Genome-wide analyses of changes in translation state caused by elevated temperature in Oryza sativa

It has been reported that the translational status of mRNAs responds dramatically to abiotic stresses. While many useful results have demonstrated translational control in dicotyledonous model plants, little is known about changes in the translation state in response to abiotic stresses in monocotyledonous plants. To understand global changes in translation of mRNAs, we performed genome-wide analyses using Oryza sativa treated with heat stress (HS). These analyses showed that most mRNAs were translationally repressed, while the translation of some mRNAs was maintained. In addition to other regulatory steps in gene expression, including transcription and processing, it is thought that translational regulation is a critical step in adaptation to new conditions because of the functional tendencies of proteins that are either translationally maintained or highly repressed upon HS. When we compared the functional tendencies of translationally regulated proteins in rice with those in Arabidopsis thaliana cells exposed to HS, some showed similar regulation, arguing for both common and different features of translational regulation in the two plants.