Expression of a P450 gene in barley (Hordeum Vulgare)

A new member of the P450 gene family was identified in barley. The P450 gene was a member of the subfamily CYP72A. Northern analysis revealed that various CYP72A39 transcripts were found in four barley cultivars at a very early vegetative stage but no expression was detected at the reproduction stage. This suggested that this P450 gene may be involved in seedling development in barley. Comparison of expression profiles of this gene and “digital expression” databases confirmed that this gene was homologous to several cereal EST clones with tissue-specific transcripts responding to various environmental stimuli. Among these, many transcripts in barley were obtained from stressed tissues at the vegetative stage, and two transcripts in wheat were expressed after being challenged by barley powdery mildew pathogen (Bumeria graminis f. sp. hordei). This suggested that the CYP72A39 gene may play a role in defence in the barley seedling.