Expression of genes in cultivated rice and weedy rice in competition

Abstract

The competition for resources such as light and nitrogen between red rice and cultivated rice can trigger responses in plants that interfere with growth and productivity as well as the expression of genes related to competition-induced stress. Due to its sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity, real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) is an important technique for analyzing differences in gene expression. In this study, we quantified the relative expression levels of genes involved in nitrogen assimilation (OsAMTs, OsGS2 and OsNADH-GOGAT2) and light capture (OsPIL1, OsCRY2 and OsCAB1) in cultivated and red rice in competition under different concentrations of nitrogen (0, 120 and 240 kg ha-1 of nitrogen). Interspecific competition in rice increased the expression of certain genes responsible for assimilating nitrogen (OsNADH-GOGAT2 and OsAMT3;1), and intraspecific competition in red rice also increased the expression of OsGS2. With the interspecific competition, both rice and red rice exhibited increased expression of genes responsible for capturing light, such as OsCRY2 and OsCAB1. With intraspecific competition, red rice showed increased OsPIL1 expression. Additionally, higher doses of nitrogen increased the expression of genes responsible for assimilating nitrogen and capturing light in both cultivated and wild rice species.