Abstract:In order to explore changes of gene expression profiles of tobacco seedlings under low potassium stress, tobacco seedlings plants were treated with low potassium stress for 0, 6, 12, 24h and gene expression profiles of tobacco seedlings at each time point were analyzed with genechip. The results showed that compared with control, a total of 3 790 genes whose expression levels changed more than two times were detected. GO analysis showed that these differentially expressed genes can be divided into 18 functional classifications including antioxidant activity, stress response, the catalytic activity, development process, metabolism, biological regulation, and etc. Of the 3 790 genes, 417 were involved in non-biological stimuli related genes (281 up-regulated, 136 down regulated), 21 photosynthesis related genes (10 up-regulated, 11 down-regulated), 9 photosynthetic pigment synthesis related genes (6 up-regulated, 3 down-regulated) and 6 plant hormone metabolism related genes (5 up-regulated, 1 down-regulated). This result indicates that low potassium stress induces significant changes of expression levels of many genes including photosynthesis, and may impact the photosynthesis and development of tobacco seedlings. This study lays foundation for the research of molecular mechanisms of tobacco potassium nutrition.