Journal Article

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals the role of root phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway in the salt tolerance of perennial ryegrass

Zhang, Jin-Lin, Li, Yuan-Hong, Cao, Yan-Hua, Jiang, Yiwei, Lü, Zhao-Long

2024

Overview

Perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ) is a widely cultivated forage and turf grass species. Salt stress can severely damage the growth of grass plants. The genome-wide molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance have not been well understood in perennial grass species. In this study, the salt sensitive genotype P1 (PI265351, Chile) and the salt tolerant genotype P2 (PI368892, Algeria) of perennial ryegrass were subjected to 200 mM NaCl, and transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses were performed. A total of 5,728 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through pairwise comparisons. Antioxidant enzyme encoding genes ( LpSOD1 , LpCAT1 ), ion channel gene LpCaC1 and transcription factors ( LpERFs , LpHSF1 and LpMYB1 ) were significantly upregulated in P2, suggesting their involvement in regulating expression of salt-responsive genes for salt tolerance. Functional analysis of DEGs revealed that biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, carbohydrate metabolism and signal transduction were the main pathways in response to salt stress. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) based on RNA-Seq data showed that membrane transport and ABC transporters were significantly correlated with salt tolerance-related traits. The combined transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis demonstrated that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was a major secondary metabolic pathway in the salt response of perennial ryegrass. Especially, the tolerant genotype P2 had greater amounts of upregulated phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and anthocyanins and higher expressions of relevant genes in the pathway than the sensitive genotype P1, indicating a role of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis for perennial ryegrass to adapt to salt stress. The results provided insights into the molecular mechanisms of perennial ryegrass adaptation to salinity and laid a base for genetic improvement of salt tolerance in perennial grass species.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Abiotic stress / Agriculture / Algeria / Anthocyanins / antioxidant enzymes / Antioxidants / biochemical pathways / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biosynthesis / Biosynthetic Pathways - genetics / Botanical research / Carbohydrate metabolism / Carbohydrates / Chile / Damage tolerance / Environmental aspects / Enzymes / Flavonoids / Flowers & plants / forage / Functional analysis / Gene expression / Gene Expression Profiling / gene expression regulation / Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Genes / Genetic aspects / genetic improvement / Genomes / Genotype / Genotype & phenotype / Genotypes / Grasses / Hormones / Ion channels / Life Sciences / Lolium - genetics / Lolium - metabolism / Lolium - physiology / Lolium perenne / Metabolic pathways / Metabolism / Metabolites / Metabolomic profile / Metabolomics / Molecular modelling / Network analysis / perennial grasses / Perennial ryegrass / Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis / Phenylpropanoids / Physiological aspects / Physiology / Plant genetics / Plant metabolites / Plant Roots - genetics / Plant Roots - metabolism / Plant Sciences / Propanols - metabolism / RNA transport / Roots (Botany) / Ryegrasses / Salinity / Salinity tolerance / salt stress / Salt tolerance / Salt Tolerance - genetics / Secondary metabolites / sequence analysis / Signal transduction / Sodium chloride / Sorghum / species / Transcription factors / Transcriptome / Transcriptomic profile / Transcriptomics / Tree Biology / Turf / turf grasses / Water shortages