GSE50430
Transcriptome of alfalfa plants under animal grazing
By comparing transcriptomes of tolerant and intolerant plants of sickle alfalfa subject to intensive animal grazing, we identified pathways involved in nutrient-responsive signaling, light and wound response, cell wall formation, and energy metabolism.  In these pathways, grazing suppressed 39 genes, but less severe in the tolerant plant, and activated 5 genes all carrying polymorphisms in their homologous transcripts between the tolerant and intolerant plants.  These genes and pathways - responsive to grazing and differentially expressed between the tolerant and intolerant plants – underline a defense mechanism in alfalfa against grazing stresses. Overall design: We examined transcriptomes of 3 alfalfa plants: grazing tolerant and grazed, grazing tolerant and not grazed, grazing intolerant and grazed, all at single replicate each.