Variations in Plant Growth Characteristics Due to Oxygen Plasma Irradiation on Leaf and Seed

Gene expression variations of plant leaf are investigated by irradiating seed and leaf with oxygen or air plasmas. Enhancement of leaf growth is induced by oxygen plasma irradiation on seeds, which is supported by increased gene expression for protein synthesis, oxidative-reduction reactions, and decreased gene expression concerning DNA methylation and histone modification. Suppression of leaf growth is observed by the oxygen plasma, which would be owing to increased gene expression concerning heat shock protein and redox reaction, and decreased expression of photosynthesis and glycoprotein. Moreover, gene expression variation due to air plasma irradiation is almost the same as that of oxygen plasma. Active oxygen species are major factors in both oxygen and air plasmas for the variation of gene expressions in plants.