Expression Pattern, Interaction Network, and Functional Analysis of the Arabidopsis Botrytis Susceptible1 Interactor

E3 ubiquitin ligases are participated in numerous processes, regulating the response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Botrytis susceptible1 interactor (BOI) is a RING (Really Interesting New Gene)-type E3 ligase that mediates the ubiquitination of BOS1 (Botrytis susceptible1), a transcription factor involved in stress and pathogen responses. Although BOI is an E3 ligase, there are reports to show that BOI interacts with target proteins such as DELLAs or CONSTANS to repress gibberellin responses and flowering without the degradation of the target proteins. In this article, we utilize diversified methods to comprehensively analyze the expression pattern, interaction network and function of BOI gene. Firstly, 1800 bp upstream region of BOI gene from Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) genome was isolated, and fused GUS reporter gene. The resulting expression cassette was introduced into wild-type Arabidopsis through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The result demonstrated that BOI gene was expressed predominantly in leaves, siliques, young roots, and flowering tissues, indicating that BOI gene may be involved in multiple processes in plant growth and development in Arabidopsis. Besides, eight candidate interacting proteins were obtained from the Arabidopsis cDNA library via yeast two-hybrid technology, including EXO70E2 (AT5G61010), WRKY7 (AT4G24240), WRKY11 (AT4G31550), WRKY17 (AT2G24570), UBP20 (AT4G17895), L5 (AT1G12290), SAUR9 (AT4G36110) and TCP21 (AT5G08330). Functional analysis of these candidate interacting proteins manifested that they related to multiple pathways, including biological and abiotic stress, programmed cell death, protein degradation, material metabolism and transcriptional regulation. In addition, the results of the transient assay proclaimed that BOI protein affects the protein stability of EXO70E2 and L5 through its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Our results provide novel clues for a better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying BOI-mediated regulations.

Cloning and Expression Pattern Analysis of Nitrogen- Starvation-induced Genes in Rice

To understand the regulation system of nitrogen X-starvation in higher plants, a cDNA library from N-starved rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings was constructed using rapid subtraction hybridization (RaSH) procedure. Through reverse Northern analysis and Northern blotting, 18 unique known genes and two unique unknown genes were identified, which were up-regulated by N-starvation in rice. The known genes are involved in several metabolisms including carbon metabolism, secondary metabolite synthesis, ubiquitylation and protein degradation, phytohormone metabolism, signal transduction, growth regulator and transcription factors. Different induced expression patterns based on spatial and temporal express ions were found for these genes. The results indicate the cross-talks between N-starvation response and various metabolisms in plants.

Temporal and Spatial Expression Patterns of Sox1 Gene in Xenopus laevis Embryo

We describe the temporal and spatial expression pattern of Sox 1 gene during Xenopus laevis early development and compare the expression patterns of Sox 1-3 in the developing eye and brain. Alignment of Sox 1-3 amino acid sequences shows a high conservation within the HMG-box DNA binding domains. RT-PCR analysis indicates that Sox 1 is expressed throughout development from the unfertilized egg to at least the tadpole stage, although at different expression levels. The transcripts of XSox 1 are detected in the animal pole at cleavage and blastrula stages and mainly in the central nervous system （CNS） and the developing eye at neurula stages. The study of the developmental expression of XSox 1 will aid in the elucidation of the function of SoxB 1 subgroup genes in vertebrate neurogenesis.

Assignment and expression patterns of porcine muscle-specific isoform of phosphoglycerate mutase gene

It has been reported that the muscle-specific isoform （type M, PGAM2） of phosphoglycerate mutase （PGAM） is a housekeeping enzyme; it catalyzes the conversion of 3-phosphoglycerate into 2-phosphoglycerate in the glycolysis process to release energy. It is encoded by the Pgam2 gene. In this study, the cDNA of the porcine Pgam2 was cloned. This gene contains an open reading frame of 765 bp encoding a protein of 253 residues, and the predicted protein sequences share high similarity with other mammalians, 96% identity with humans, and 94% identity with mouse and rats. Pgam2 was mapped to SSC18q13-q21 by the RH panel. In this region, there are several QTLs, such as fat ratio, lean percentage, and diameter of muslce fiber, which affect meat production and quality. The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction revealed that the porcine Pgam2 gene was mainly expressed in the muscle tissue （skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle）, and was expressed highly at skeletal muscle development stages （embryonic periods： 33, 65, and 90 days post-conception （dpo）; postnatal pigs： 4 days and adult）. This indicates that the Pgam2 gene plays an important role in muscle growth and development. In addition, it was demonstrated that PGAM2 locates both in cytoplasm and nuclei, and takes part in the glycometabolism process of cytoplasm and nuclei.

