To understand the mechanisms responsible for aluminum (Al) toxicity and tolerance in plants, an expressed sequence tag (EST) approach was used to analyze changes in gene expression in roots of rye (Secale cereale L. cv Blanco) under Al stress. Two cDNA libraries were constructed (Al stressed and unstressed), and a total of 1,194 and 774 ESTs were generated, respectively. The putative proteins encoded by these cDNAs were uncovered by Basic Local Alignment Search Tool searches, and those ESTs showing similarity to proteins of known function were classified according to 13 different functional categories. A total of 671 known function genes were used to analyze the gene expression patterns in rye cv Blanco root tips under Al stress. Many of the previously identified Al-responsive genes showed expression differences between the libraries within 6 h of Al stress. Certain genes were selected, and their expression profiles were studied during a 48-h period using northern analysis. A total of 13 novel genes involved in cell elongation and division (tonoplast aquaporin and ubiquitin-like protein SMT3), oxidative stress (glutathione peroxidase, glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase, and ascorbate peroxidase), iron metabolism (iron deficiency-specific proteins IDS3a, IDS3b, and IDS1; S-adenosyl methionine synthase; and methionine synthase), and other cellular mechanisms (pathogenesis-related protein 1.2, heme oxygenase, and epoxide hydrolase) were demonstrated to be regulated by Al stress. These genes provide new insights about the response of Al-tolerant plants to toxic levels of Al.Al is one of the most important limiting factors for crop production on acid soils. The most important effect of Al toxicity is a dramatic reduction in root growth, which leads to poor productivity. Severe Al stress threatens the survival of many sensitive crop genotypes. Al has been shown to affect a large number of cellular processes, especially the uptake of K (Jones and Kochian, 1995). Al also induces the secretion of organic acids (e.g. citrate, malate, and oxalate) from roots (Delhaize and Ryan, 1995). These organic acids form a stable complex with Al, preventing the toxic effects of Al and providing the most valuable source of tolerance in the majority of plant species studied. Despite the considerable progress made over the last decade, the rather modest progress in isolating Al-regulated genes has limited our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying Al toxicity and tolerance.Changes in gene expression control normal physiological processes and are also the main effectors of cellular responses to biotic or abiotic stresses (Jiang et al., 2000). Since the cloning of the Wali genes (Snowden and Gardner, 1993;, other genes have been shown to respond to Al stress, such as those identified in rice (Oryza sativa; Yu et al., 1998), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum; Ezaki et al., 1995;Ezaki et al., 1996), wheat (Triticum aestivum; Cruz-Ortega et al., 1997;Hamel et al., 1998;Delhaize et al., 1999;Hamilton et al., 2001), Arabidopsis (Richards...