Salt stress is one of the most limiting factors that reduce plant growth, development and yield. However, identification of salt-inducible genes is an initial step for understanding the adaptive response of plants to salt stress. In this study, we used an annealing control primer (ACP) based GeneFishing technique to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Italian ryegrass seedlings under salt stress. Ten-day-old seedlings were exposed to 100 mM NaCl for 6 h. Using 60 ACPs, a total 8 up-regulated genes were identified and sequenced. We identified several promising genes encoding alpha-glactosidase b, light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein, metallothionein-like protein 3B-like, translation factor SUI, translation initiation factor eIF1, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2 and elongation factor 1-alpha. These genes were mostly involved in plant development, signaling, ROS detoxification and salt acclimation. However, this study provides new molecular information of several genes to understand the salt stress response. These genes would be useful for the enhancement of salt stress tolerance in plants.

In the present study, we have used an annealing-control-primer (ACP)-based differentially display RT-PCR method to identify salt-stress-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in barley leaves. Using 120 ACPs, a total of 11 up-regulated genes were identified and sequenced. Temporal expression patterns of some up-regulated DEGs in response to salt stress were further analyzed by Northern blot analysis. The possible roles of these identified genes are discussed within the context of their putative role in response to salt stress. Thus, the identification of some novel genes-such as SnRK1-type protein kinase; 17 kDa, class I, small heat shock protein; and RNase S-like protein precursor genes-may offer a new avenue for better understanding the salt stress response in plants, knowledge which might be helpful for developing future strategies.

We have previously shown that the larvae of swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus, exhibit substantial antibacterial activity in the hemolymph, upon challenging with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here we report the isolation and molecular characterization of several immune inducible genes that are specifically expressed by employing annealing control primer (ACP)-based GeneFishing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from P. xuthus the larva. Using 120 arbitrary ACPs, we identified 24 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that are up-regulated in response to injected LPS. Sequence analysis showed that 18 DEGs revelaed a high sequence similarity to the previously characterized genes of other insects, although 6 DEGs showed no significant similarity to any known genes. Among these inducible transcripts we found 8 putative immune-related genes including cecropin and attacin. Finally, we analysed the expression profiles of potential immune-related genes by RT-PCR and found all of them were considerably increased in the mRNA levels by LPS injection.

Aging causes thymus involution, and genes in thymus play an important role in the development of the immune system. In this study, we compared genes expressed in thymus of neonatal and peripubertal rats using annealing control primers (ACPs)-based GeneFishing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and semiquantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. We identified 10 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 20 ACPs. Of 10 DEGs, bystin-like, collagen type V alpha 1 (COL5A1), and T-cell receptor beta-chain segment 2 (TCRB2) that are related to immune-function were detected in rat thymus. Bystin-like and TCRB2 were up-regulated, while COL5A1 was down-regulated in peripubertal thymus. Semiquantitative RT-PCR confirmed postnatal changes in expression of bystin-like, COL5A1, and TCRB2. These results suggest that bystin-like, COL5A1, and TCRB2 could regulate immune function controlled in thymus as age increases.