Expression Pattern of Peptide and Amino Acid Genes in Digestive Tract of Transporter Juvenile Turbot(Scophthalmus maximus L.)

Turbot(Scophthalmus maximus L.),a carnivorous fish species with high dietary protein requirement,was chosen to examine the expression pattern of peptide and amino acid transporter genes along its digestive tract which was divided into six segments including stomach,pyloric caeca,rectum,and three equal parts of the remainder of the intestine.The results showed that the expression of two peptide and eleven amino acid transporters genes exhibited distinct patterns.Peptide transporter 1(Pep T1) was rich in proximal intestine while peptide transporter 2(PepT2) was abundant in distal intestine.A number of neutral and cationic amino acid transporters expressed richly in whole intestine including B^0-type amino acid transporter 1(B^0AT1),L-type amino acid transporter 2(LAT2),T-type amino acid transporter 1(TAT1),proton-coupled amino acid transporter 1(PAT1),y^+L-type amino acid transporter 1(y^+LAT1),and cationic amino acid transporter 2(CAT2) while ASC amino acid transporter 2(ASCT2),sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2(SNAT2),and y^+L-type amino acid transporter 2(y^+LAT2) abundantly expressed in stomach.In addition,system b^(0,+) transporters(rBAT and b^(0,+)AT) existed richly in distal intestine.These findings comprehensively characterized the distribution of solute carrier family proteins,which revealed the relative importance of peptide and amino acid absorption through luminal membrane.Our findings are helpful to understand the mechanism of the utilization of dietary protein in fish with a short digestive tract.

Expression patterns of OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 in goat preimplantation embryos from in vivo and in vitro

The transcription factors, including OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2, played crucial roles in the maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency in embryonic stem cells （ESCs）. They expressed in preimplantation mammalian development with spa- tio-temporal pattern and took part in regulation of development. However, their expression and roles in goat had not been reported. In the present study, the expression of OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 in goat preimplantation embryos both in vivo and in vitro were detected by real-time RCR and immunofluorescence. For in vivo fertilized embryos, the transcripts of OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 could be detected from oocytes to blastocyst stage, their expression in morula and blastocyst stages was much higher than other stage. OCT4 protein was detected from oocyte to blastocyst, but the fluorescence was more located-intensive with nuclei from 8-cell stage, its expression present in both inner cell mass （ICM） and trophoblast cells （TE） at blastocyse stage. NANOG protein was similar to OCT4, the signaling of fluorescence completely focused on cell nuclei, while the SOX2 firstly showed nuclei location in morula. Comparing to in vivo fertilized embryo, the mRNA of these three transcription factors could be detected at 8-cell stage in parthenogenetic embryos （in vitro）. Thereafter, the expressional level rose gradually along with embryo development. The locations of OCT4 and NANOG proteins were similar to in vivo fertilized embryos, and they located in cell nuclei from morula to blastocyst stage, while SOX2 protein firstly could be detected in cell nuclei at 8-cell stage. These differences suggested that OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 played different function in regulating development of goat preimplantation embryos. These results may provide a novel insight to goat embryo development and be useful for goat ESCs isolation.

Genetic basis of negative heterosis for growth traits in chickens revealed by genome-wide gene expression pattern analysis

