Transcriptome analyses revealed molecular responses of Cynanchum auriculatum leaves to saline stress

Abstract

Cynanchum auriculatum is a traditional herbal medicine in China and can grow in saline soils. However, little is known in relation to the underlying molecular mechanisms. In the present study, C. auriculatum seedlings were exposed to 3.75‰ and 7.5‰ salinity. Next, transcriptome profiles of leaves were compared. Transcriptome sequencing showed 35,593 and 58,046 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in treatments with 3.75‰ and 7.5‰, compared with the control, respectively. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of these DEGs enriched various defense-related biological pathways, including ROS scavenging, ion transportation, lipid metabolism and plant hormone signaling. further analyses suggested that C. auriculatum up-regulated Na + /H + exchanger and V-type proton Atpase to avoid accumulation of na + . The flavonoid and phenylpropanoids biosynthesis pathways were activated, which might increase antioxidant capacity in response to saline stress. The auxin and ethylene signaling pathways were upregulated in response to saline treatments, both of which are important plant hormones. Overall, these results raised new insights to further investigate molecular mechanisms underlying resistance of C. auriculatum to saline stress.www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ and V-type proton ATPase, the flavonoid and phenylpropanoids biosynthesis pathways, the auxin and ethylene signaling pathways were upregulated to improve the antioxidant capacity of C. auriculatum in response to saline treatments. These changes might facilitate resistance of C. auriculatum to saline stress. Flavonoid and phenylpropanoids appear to play roles in resistance to salt tolerance in C. auriculatum, possibly due to its pharmacodynamics.

Using Principal Component Analysis and RNA-Seq to Identify Candidate Genes That Control Salt Tolerance in Garlic (Allium sativum L.)

“…This strategy remarkably reduced the number of DEGs reported from a previous study [32] and identified 5386 DEGs in salt-tolerant leaves and roots after NaCl treatment. Similar salt-regulated processes mediated by these DEGs were also found in earlier studies on garlic and other plant species, such as metabolic process, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, starch and sucrose metabolism, purine metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, plant MAPK signaling pathway, and others [32,58,59]. Meanwhile, this study revealed for the first time that root-specific carotenoid biosynthesis, auxin signaling, and K + transport were likely to be responsive to garlic salt tolerance.…”

Ethylene: A Master Regulator of Salinity Stress Tolerance in Plants

“…Moreover, enhanced expressions of three ERF genes including ESE1, ESE2, and ESE3 were observed in response to salinity stress and ethylene in Arabidopsis [67]. Recently, it was shown that ERF1/2 was upregulated whereas CTR1 and EIN3-binding F-box protein 1/2 (EBF1/2) were downregulated during salinity stress in Cynanchum auriculatum [14]. Li et al [80] cloned an APETALA2/ethylene responsive factor (AP2/ERF) gene from salinity-tolerant sweet potato line ND98 and named it IbRAP2-12.…”

“…Among different abiotic stresses, ethylene has emerged as one of the important positive mediators for salinity stress tolerance in the model plant A. thaliana as well as in many crop plants including grapevines, maize, and tomato [10][11][12][13]. Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic stresses, posing a major threat to agricultural productivity [14,15]. Globally, more than 20% of irrigated land is affected by salinity stress, resulting in an average yield fall of more than 50% for major crops [16,17].…”

Omics in Major Cereals: Applications, Challenges, and Prospects

“…With an increase in the whole genome transcriptomic studies in plants, the genes related to stress response, downstream signaling, and synthesis of stress response molecules are undermined [56]. A plethora of information on transcriptomics of cereals crops such as rice, wheat, maize, barley, and sorghum are available.…”