Temporal and spatial regulation of a novel gene in barley embryos.

The temporal and spatial pattern of expression of a novel barley gene is described. The gene has been identified through the differential screening of a cDNA library constructed to poly(A)+ RNA of zygotic embryos. Transcripts corresponding to the cDNA, pZE40, become abundant in the non-axial tissues of the developing embryo within 8-10 days after anthesis, when steady-state levels are high in the scutellum, coleoptile and coleorhiza, with the exception of the scutellar epithelium. This expression pattern is maintained throughout maturation of the embryo until levels eventually decline as the grain desiccates. On germination, there is a transient re-appearance of mRNA to pZE40, with accumulation specifically restricted to the scutellum of the seedling. In situ hybridization has enabled the detection of transcripts elsewhere in the barley plant, in highly localized groups of cells. The timing and cell specificity of expression suggests the gene product is involved in the synthesis and/or transport of metabolites.