Background:Heterosis is an important biological phenomenon that has been extensively utilized in agricultural breeding.However,negative heterosis is also pervasively observed in nature,which can cause unfavorable impacts on production performance.Compared with systematic studies of positive heterosis,the phenomenon of negative heterosis has been largely ignored in genetic studies and breeding programs,and the genetic mechanism of this phenomenon has not been thoroughly elucidated to date.Here,we used chickens,the most common agricultural animals worldwide,to determine the genetic and molecular mechanisms of negative heterosis.Results:We performed reciprocal crossing experiments with two distinct chicken lines and found that the body weight presented widely negative heterosis in the early growth of chickens.Negative heterosis of carcass traits was more common than positive heterosis,especially breast muscle mass,which was over−40%in reciprocal progenies.Genome-wide gene expression pattern analyses of breast muscle tissues revealed that nonadditivity,including dominance and overdominace,was the major gene inheritance pattern.Nonadditive genes,including a substantial number of genes encoding ATPase and NADH dehydrogenase,accounted for more than 68%of differentially expressed genes in reciprocal crosses(4257 of 5587 and 3617 of 5243,respectively).Moreover,nonadditive genes were significantly associated with the biological process of oxidative phosphorylation,which is the major metabolic pathway for energy release and animal growth and development.The detection of ATP content and ATPase activity for purebred and crossbred progenies further confirmed that chickens with lower muscle yield had lower ATP concentrations but higher hydrolysis activity,which supported the important role of oxidative phosphorylation in negative heterosis for growth traits in chickens.Conclusions:These findings revealed that nonadditive genes and their related oxidative phosphorylation were the major genetic and molecular factors in the negative heterosis of growth in chickens,which would be beneficial to future breeding strategies.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of the JAZ gene family and its expression patterns under various abiotic stresses in Sorghum bicolor

The jasmonate ZIM domain(JAZ)protein belongs to the TIFY((TIF[F/Y]XG)domain protein)family,which is composed of several plant-specific proteins that play important roles in plant growth,development,and defense responses.However,the mechanism of the sorghum JAZ family in response to abiotic stress remains unclear.In the present study,a total of 17 JAZ genes were identified in sorghum using a Hidden Markov Model search.In addition,real-time quantification polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)was used to analyze the gene expression patterns under abiotic stress.Based on phylogenetic tree analysis,the sorghum JAZ proteins were mainly divided into nine subfamilies.A promoter analysis revealed that the SbJAZ family contains diverse types of promoter cis-acting elements,indicating that JAZ proteins function in multiple pathways upon stress stimulation in plants.According to RT-qPCR,SbJAZ gene expression is tissuespecific.Additionally,under cold,hot,polyethylene glycol,jasmonic acid,abscisic acid,and gibberellin treatments,the expression patterns of SbJAZ genes were distinctly different,indicating that the expression of SbJAZ genes may be coordinated with different stresses.Furthermore,the overexpression of SbJAZ1 in Escherichia coli was found to promote the growth of recombinant cells under abiotic stresses,such as PEG 6000,NaCl,and 40℃ treatments.Altogether,our findings help us to better understand the potential molecular mechanisms of the SbJAZ family in sorghum in response to abiotic stresses.

Analysis of Gene Expression Pattern of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Human

ObjectiveTo investigate the gene expression changes in normal and degeneration lumbar intervertebral disc in humans, providing information for clinical. MethodsThe PCR products of 4096 human genes were spotted onto a kind of chemical-material-coated-glass slides. The total RNAs were isolated from the tissues. Both the mRNAs from the degeneration and normal lumbar intervertebral disc in humans were reversely transcribed to the cDNAs, which used as the hybridization probes with the incorporations of fluorescent dUTP. The mixed probes were then hybridized to the cDNA microarray. After high-stringent washing, the cDNA microarray was scanned for the fluorescent signals and analyzed with computer image analysis. ResultsAmong the 4096 targets, there were 706 genes whose expression levels differed between the degeneration and normal lumbar intervertebral disc in all cases, comprising 298 up-regulated and 358 down-regulated ones. ConclusionDNA microarray technology is an effective technique in screening for differently expressed genes between the degeneration and normal lumbar intervertebral disc. Cell apoptosis plays an important role in the process of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration.

Detection of Cytokine Expression Patterns in the Peripheral Blood of Patients with Acute Leukemia by Antibody Microarray Analysis

The cytokines of acute leukemia （AL） patients have certain expression patterns, forming a complex network involved in diagnosis, progression, and prognosis. We collected the serum of different AL patients before and after complete remission （CR） for detection of cytokines by using an antibody chip. The expression patterns of cytokines were determined by using bioinformatics computational analysis. The results showed that there were significant differences in the cytokine expression patterns between AL patients and normal controls, as well as between acute myeloid leukemia （AML） and acute lymphoblastic leukemia （ALL）. In confirmatory test, ELISA revealed the expression of uPAR in AL. Moreover, the bioinformatic analysis showed that the differentially expressed cytokines among the AL groups were involved in different biological behaviors and were closely related with the development of the disease. It was concluded that the cytokine expression pattern of AL patients is significantly different from that of healthy volunteers. Also, differences of cytokine expression patterns exist between AML and ALL, and between before and after CR in the same subtype of AL, which holds important clinical significance for revealing disease progression.

