ARS | Publication request: Biomonitoring of Boron Micronutrient Stress in Arbidopsis thaliana and Pelargonium X Hortorum

Submitted to: American Society of Plant Biologists
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 4, 2006
Publication Date: August 7, 2006
Citation: Deng, Y., Yu, F., Chen Mei, Pitchay, D., Frantz, J., Heckathorn, S., Gray, J. 2006. Biomonitoring of Boron Micronutrient Stress in Arbidopsis thaliana and Pelargonium X Hortorum. Midwest American Society of Plant Biologists, Chicago, IL, Maarch 24-25, 2006. Abstract #38.

Technical Abstract: Horticultural growers typically rely on visual symptoms of nutrient deficiencies to guide them in spot treating their plants with appropriate fertilizers. Often, visible symptoms of nutrient deficiencies occur after it is too late to remedy the situation. There exists a period of nutrient stress before visible symptoms appear that is commonly referred to as "hidden hunger." This refers to a period of time when the plant is altering gene and protein expression, such as for ion channels, transporters, leaf senescence, and reallocation of nutrients among a suite of other responses at the protein and genetic level. In this study we focused on the response of plants to deficient or toxic levels of the important plant micronutrient boron. In order to identify biomarkers linked to boron stress, we used genomics and proteomics approaches to monitor early responses of hydroponic Arabidopsis plants to high (1 or 3mM) or low (0.3 or 0mM) levels of boron. We report the isolation of candidate boron-response genes and proteins using microarray analysis and 2D gel electrophoresis/Mass Spectrometry respectively. The expression of candidate genes was validated, by profiling their expression using both quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis. We further report on the expression of a subset of boron-linked genes in the greenhouse crop Pelargonium X Hortorum (cv. Nittany Lion Red) under normal and boron stress conditions. In the long term, we will use this information to develop monitoring techniques or sentinel plants that greenhouse growers can use to for early detection of boron deficiencies.