Transcriptomics and proteomics study in regulation of brassinosteroids

Abstract

The transcriptomics (microarray) technique is a powerful, high-throughput method for accurately determining changes in global gene expressions in functional genomics. It can measure gene expressions of tens of thousands of discrete sequences in a single array. This technique has been used for novel genes discoveries, gene function determinations and pathway dissections. Genes with a similar expression pattern often function in the same biological processes. Genes are the blueprints but proteins are the functional entities of the cell, regulating which genes are activated and when, relaying signals within and between cells, and driving metabolic processes. Proteomics technique is the other powerful high-throughput method to describe the study of the complete set of proteins (proteome) that is expressed at a given time in a cell, tissue, organ or organism. Proteomics characterizes cellular proteins and as well as its abundance, state of modification, protein complexes and interactions. Therefore, the holistic study of biological transformations will enable more rapid advances in elucidating biochemical pathways. The plant steroid hormones brassinosteroids (BRs) play an important role in a wide range of developmental and physiological processes. In this chapter, how to use transcriptomics and proteomics techniques to study the regulation of brassinosteroids in plants will be introduced.