Identifying Differentially Expressed Proteins in Developmental Disease Resistance in Rice

Rob Fanter
San Francisco State University

In rice, developmentally regulated resistance to bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is controlled by the gene Xa21. Levels of Xa21 mRNA expression appear unrelated to the onset of resistance, suggesting that additional proteins besides the Xa21 product are necessary for resistance to occur. Here, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and mass spectrometric analysis are used to identify proteins from a rice/Xoo system whose differential expression patterns imply that they play a role in resistance. Possible mechanisms of action for identified proteins are given, as is an experimental design for verifying the occurrence of such mechanisms.