Reference Genes for RT-qPCR Analysis of Environmentally and Developmentally Regulated Gene Expression in Alfalfa

Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is a highly sensitive technique that has become the standard for the analysis of differences in gene expression in response to experimental treatments or among genetic sources. The accuracy of the RT-qPCR results can be significantly affected by uncontrolled sources of variation that can be accounted for normalization with so-called reference genes stably expressed under various conditions. In this study we assessed the stability of 21 reference gene candidates in crowns of two alfalfa cultivars (Apica and Evolution) exposed to various environmental conditions (cold, water stress and photoperiod) and from above ground biomass of the cultivar Orca sampled at three developmental stages (vegetative, full bloom and mature pods). Candidates were selected based on their previous identification in other plant species or their stable expression in a differential hybridization of alfalfa ESTs with cDNA from non-acclimated and cold-acclimated alfalfa. Genes encoding ubiquitin protein ligase 2a (UBL-2a), actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) and retention in endoplasmic reticulum 1 protein (Rer1) were the most stable across experimental conditions. Conversely β-actin (Act), α-tubulin (Tub) and glyce-raldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) frequently used as “housekeeping genes” in gene expression studies showed poor stability. No more than two reference genes were required to normalize the gene expression data under each condition. Normalization of the expression of genes of interest with unstable reference genes led to observations that were conflicting with those made with validated reference genes and that were in some cases inconsistent with the current knowledge of the trait. The reference genes identified in this study are strong candidates for normalization of gene expression in cultivated alfalfa.

DDG1 and G Protein α Subunit RGA1 Interaction Regulates Plant Height and Senescence in Rice(Oryza sativa)

Many studies have already shown that dwarfism and moderate delayed leaf senescence positively impact rice yield,but the underlying molecular mechanism of dwarfism and leaf senescence remains largely unknown.Here,using map-based cloning,we identified an allele of DEP2,DDG1,which controls plant height and leaf senescence in rice.The ddg1 mutant displayed dwarfism,short panicles,and delayed leaf senescence.Compared with the wild-type,ddg1 was insensitive to exogenous gibberellins(GA)and brassinolide(BR).DDG1 is expressed in various organs,especially in stems and panicles.Yeast two-hybrid assay,bimolecular fluorescent complementation and luciferase complementation image assay showed that DDG1 interacts with theα-subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein.Disruption of RGA1 resulted in dwarfism,short panicles,and darker-green leaves.Furthermore,we found that ddg1 and the RGA1 mutant was more sensitive to salt treatment,suggesting that DDG1 and RGA1 are involved in regulating salt stress response in rice.Our results show that DDG1/DEP2 regulates plant height and leaf senescence through interacting with RGA1.