessays 21: 761-767). To begin to understand how the presence of extra chromosomes influences gene expression patterns, and to identify the features of genes that are downregulated in trisomics, we will use microarray analysis to study global changes in gene activity in Arabidopsis trisomic lines. Our first attempt will involve line T22 (Arabidopsis stock number 3234), which is trisomic for chromosome 2. Plants trisomic for chromosome 2 display a discernable phenotype and we have performed chromosome counts on individual plants selected for this phenotype to confirm the trisomic state (2n = 11). RNA will be prepared from young rosette leaves from plants exhibiting the trisomy 2 phenotype and from disomics of the same ecotype (Col-1) grown under the same conditions. For the two arrays of the experiment, RNA extracted from independent populations of plants will be provided. We hope to identify genes that are epigenetically silenced in the trisomic plants, with the ultimate aim of determining whether there are any common sequence features of these genes. |
NASCArrays Information at The BAR
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