Expression Pattern and Target Gene of bbu-miR-103-1 in Buffalo(Bubalus bubalis) at Lactation and Non-lactation Periods

[ Objectivel The paper aimed to investigate the expression pattern of bbu-miR-103-1 in buffalo （Bubalus bubalis） at lactation and non-lactation periods, and to predict its target gene and function. [ Method] Expression pattern of bbu-miR-103-1 at lactation and non-lactation periods were detected by qRT-PCR. The precursor expression plasmid of bbu-miR-103-1 was constructed and named LpEZX-pre-miR-103-1. It was packaged and propagated to produce high-titer lenti- virus in 293T cell lines, which could be used to infect buffalo mammary epithelial cells （BMECs） and over express bbu-miR-103-1. The inhibitor of bbu-miR- 103-1 was chemically synthesized and transfected into BMECs to suppress bbu-miR-103-1 at the same time. The relative expression of pantothenate kinase 3 （ PANK3 ） and milk fat metabolism related genes were detected by qRT-PCR. [ Result] The relative expression of bbu-miR-103-1 at lactation period was 5.29 times higher than that at non-lactation period in buffalo （ P 〈 0.01 ）. The LpEZX-pre-miR-103-1 had been successfully constructed and packaged with the infection titer of 3.47×10^6 PFU/mL. Overexpress or suppress of bbu-miR-103-1 extremely down-regulated or up-regulated the expression level of PANK3 in BMECs （ P 〈 0.01 ）. Over expression of bbu-miR-103~l extremely enhanced the expression of Acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha（ACACA）, Glycerol-3-phosphate acyhransferase 1 mitochon- drial （GPAM）, Diacylglycerol Oacyhransferase l （DGAT1） and Pyrnvate dehydrogenase lipoamide kinase isozyme 4 （PDK4） （P 〈0.01 ）, and also significantly up-regulated the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 c （SREBPI c）, Adipose differentiation-related protein （ADFP）, Cluster of differentiation 36 （ CD36）, Acetyl-CoA synthetase short-chain subfamily member 1 （ACSS1） （P 〈0.05）. Over expression of bbu-miR-103-1 down-regulated the expression of PANK3, and improved the mRNA level of SREBPlc by feedback regulation, finally promoting the de novo synthesis of fatty acid beginning with ACACA. [ Conclusion] bbu-miR-103-1 plays an important role in enhancing milk fatty acid synthesis, which provides a molecular base for revealing formation and regulatory mechanism of high-level milk fat in buffalo.

Molecular Cloning, Expression Pattern, and 3D Structural Prediction of the Cold Inducible RNA- Binding Protein(CIRP) in Japanese Flounder(Paralichthys olivaceus)

Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein(CIRP) is a kind of RNA binding proteins that plays important roles in many physiological processes. The CIRP has been widely studied in mammals and amphibians since it was first cloned from mammals. On the contrary, there are little reports in teleosts. In this study, the Po CIRP gene of the Japanese flounder was cloned and sequenced. The genomic sequence consists of seven exons and six introns. The putative Po CIRP protein of flounder was 198 amino acid residues long containing the RNA recognition motif(RRM). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the flounder Po CIRP is highly conserved with other teleost CIRPs. The 5' flanking sequence was cloned by genome walking and many transcription factor binding sites were identified. There is a Cp Gs region located in promoter and exon I region and the methylation state is low. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis uncovered that Po CIRP gene was widely expressed in adult tissues with the highest expression level in the ovary. The m RNA of the Po CIRP was maternally deposited and the expression level of the gene was regulated up during the gastrula and neurula stages. In order to gain the information how the protein interacts with m RNA, we performed the modeling of the 3D structure of the flounder Po CIRP. The results showed a cleft existing the surface of the molecular. Taken together, the results indicate that the CIRP is a multifunctional molecular in teleosts and the findings about the structure provide valuable information for understanding the basis of this protein's function.

