Figure 4.

Taqman-based reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assays of relative gene expression in Verticillium dahliae. The seven genes selected for RT-qPCR experiments were identified by RNA-seq analyses as up- or down-regulated in cultures producing microsclerotia (MS +) or not producing microsclerotia (NoMS) at the sampling time points indicated. Mean expression and error was determined using the Relative Expression Software Tool [58] with ubiquitin and β-tubulin as reference genes (see Methods). Relative expression data from three biological replicates were examined. Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals. *Up-regulated genes (P < 0.05). **Down-regulated genes (P < 0.05).