Overlapping and stress‐specific transcriptomic and hormonal responses to flooding and drought in soybean

Abstract

Flooding and drought are serious constraints that reduce crop productivity worldwide. Previous studies identified genes conferring tolerance to both water extremes in various plants. However, overlapping responses to flooding and drought at the genome-scale remain obscure. Here, we defined overlapping and stress-specific transcriptomic and hormonal responses to submergence, drought and recovery from these stresses in soybean (Glycine max). We performed comparative RNA-sequencing and hormone profiling, identifying genes, hormones and biological processes that are differentially regulated in an overlapping or stress-specific manner. Overlapping responses included positive regulation of trehalose and sucrose metabolism and negative regulation of cellulose, tubulin, photosystem II and I, and chlorophyll biosynthesis, facilitating the economization of energy reserves under both submergence and drought. Additional energyconsuming pathways were restricted in a stress-specific manner. Downregulation of distinct pathways for energy saving under each stress suggests energy-consuming processes that are relatively unnecessary for each stress adaptation are turned down. Our newly developed transcriptomic-response analysis revealed that abscisic acid and ethylene responses were activated in common under both stresses, whereas stimulated auxin response was submergence-specific. The energy-saving strategy is the key overlapping mechanism that underpins adaptation to both submergence and drought in soybean. Abscisic acid and ethylene are candidate hormones that coordinate transcriptomic energy-saving processes under both stresses. Auxin may be a signaling component that distinguishes submergence-specific regulation of the stress response.

Waterlogging Stress Induces Antioxidant Defense Responses, Aerenchyma Formation and Alters Metabolisms of Banana Plants

“…Our transcriptome data show that several ethylene biosynthesis genes, such as S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACCO), were upregulated in the submerged roots. These results agree with previous studies showing that waterlogging stress promotes ethylene biosynthesis [ 52 ]. However, although ethylene biosynthesis genes were upregulated, waterlogging stress did not affect the downstream genes in the ethylene pathway, such as ETR , CTR1 , and EIN3 .…”

Waterlogging stress induces antioxidant defense responses and aerenchyma formation and alters metabolisms of banana plants

“…Our transcriptome data show several ethylene biosynthesis genes, such as S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACCO), were upregulated in the submerged roots. These results agree with the previous studies, showing that waterlogging stress promotes ethylene biosynthesis [47]. However, although ethylene biosynthesis genes were upregulated, the downstream genes in the ethylene pathway, such as ETR, CTR1, and EIN3, were not affected by waterlogging stress.…”

The submergence tolerance regulator SUB1A differentially coordinates molecular adaptation to submergence in mature and growing leaves of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

“…In this analysis, most enriched GOs were redundant or overly generic, making it challenging to estimate specific biological pathways overrepresented in each sample. To address this issue, we evaluated the functional annotation of all genes in each GO term and determined the most representative biological pathways among redundant categories as performed by Tamang et al (2021) (Figure 5; Figures S4-S19; Tables S8-S31). If applicable, representative biological pathways with common functions and processes were further combined to indicate the overall pathways.…”