Global analysis of the root hair morphogenesis transcriptome reveals new candidate genes involved in root hair formation in barley

Root hairs are long tubular outgrowths of specialized root epidermal cells that play an important role in plant nutrition and water uptake. They are also an important model in studies of higher plant cell differentiation. In contrast to the model dicot Arabidopsis thaliana, currently very little is known about the genetic and molecular basis of root hair formation in monocots, including major cereals. To elucidate candidate genes controlling this developmental process in barley, we took advantage of the recently established Affymetrix GeneChip Barley1 Genome Array to carry out global transcriptome analyses of hairless and root hair primordia-forming roots of two barely mutant lines. Expression profiling of the root-hairless mutant rhl1.a and its wild type parent variety ‘Karat’ revealed 10 genes potentially involved in the early step of root hair formation in barley. Differential expression of all identified genes was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The genes identified encode proteins associated with the cell wall and membranes, including one gene for xyloglucan endotransglycosylase, three for peroxidase enzymes and five for arabinogalactan protein, extensin, leucine-rich-repeat protein, phosphatidylinositol phosphatidylcholine transfer protein and a RhoGTPase GDP dissociation inhibitor, respectively. The molecular function of one gene is unknown at present. The expression levels of these genes were strongly reduced in roots of the root-hairless mutant rhl1.a compared to the parent variety, while expression of all 10 genes was similar in another mutant, i.e. rhp1.b, that has lost its ability to develop full root hairs but still forms hairs blocked at the primordium stage, and its wild type relative. This clearly indicates that the new genes identified are involved in the initiation of root hair morphogenesis in barley.