Differential gene expression studies on HsfA4d, HsfB2a and ClpD1/HSP100 during heat stress in the rice varieties N22 and Co51

In the present investigation, differential expression of two transcription factor genes (HsfA4d and HsfB2a) and a heat shock protein (ClpD1/HSP100) was evaluated in the rice varieties N22 and Co 51 using qRT-PCR. It was observed that gene expression levels were varying during ontogeny. Among the two transcription factor genes, HsfB2a which is under the influence of the master regulator HsfA1s was found to have enhanced expression levels than HsfA4d, which acts in a HsfA1s independent pathway. Gene expression level of the heat shock protein ClpD1/HSP100 in the heat tolerant variety N22 was higher than that of the Co 51, implying that Co 51 is relatively less heat tolerant. N22 was observed to have higher heat-shock memory retention than that of Co51.