Expression analysis of argonaute, Dicer-like, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase genes in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in response to abiotic stress.

Posttranscriptional control of gene expression can be achieved through RNA interference when the activities of Dicer-like (DCL), argonaute (AGO) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDR) proteins are significant. In this study, we analysed the expression of seven AGO, five DCL and eight RDR genes in cucumber under cold, heat, hormone, salinity and dehydration treatments using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). All CsAGO, CsDCL and CsRDR genes were differentially expressed under abiotic stress treatment.