Isolation of cDNA clones of genes with altered expression levels in phosphate-starved Brassica nigra suspension cells.

Differential gene expression at the transcriptional level was examined as an initial step in the investigation of the P(i) starvation response of Brassica nigra suspension cells. Total RNA was extracted from 7-day old cells grown in media containing either no P(i), 1.25 mM or 10 mM Pi. In vitro translation was carried out using their respective poly(A)+ RNA isolates and the resultant polypeptides were separated on a high-resolution SDS-PAGE gel. Scanning densitometry identified four polypeptides (ca. 31.7, 32.3, 52.5 and 64.8 kDa) present only in the P(i)-starved samples. Screening by differential hybridization was performed on a cDNA library constructed from mRNA isolated from P(i)-starved cells. Probes prepared from mRNA from P(i)-deficient and P(i)-sufficient cells identified a number of clones representing mRNA species that were preferentially transcribed under P(i) deficiency. These phosphate starvation-responsive (psr) clones were placed into eleven groups as determined by cross-hybridization. Northern blots showed that the corresponding genes are inducible in both mild and severe P(i) starvation conditions. Preliminary sequencing identified one of the clones as being homologous to beta-glucosidases from several plant species. The possible role of beta-glucosidase during Pi starvation and the identities of the other psr genes are discussed.