Co-Authors:
Kaplan, F., Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
Kopka, J., Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, 14476 Golm, Germany
Sung, D.Y., Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
Zhao, W., Department of Statistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
Popp, M., Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, Box 100156, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
Porat, R., Department of Postharvest Science, ARO, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel
Guy, C.L., Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
Abstract:
Exposure of Arabidopsis to low temperatures results in cold acclimation where freezing tolerance is enhanced. To achieve a wider view of the role of transcriptome to biochemical changes that occur during cold acclimation, analyses of concurrent transcript and metabolite changes during cold acclimation was performed revealing the dynamics of selected gene-metabolite relationships. Exposure to low temperature resulted in broad transcriptional and metabolite responses. Principal component analysis revealed sequentially progressive, global changes in both gene expression and metabolite profiles during cold acclimation. Changes in transcript abundance for many metabolic processes, including protein amino acid biosynthetic pathways and soluble carbohydrates, during cold acclimation were observed. For some metabolic processes, changes in transcript abundance temporally correlated with changes in metabolite levels. For other metabolic processes, changes in transcript levels were not correlated with changes in metabolite levels. The present findings demonstrate that regulatory processes independent of transcript abundance represent a key part of the metabolic adjustments that occur during cold acclimation. © 2007 The Authors.