Transcriptional profiling analysis providing insights into desiccation tolerance mechanisms of the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis

Abstract

Syntrichia caninervis is a desiccation tolerant moss and is the dominant bryophyte found in biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut desert. In this study, we assessed the transcriptome profiles of S. caninervis gametophytes during the dehydration-rehydration (D-R) process (across 9 time points) using Illumina sequencing. In total, 22489 transcripts were identified, including 5337 novel transcripts, that mapped to the reference genome. A total of 12548 transcripts exhibited significant alterations in the D-R samples compared with the control samples. The differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) possessed several enriched Gene Ontology terms, such as “water stress response”, “oxidation-reduction process”, “membrane metabolism”, “photosynthesis”, and “transcription factor activity”. Moreover, during early dehydration stress, the DETs were significantly enriched in stress-related pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, such as “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis”, “alpha-linolenic acid metabolism”, and “fructose and mannose metabolism”. Photosynthesis-related transcripts (e.g., ScPsa H, ScRubisco, and ScLhcb1) were inhibited during the dehydration treatment and significantly accumulated during the late rehydration period. Most transcripts from the late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEA) and early light-inducible protein (ELIP) families strongly accumulated at the late dehydration stage. These pathways were positively correlated with the content changes of absolute water content and Fv/Fm values, alongside peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities. Seven transcription factor families, including AP2-ERF, bHLH, G2-like, MYB, NAC, WRKY, and bZIP, were enriched in DETs during D-R treatment. This study is the first transcriptome analysis using the S. caninervis genome for gene annotation and multigroup D-R treatment points. Our results demonstrated the detailed dynamic changes in the transcriptome of S. caninervis during the D-R process. These results also improve understanding of desiccation tolerant plants’ adaptations to desiccation stress at the transcription level and provide promising gene resources for transgenic crop breeding.

Metabolite profiling and transcriptomic analyses demonstrate the effects of biocontrol agents on alkaloid accumulation in Fritillaria thunbergii

“…These families are closely associated with the synthesis of carrier alkaloids. The MYB and bHLH transcription factor families are extensively distributed in plants and involve in a variety of functions, including floral organ development, plant hormone response, and fundamental metabolism and development of plants [ 24 – 27 ]. Therefore, the hormones and developmental metabolism of F. thunbergii undergo changes following the application of biocontrol agents.…”

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Response Mechanism of Ophiopogon japonicus to Waterlogging Stress

“…In soybeans, the content of flavonoids showed a proportional increase with drought stress severity [ 47 ]. In the case of Syntrichia caninervis , after exposure to drought conditions, the differentially expressed transcripts were significantly enriched in pathways such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which positively correlated with indicators such as absolute water content [ 48 ]. Similarly, after CMD underwent waterlogging stress, the levels of phenylpropanoid metabolism and flavonoid metabolism, initiated by phenylalanine and tyrosine, were significantly impacted, resulting in the increased accumulation of downstream metabolites and their derivatives including pelargonin, apiin, schaftoside 4′-O-glucoside ( Table 1 ).…”

Lead toxicity in plants: mechanistic insights into toxicity, physiological responses of plants and mitigation strategies

“…These include genes encoding transcription factors (e.g., AP2/ERF, WRKY, NAC), stress-responsive proteins (e.g., dehydrins, LEA proteins), and detoxification enzymes (e.g., metallothioneins, glutathione S-transferases). 115 Moreover, the Pb stress could trigger the activation of numerous signaling pathways, including MAPKs and calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), which coordinate downstream stress responses. 116 , 117 Additionally, epigenetic modifications (DNA methylation and histone acetylation), also play an important role in the regulation of gene expression under Pb stress environments, which modulates the adaptive potential of plants to manage environmental challenges.…”