Analysis of the triticeae seed transcriptome

Peter C. Bundock, Southern Cross University
Allison C. Crawford
Shane R. McIntosh, Southern Cross University
Jessica F. White, Southern Cross University
Lee Rooke, Southern Cross University
Toni Pacey-Miller, Southern Cross University
Daniel Barbary, Southern Cross University
Linh Nguyen, Southern Cross University
Loraine Watson, Southern Cross University
Robert J. Henry, Southern Cross University

Abstract

Many methods of studying gene expression rely on previous knowledge of gene sequences to quantify transcript levels. However the SAGE method samples whatever transcripts are present in a given tissue and time point. In one set of experiments we targeted the development of wheat grain using longSAGE. Developing wheat caryopses were sampled for SAGE analysis at five time points - the first at eight days post anthesis and the last being mature grain (40 dpa). A total of approximately 240,000 longSAGE tags were sequenced across these five time points (Table 1). In another experiment we have targeted germinating barley grain during the malting process across eight time points. From SAGE libraries made from whole caryopses we have sequenced a total of approximately 200,000 longSAGE tags across these eight time points (Table 2). The results from longSAGE have revealed the expression patterns of a large number of genes across these two time courses. The longSAGE data provides new information on gene expression during these two critical processes in wheat and barley grain.