Tissue-Specific Gene Expression and Bioluminescence Imaging in Plants

In addition to treatment-induced changes in gene expression, there are genes that exhibit tissue-specific expression patterns. One such gene is Lsi2, which is predominantly expressed in roots, as confirmed by in vitro lysis assays. In mammalian cells, HiBiT-based bioluminescence imaging can be achieved through complementation in vivo with LgBiT. A similar method is needed for endogenous protein detection in plants. To introduce the LgBiT gene into HiBiT-tagged lines, we generated a stable transgenic line (LgBiT#18) in which the LgBiT gene is driven by the strong ZmUBI promoter. Hybrid seedlings (HiBiT-Lsi2 x LgBiT) derived from Lsi2#15-5 and LgBiT#18 were submerged in a luciferin solution and imaged using a deep-cooled CCD camera (Lumazone pylon 2048B), revealing strong luminescence signals at the roots of the hybrid seedlings.