Transcriptome Sequencing Analyses between the Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Line and Its Maintainer Line in Welsh Onion (Allium fistulosum L.)

Abstract

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is important for exploiting heterosis in crop plants and also serves as a model for investigating nuclear–cytoplasmic interaction. The molecular mechanism of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration was investigated in several important economic crops but remains poorly understood in the Welsh onion. Therefore, we compared the differences between the CMS line 64-2 and its maintainer line 64-1 using transcriptome sequencing with the aim of determining critical genes and pathways associated with male sterility. This study combined two years of RNA-seq data; there were 1504 unigenes (in May 2013) and 2928 unigenes (in May 2014) that were differentially expressed between the CMS and cytoplasmic male maintainer Welsh onion varieties. Known CMS-related genes were found in the set of differentially expressed genes and checked by qPCR. These genes included F-type ATPase, NADH dehydrogenase, cytochrome c oxidase, etc. Overall, this study demonstrated that the CMS regulatory genes and pathways may be associated with the mitochondria and nucleus in the Welsh onion. We believe that this transcriptome dataset will accelerate the research on CMS gene clones and other functional genomics research on A. fistulosum L.

The key genes and pathways related to male sterility of eggplant revealed by comparative transcriptome analysis

“…It suggests that mitochondrial respiratory related enzymes play a vital role in the eggplant MS line. The result is consistent with a previous study [ 41 ], in which the CMS related genes was explored in MS line of welsh onion. As we know, MS of many plants were associated with mitochondria, especially the CMS.…”

Normal and Abortive Buds Transcriptomic Profiling of Broccoli ogu Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Line and Its Maintainer

“…Ethylene-responsive transcription factor 115 and transcriptional factor basic helix-loop-helix 137 were both significantly upregulated in ogu CMS abortive buds. Therefore, our results were basically consistent with the results of previous studies [ 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 ], and the genes discovered related to energy metabolism, oxidation reduction process and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, ethylene-responsive transcription factor 115 and transcriptional factor basic helix-loop-helix 137 may be important factors contributing to Broccoli ogu CMS pollen abortion and bud abortion. Further experiments are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of these genes that lead to broccoli CMS and bud abortion.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that the genes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis or antioxidative system balance may be important factors contributing to pollen abortion in cotton [ 46 ] and wheat [ 47 ]. Carbohydrate and energy metabolisms, oxidation-reduction system and phenylpropanoid metabolism pathways related genes may be important factor for CMS in soybean [ 48 ], rapeseed [ 49 ], cabbage [ 50 ], onion [ 51 ] and wheat [ 52 ]. Male sterility might be related to energy metabolism turbulence, excessive ethylene synthesis, and suffocation of starch synthesis in pepper [ 53 ].…”

Comparative Analysis of the Cytology and Transcriptomes of the Cytoplasmic Male Sterility Line H276A and Its Maintainer Line H276B of Cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.)

“…CMS is caused by mitochondrial genes coupled with nuclear genes [ 7 ] and is considered a complicated biological process that involves many metabolic pathways. Therefore, comparative transcriptome analyses have been extensively used to study the molecular mechanisms of CMS in plants, including the kenaf CMS line P3A [ 8 ], soybean CMS line NJCMS1A [ 9 ], Welsh onion CMS line 64-2 [ 10 ], and cabbage CMS line PM [ 4 ].…”