| Popis: |
Background: Salinity is among the most harmful agents that impacts alfalfa’s productivity. However, little is known regarding how salinity tolerance trait is regulated by lncRNAs in alfalfa. To evaluate the mRNAs and lncRNAs associated with tolerance to salinity stress in alfalfa, the root transcriptomics of two alfalfa cultivars differing in salinity tolerance, i.e., GN5 (tolerant to salinity) and GN3 (sensitive to salinity), were investigated under 0 and 150 mM NaCl treatments. Results: A total of 172,986 mRNAs and 117,677 lncRNAs were identified, of which 2288 mRNAs and 1466 lncRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in four comparisons (GN5-150 vs. GN5-0, GN3-150 vs. GN3-0, GN5-0 vs. GN3-0, and GN5-150 vs. GN3-150). Based on GO and KEGG pathway analysis, the expression levels of several osmotic and ionic stress-related genes, including HPCA1-LRR, PP2C60, PP2C71, CRK1, APX3, HXK2, BAG6, and ARF1, were higher in GN5 than in GN3. CNGC1 was significantly downregulated by NaCl treatment in GN5. The co-expressed network analysis indicated that TCONS_00113549, TCONS_00399794, TCONS_00297228, TCONS_00004647, TCONS_00033214 and TCONS_00285177 in alfalfa roots regulated 66 genes including the four genes mentioned above. Therefore, the above nine genes and six lncRNAs might contribute to the difference in salinity tolerance between GN5 and GN3. Conclusions: We discovered a broad survey of mRNAs and lncRNAs associated with the difference of salinity tolerance between GN5 and GN3. These findings would be useful for further functional analysis as potential targets to improve resistance to salinity stress via genetic engineering. |
