Full Length Research Paper

Identification of salt-stress induced differentially expressed genes in barley leaves using the annealing-control-primer-based GeneFishing technique

Sang-Hoon Lee¹*, Ki-Won Lee¹, Ki-Yong Kim¹, Gi Jun Choi¹, Sei Hyung Yoon¹, Hee Chung Ji¹, Sung Seo¹, Young Chul Lim¹ and Nagib Ahsan²

¹Grassland & Forages Research Center, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan, 330-801, Korea
²National Institute of Crop Science, Tsukuba 305-8518, Japan.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: sanghoon@korea.kr. Tel.: +82-41+580-6754. Fax: +82-41+580-6759.

Accepted 9 March, 2009

In the present study, we have used an annealing-control-primer (ACP)-based differentially display RT-PCR method to identify salt-stress-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in barley leaves. Using 120 ACPs, a total of 11 up-regulated genes were identified and sequenced. Temporal expression patterns of some up-regulated DEGs in response to salt stress were further analyzed by Northern blot analysis. The possible roles of these identified genes are discussed within the context of their putative role in response to salt stress. Thus, the identification of some novel genes – such as SnRK1-type protein kinase; 17 kDa, class I, small heat shock protein; and RNase S-like protein precursor genes – may offer a new avenue for better understanding the salt stress response in plants, knowledge which might be helpful for developing future strategies.   

Key words: Barley, GeneFishing technique, salt stress.