Poster: Late and Moved Abstracts

Abs # 965: Comparative analysis of gene expression in Populus by different safeners and abiotic stresses

Presenter:	Goyal, Arun , goyal@etsu.edu
Authors	Goyal, Arun  (A)   Rishi, AS  (B)   Nelson, Neil D (C)
Affiliations:	(A): East Tennessee State University (B): Natural Resource Research Institute,University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN (C): USDA-North Central Research Station, Rhinelander, WI

Safeners are used to protect crops against herbicide damage, by enhancing herbicide metabolism in the plant. The identification and analysis of gene expression patterns by safener treatment may lead to a better understanding of molecular events involved in safener action. A cDNA microarray comprised of fluxofenim-treated subtractive cDNA clones was used to identify expression patterns of genes using different safeners and three abiotic stresses. Three different safeners, viz., fluxofenim, oxabetrinil and benoxacor (all detoxify chloroacetanilide herbicides), and water, chilling and wind stresses were used for evaluating differences in the gene expression pattern. The comparison of expression pattern between different safener chemicals revealed that structurally similar molecules show almost identical gene expression. Many of the genes that were specifically induced by safeners were not induced by three abiotic stresses.