Preliminary analysis of two NAC transcription factor expression patterns in Larix olgensis

The NAC transcription factor family is plant-specific with various biological functions.However,there are few studies on the NAC gene involving coniferous species.Bioinformatics research and expression analysis of NAC genes in Larix olgensis can be used to analyse the function of the NAC gene in the future.Screening of excellent genetic materials and molecular breeding have been utilized to cultivate high-quality,stress-resistant larches.According to the transcriptome data for L.olgensis,the genes Uni-gene81490 and Unigene70699 with complete ORFs(open reading frames)were obtained by conserved domain analy-sis and named LoNAC1 and LoNAC2,respectively.The cDNAs of LoNAC1 and LoNAC2 were 1971 bp and 1095 bp in length,encoding 656 and 364 amino acids,respectively.The molecular weights of the proteins encoded by the two genes were predicted to be 72.61 kDa and 41.13 kDa,and subcellular localization analysis indicated that the proteins were concentrated in the nucleus.The results of real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that at different growth stages and in different tissues of L.olgensis,the relative expression levels of the two NAC genes were highest in the stem,and the expression differences were more obvious in non-lignified tissues.After drought,salt and alkali stress and hormone treatment,expression was induced to different degrees.The expression levels of LoNAC1 and LoNAC2 in semi-lignified L.olgensis were higher than in the other two periods(non-lignified and lignified),and expression levels significantly increased under drought and salt stress.Relative expression levels changed under hormone treatment.It is speculated that these two genes may not only be related to drought and salt stress and secondary growth but may also be induced by hormones such as abscisic acid.Overall,LoNAC1 and LoNAC2 are genetic materials that can be used for molecular breeding of larch.

Molecular Characterization and Expression Pattern of Rheb Gene in Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goat(Capra hircus)

As one member of the Ras super family, Rheb is an upstream regulator of mTOR signaling pathway, which regulates the process of cell-growth, proliferation and differentiation. In order to study the relationship between Rheb and mTOR in Inner Mongolian Cashmere goat （Capra hircus） cells, Ras homolog enriched in brain （Rheb） gene eDNA was amplified by RT-PCR. It is 555 bp in length and includes the complete ORF encoding 184 amino acids （GenBank accession no. HM569224）. The full eDNA nucleotide sequence has a 99% identity with that of sheep, 98% with cattle and 93% with human while their amino acids sequence shares identity with 98, 97 and 97% of them, correspondingly. The bioinformatics analysis showed that Rheb has a Ras family domain, two casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, two ATP/GTP-binding sites motifA （P-loop）, a prenyl group binding site （CAAX box）. Tissue-specific expression analysis performed by semi- quantitative RT-PCR. The Rheb gene was expressed in all the tested tissues and the highest level ofmRNA accumulation was detected in brain, suggesting that Rheb played an important role in goat cells.

Wheat Lysin-Motif-Containing Proteins Characterization and Gene Expression Patterns under Abiotic and Biotic Stress

Lysin motif(LysM)-containing proteins(LYPs)are important pattern recognition receptors in plants.However,the evolutionary history and characteristics of LYP genes remain largely unclear in wheat.In this study,62 LYPs were identified at genome wide in wheat.Based on phylogenetic and domain analysis,wheat LYPs were classified into 6 subgroups(group LysMe,LysMn,LYP,LYK,LysMFbox).Syntenic analysis showed the evolution of LYP genes in wheat.RNA-seq data showed that 22 genes were not expressed at any tissue or stress stimulation period.Some LYP and LYK genes were tissue-or stage-specific.The majority of TaLYK5s,TaLYK6s,TaLYP2s and TaLysMns genes were induced under chitin,flg22 and fungal treatment.qRT-PCR analysis showed that 4 genes were upregulated during Puccinia triticina infection with a peak at 18 h post inoculation.Our findings suggested that wheat LYPs may have specific roles in response to fungal infection and provided insights into the function and characteristics of wheat LYP genes.

Genome-Wide Identification of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) CKX Gene Family and Expression Analysis in the Callus Tissue under Zeatin Treatment

The cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase(CKX)enzyme is essential for controlling thefluctuating levels of endogen-ous cytokinin(CK)and has a significant impact on different aspects of plant growth and development.Nonethe-less,there is limited knowledge about CKX genes in tomato(Solanum lycopersicum L.).Here we performed genome-wide identification and analysis of nine SlCKX family members in tomatoes using bioinformatics tools.The results revealed that nine SlCKX genes were unevenly distributed onfive chromosomes(Chr.1,Chr.4,Chr.8,Chr.10,and Chr.12).The amino acid length,isoelectric points,and molecular weight of the nine SlCKX proteins ranged from 453 to 553,5.77 to 8.59,and 51.661 to 62.494 kD,respectively.Subcellular localization analysis indi-cated that SlCKX2 proteins were located in both the vacuole and cytoplasmic matrix;SlCKX3 and SlCKX5 pro-teins were located in the vacuole;and SlCKX1,4,6,7,8,and 9 proteins were located in the cytoplasmic matrix.Furthermore,we observed differences in the gene structures and phylogenetic relationships of SlCKX proteins among different members.SlCKX1-9 were positioned on two out of the three branches of the CKX phylogenetic tree in the multispecies phylogenetic tree construction,revealing their strong conservation within phylogenetic subgroups.Unique patterns of expression of CKX genes were noticed in callus cultures exposed to varying con-centrations of exogenous ZT,suggesting their roles in specific developmental and physiological functions in the regeneration system.These results may facilitate subsequent functional analysis of SlCKX genes and provide valu-able insights for establishing an efficient regeneration system for tomatoes.

