Diurnal Changes in Transcript and Metabolite Levels during the Iron Deficiency Response of Rice

Abstract

Background Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is highly susceptible to iron (Fe) deficiency due to low secretion levels of the mugineic acid (MA) family phytosiderophore (PS) 2′-deoxymugineic acid (DMA) into the rhizosphere. The low levels of DMA secreted by rice have proved challenging to measure and, therefore, the pattern of DMA secretion under Fe deficiency has been less extensively studied relative to other graminaceous monocot species that secrete high levels of PS, such as barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Results Gene expression and metabolite analyses were used to characterise diurnal changes occurring during the Fe deficiency response of rice. Iron deficiency inducible genes involved in root DMA b..