Lipidomic reprogramming associated with drought stress priming‐enhanced heat tolerance in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)

Abstract

Stress priming by exposing plants to a mild or moderate drought could enhance plant tolerance to subsequent heat stress. Lipids play vital roles in stress adaptation, but how lipidomic profiles change, affecting the cross-stress tolerance, is largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to perform lipidomics, to analyse the content, composition, and saturation levels of lipids in leaves of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) following drought priming and subsequent heat stress, and to identify major lipids and molecular species associated with priming-enhanced heat tolerance. Plants were initially exposed to drought for 8 days by withholding irrigation and subsequently subjected to 25 days of heat stress (38/33°C day/night) in growth chambers. Drought-primed plants maintained significantly higher leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, photochemical efficiency, and lower electrolyte leakage than nonprimed plants under heat stress. Drought priming enhanced the accumulation of phospholipids and glycolipids involved in membrane stabilization and stress signalling (phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and digalactosyl diacylglycerol) during subsequent exposure to heat stress. The reprogramming of lipid metabolism for membrane stabilization and signalling in response to drought priming and subsequent exposure to heat stress could contribute to drought priming-enhanced heat tolerance in cool-season grass species.

Up‐regulation of lipid metabolism and glycine betaine synthesis are associated with choline‐induced salt tolerance in halophytic seashore paspalum

“…Finally, the lipid extract was dissolved in 1 ml of chloroform and stored at −80°C until ESI‐MS/MS analysis. For ESI‐MS/MS analysis, the data processing was carried out as described previously (Zhang et al, ). The remaining leaf tissues were dried at 105°C, and the lipid content was calculated based on dry weight.…”

“…In the present study, the content of both DGDG and MGDG decreased in two cultivars under salt stress, whereas the application of choline increased DGDG (36:6 and 36:4) content in both cultivars under salt stress although having no effect on MGDG. DGDG (36:6 and 36:4) also increased in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) after drought priming (Zhang et al, 2018). Furthermore, a higher DGDG:…”

“…Finally, the lipid extract was dissolved in 1 ml of chloroform and stored at −80°C until ESI-MS/MS analysis. For ESI-MS/MS analysis, the data processing was carried out as described previously (Zhang et al, 2018).…”

“…DGDG and MGDG can improve chloroplast membrane stability and retard leaf senescence (Chen, Wang, Qi, Yin, & Deng, ). An increasing number of studies have shown that an increased DGDG:MGDG ratio contributes to plant adaption to environmental stresses, including salt, drought, and high temperature (Chen et al, ; Torres‐Franklin, Gigon, De Melo, Zuily‐Fodil, & Pham‐Thi, ; Wang et al, ; Zhang, Xu, & Huang, ). Seed priming with choline has been reported to alter phospholipid content of wheat plants, which may affect tolerance (Salama & Mansour, ).…”

“…MGDG ratio contributes to plant adaption to environmental stresses, including salt, drought, and high temperature (Chen et al, 2018;Torres-Franklin, Gigon, De Melo, Zuily-Fodil, & Pham-Thi, 2007;Wang et al, 2014;Zhang, Xu, & Huang, 2018). Seed priming with choline has been reported to alter phospholipid content of wheat plants, which may affect tolerance (Salama & Mansour, 2015).…”