Common bean expression atlas: transcription factors

Our group has participated in pioneer research on common bean transcriptome. This work has been done in collaboration with Carroll P. Vance, U. Minnesota – USDA, and other colleagues. Combining the genetic resources of the common bean genome sequence and predicted gene calls recently released (www.phytozome.net) with RNA-seq technology we measured the gene expression patterns from 24 samples collected from seven tissues at developmentally important stages and from three nitrogen sources, including N-fixing nodules (O’Rourke et al., manuscript in preparation). Current/future projects from our group will concentrate in the functional characterization of transcription factor genes that are differentially expressed in common bean nodules and may play important roles as global regulators of the development and function of this organ. In addition, the expression atlas may be extended to the transcript analysis of tissues from common bean plants under abiotic stress.