Broad spectrum microarray for fingerprint-based bacterial species identification.

BACKGROUND: Microarrays are powerful tools for DNA-based molecular diagnostics and identification of pathogens. Most target a limited range of organisms and are based on only one or a very few genes for specific identification. Such microarrays are limited to organisms for which specific probes are available, and often have difficulty discriminating closely related taxa. We have developed an alternative broad-spectrum microarray that employs hybridisation fingerprints generated by high-density anonymous markers distributed over the entire genome for identification based on comparison to a reference database. RESULTS: A high-density microarray carrying 95,000 unique 13-mer probes was designed. Optimized methods were developed to deliver reproducible hybridisation patterns that enabled confident discrimination of bacteria at the species, subspecies, and strain levels. High correlation coefficients were achieved between replicates. A sub-selection of 12,071 probes, determined by ANOVA and class prediction analysis, enabled the discrimination of all samples in our panel. Mismatch probe hybridisation was observed but was found to have no effect on the discriminatory capacity of our system. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the potential of our genome chip for reliable identification of a wide range of bacterial taxa at the subspecies level without laborious prior sequencing and probe design. With its high resolution capacity, our proof-of-principle chip demonstrates great potential as a tool for molecular diagnostics of broad taxonomic groups.

Common and distinct gene expression patterns induced by the herbicides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, cinidon-ethyl and tribenuron-methyl in wheat.

In wheat, herbicides are used to control weeds. Little is known about the changes induced in the metabolism of tolerant plants after herbicide treatment. The impact of three herbicides [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), cinidon-ethyl and tribenuron-methyl] on the wheat transcriptome was studied using cDNA microarrays. Gene expression of plants grown in a controlled environment or in the field was studied between 24 h and 2 weeks after treatment. Under controlled conditions, 2,4-D induced genes of the phenylpropanoid pathway soon after treatment. Cinidon-ethyl triggered peroxidase and defence-related gene expression under controlled conditions, probably because reactive oxygen species are released by photo-oxidation of protoporphyrin-IX. The same genes were upregulated in the field as under controlled conditions, albeit at a weaker level. These results show that cinidon-ethyl specifically induces genes involved in plant defence. Under controlled conditions, tribenuron-methyl did not change the expression profile immediately after treatment, but defence-related genes were upregulated after 1 week. Sulfonylurea compounds such as tribenuron-methyl specifically inhibit acetolactate synthase and are rapidly detoxified, but the activity of some of the resulting metabolites could explain later changes in gene expression. Finally, overexpression of the isopropylmalate synthase gene, involved in branched-chain amino acid synthesis, and of defence-related genes was observed in the field after sulfonylurea treatment.

Specific patterns of changes in wheat gene expression after treatment with three antifungal compounds.

The two fungicides azoxystrobin and fenpropimorph are used against powdery mildew and rust diseases in wheat (Triticum aestivumL). Azoxystrobin, a strobilurin, inhibits fungal mitochondrial respiration and fenpropimorph, a morpholin, represses biosynthesis of ergosterol, the major sterol of fungal membranes. Although the fungitoxic activity of these compounds is well understood, their effects on plant metabolism remain unclear. In contrast to the fungicides which directly affect pathogen metabolism, benzo(1,2,3) thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methylester (BTH) induces resistance against wheat pathogens by the activation of systemic acquired resistance in the host plant. In this study, we monitored gene expression in spring wheat after treatment with each of these agrochemicals in a greenhouse trial using a microarray containing 600 barley cDNA clones. Defence-related genes were strongly induced after treatment with BTH, confirming the activation of a similar set of genes as in dicot plants following salicylic acid treatment. A similar gene expression pattern was observed after treatment with fenpropimorph and some defence-related genes were induced by azoxystrobin, demonstrating that these fungicides also activate a defence reaction. However, less intense responses were triggered than with BTH. The same experiments performed under field conditions gave dramatically different results. No gene showed differential expression after treatment and defence genes were already expressed at a high level before application of the agrochemicals. These differences in the expression patterns between the two environments demonstrate the importance of plant growth conditions for testing the impact of agrochemicals on plant metabolism.