title: Exogenous isoprene modulates gene expression in unstressed Arabidopsis thaliana plants.
abstract: Isoprene is a well-studied volatile hemiterpene that protects plants from abiotic stress through mechanisms that are not fully understood. The antioxidant and membrane stabilizing potential of isoprene are the two most commonly invoked mechanisms. However, isoprene also affects phenylpropanoid metabolism, suggesting an additional role as a signalling molecule. In this study, microarray-based gene expression profiling reveals transcriptional reprogramming of Arabidopsis thaliana plants fumigated for 24 h with a physiologically relevant concentration of isoprene. Functional enrichment analysis of fumigated plants revealed enhanced heat- and light-stress-responsive processes in response to isoprene. Isoprene induced a network enriched in ERF and WRKY transcription factors, which may play a role in stress tolerance. The isoprene-induced up-regulation of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes was specifically confirmed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. These results support a role for isoprene as a signalling molecule, in addition to its possible roles as an antioxidant and membrane thermoprotectant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Rd., East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, 603 Wilson Rd., East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Sharkey
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D045782:Hemiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010420:Pentanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D010420:Pentanes; C005059:isoprene
keywords: GSEA; Mapman; isoprene; methyl vinyl ketone; microarray; phenylalanine ammonia lyase