Journal Article

Comparative transcriptome and coexpression network analysis revealed the regulatory mechanism of Astragalus cicer L. in response to salt stress

Zheng, Xiaolin, Ma, Huiling, Zhang, Yujuan, Jin, Minhui, Zhao, Chunxu, Ma, Fuqin, Dong, Wenke, Wang, Yan

2024

Overview

Background Astragalus cicer L. is a perennial rhizomatous legume forage known for its quality, high biomass yield, and strong tolerance to saline-alkaline soils. Soil salinization is a widespread environmental pressure. To use A. cicer L. more scientifically and environmentally in agriculture and ecosystems, it is highly important to study the molecular response mechanism of A. cicer L. to salt stress. Results In this study, we used RNA-seq technology and weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed. The results showed 4 key modules were closely related to the physiological response of A. cicer. L. to salt stress. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of key modules were mapped into the KEGG database, and found that the most abundant pathways were the plant hormone signal transduction pathway and carbon metabolism pathway. The potential regulatory networks of the cytokinin signal transduction pathway, the ethylene signal transduction pathway, and carbon metabolism related pathways were constructed according to the expression pathways of the DEGs. Seven hub genes in the key modules were selected and distributed among these pathways. They may involved in the positive regulation of cytokinin signaling and carbon metabolism in plant leaves, but limited the positive expression of ethylene signaling. Thus endowing the plant with salt tolerance in the early stage of salt stress. Conclusions Based on the phenotypic and physiological responses of A. cicer L. to salt stress, this study constructed the gene coexpression network of potential regulation to salt stress in key modules, which provided a new reference for exploring the response mechanism of legumes to abiotic stress.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Abiotic stress / Abiotic stress tolerance in plants / Abscisic acid / Agricultural ecosystems / Agricultural research / Agriculture / Alkaline soils / Analysis / Antioxidants / Astragalus (Plants) / Astragalus cicer / Astragalus cicer L / Astragalus Plant - genetics / Astragalus Plant - physiology / Beans / biomass production / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Carbohydrates / Carbon / carbon metabolism / Cellular signal transduction / Cytokinins / Ecosystems / Enzymes / Ethylene / ethylene signaling pathway / forage / Gene expression / Gene Expression Profiling / gene expression regulation / Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - drug effects / Gene regulation / Gene Regulatory Networks / Genes / Genetic aspects / Hardiness / Kinases / Leaves / Legumes / Life Sciences / Metabolism / Metabolites / Mimosaceae / Modules / Network analysis / phenotype / Photosynthesis / Physiological and biochemical / Physiological aspects / physiological response / Physiological responses / Physiology / Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism / Plant Growth Regulators - pharmacology / Plant hormones / Plant resistance / Plant Sciences / Plants / Proteins / Regulatory mechanisms (biology) / RNA-seq / Saline soils / Salinity tolerance / Salinization / Salt / Salt stress / Salt stress (Botany) / Salt Stress - genetics / Salt tolerance / sequence analysis / Signal transduction / Soil salinity / soil salinization / Soils, Salts in / Technology assessment / Transcriptome / Transcriptomes / Tree Biology / Water shortages / WGCNA