Abstract
N-acetylchitooligosaccharides elicit several defence responces in suspension-cultured rice cells (Oryza sativa cv Nipponbare). We have reported the isolation of two novel elicitor responsive genes, CIGR1 and CIGR2, of GRAS family of rice. It was previously suggested that both genes are the crossing point of the two distinct signaling pathways from elicitor and gibberellin. In this study, we investigated the behavior of both mRNAs in rice plant using in situ hybridization and northern blot analysis. In situ hybridization experiments indicated that both genes were rapidly activated by treatment with elicitor or gibberellin and that the activation of CIGR1 mRNA was localized in dumbbell-shaped silica cells at leaf epidermis and CIGR2 mRNA activated in the mesophyll cells.