Genome-Wide Comparative Analysis and Expression Pattern of TCP Gene Families in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa

Several TCP genes have been reported to play Important roles in plant development; the TCP homologs encode a plant-specific family of putative transcription factors. To understand the evolutionary relationship of TCP genes of Arabidopsis thallana and Oryza sativa L. （hereafter called rice）, we have identified 23 and 22 TCP genes in the Arabidopsis and rice genomea, respectively. Using phylogenetic analysis, we grouped these TCP genes into three classes. In addition, the motifs outside the TCP domain further support the evolutionary relationships among these genes. The genome distribution of the TCP genes strongly supports the hypothesis that genome-wlde and tandem duplication contributed to the expansion of the TCP gene family. The expression pattern of the TCP genes was analyzed further, providing useful clues about the function of these genes.

Analyses of the NAC Transcription Factor Gene Family in Gossypium raimondii Ulbr.:Chromosomal Location,Structure,Phylogeny,and Expression Patterns

NAC domain proteins are plant-specific transcription factors known to play diverse roles in various plant developmental processes. In the present study, we performed the first comprehensive study of the NAC gene family in Gossypium raimondii Ulbr., incorporating phylogenetic, chromosomal location, gene structure, conserved motif, and expression profiling analyses. We identified 145 NAC transcription factor （NAC-TF） genes that were phylogenetically clustered into 18 distinct subfamilies. Of these, 127 NAC-TF genes were distributed across the 13 chromosomes, 80 （55%） were preferentially retained duplicates located in both duplicated regions and six were located in triplicated chromosomal regions. The majority of NAC-TF genes showed temporal-, spatial-, and tissue-specific expression patterns based on tran- scriptomic and qRT-PCR analyses. However, the expression patterns of several duplicate genes were partially redundant, suggesting the occurrence of sub-functionalization during their evolution. Based on their genomic organization, we concluded that genomic duplications contributed significantly to the expansion of the NAC-TF gene family in G. raimondii. Comprehensive analysis of their expression profiles could provide novel insights into the functional divergence among members of the NAC gene family in G. raimondii.

Genome-Wide Expression Pattern Analyses of the Arabidopsis Leucine-Rich Repeat Receptor-Like Kinases

Receptor-like protein kinases （RLKs） are a large group of transmembrane proteins playing critical roles in cell-cell and cell--environment communications. Based on extracellular domain structures, RLKs were classified into more than 21 subfamilies, among which leucine-rich repeat RLKs （LRR-RLKs） belong to the largest subfamily in plants such as Arabidopsis and rice. In Arabidopsis, there are approximately 223 LRR-RLKs, but only about 60 of which have been functionally described to date. To systematically investigate the roles of LRR-RLKs in regulating plant growth, development, and stress adaptations, we generated promoter：：GUS transgenic plants for all 223 LRR-RLK genes in Arabidopsis and analyzed their detailed expression patterns at various developmental stages. The results provide valuable resources for functionally elucidating this large and essential signaling protein subfamily.

Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression Patterns of the YUCCA Genes in Maize

Auxin plays important roles in various aspects of plant growth and development （Zhao, 2010）. In Arabidopsis, a number of YUCCA （YUC） genes, which are involved in auxin biosyn- thesis, have been identified （Zhao et al., 2001; Woodward et al., 2005; Cheng et al., 2006, 2007; Kim et al., 2007; Chen et al., 2014）. YUC genes encode flavin monooxygenases （FMOs） that convert indole-3-pyruvate （IPA） to indole-3-acetic acid （IAA） （Zhao, 2012）. The Arabidopsis YUC family is comprised of 11 members （Zhao et al., 2001;