Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting for Analysis of Cell Type-Specific Responses to Salinity Stress in Arabidopsis and Rice

Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) provides a rapid means of isolating large numbers of fluorescently tagged cells from a heterogeneous mixture of cells. Collections of transgenic plants with cell type-specific expression of fluorescent marker genes such as green fluorescent protein (GFP ) are ideally suited for FACS-assisted studies of individual cell types. Here we describe the use of Arabidopsis and rice enhancer trap lines with tissue-specific GFP expression patterns in the root to isolate specific cell types of root tissues using FACS. Additionally, protocols are provided to impose a ramped salinity stress for 48 h prior to cell sorting.