Comparative transcriptome analysis indicates that a core transcriptional network mediates isonuclear alloplasmic male sterility in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

Background: Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) plays a crucial role in the utilization of heterosis and various types of CMS often have different abortion mechanisms. Therefore, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms related to anther abortion in wheat, which remain unclear at present. Results: In this study, five isonuclear alloplasmic male sterile lines (IAMSLs) and their maintainer were investigated. Cytological analysis indicated that the abortion type was identical in IAMSLs, typical and stainable abortion, and the key abortive period was in the binucleate stage. Most of the 1,281 core shared differentially expressed genes identified by transcriptome sequencing compared with the maintainer in the vital abortive stage were involved in the metabolism of sugars, oxidative phosphorylation, phenylpropane biosynthesis, and phosphatidylinositol signaling, and they were downregulated in the IAMSLs. Key candidate genes encoding chalcone-flavonone isomerase, pectinesterase, and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase were screened and identified. Moreover, further verification elucidated that due to the impact of downregulated genes in these pathways, the male sterile anthers were deficient in sugar and energy, with excessive accumulations of ROS, blocked sporopollenin synthesis, and abnormal tapetum degradation. Conclusions: Through comparative transcriptome analysis, an intriguing core transcriptome-mediated male-sterility network was proposed and constructed for wheat and inferred that the downregulation of genes in important pathways may ultimately stunt the formation of the pollen outer wall in IAMSLs. These findings provide insights for predicting the functions of the candidate genes, and the comprehensive analysis of our results was helpful for studying the abortive interaction mechanism in CMS wheat.

Differential Morpho-Physiological and Transcriptomic Responses to Heat Stress in Two Blueberry Species

“…In plants, inositol phosphate and phenylalanineinduced transcripts and their osmoregulation mechanisms were reported in response to heat stress [70][71][72]. Extensively studied genes in plants include induced expression of cytochrome P450 genes involved in the biosynthesis of indole alkaloid as well as other secondary metabolites and glycerolipid-and glycerophospholipid-induced transcripts in lipid metabolism under heat stress and their mechanisms in response to heat stress [73][74][75]. The unique metabolic pathways in V. darrowii are carbon fixation, pyruvate, amino sugar, nucleotide sugar, galactose, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate, fructose and mannose metabolism, other glycan degradation, and nitrogen metabolism ( Figure 5C,D).…”

“…Photosynthesis enhancement by ameliorating glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism genes and their induced transcripts are involved in the comprehensive regulation of photosynthetic carbon metabolism under heat stress [37,70,77]. Previous studies reported fructose and mannose metabolism gene expression in response to heat stress and their osmoregulation [74,78].…”

The framework of lncRNAs and genes at early pollen developmental stage in a PTGMS wheat line

“…Previous studies have shown that the large superfamily ABC transporter proteins are involved in translocation of a broad range of substances across membranes using energy from ATP hydrolysis such as transport of sporopollen (the main component of pollen exine) so they are also required for pollen exine formation (Chang et al, 2018). The tapetum provides sucrose, proteins, lipids, and sporopollenin to support the growth and development of the pollen via its degradation and secretion, and the progress of secreting nutrients to pollen is considered to be vesicular trafficking (Liu et al, 2020). Here, vesicular trafficking related DEGs encoding Sec23/Sec24 trunk domain protein, coatomer WD .…”

“…In CMS lines wheat, premature or delayed PCD by tapetal cells disorganized the supply of the nutrients to microspores, thereby resulting in pollen abortion (Meng et al, 2016). Previous studies suggested this irregular tapetal PCD was tightly controlled by evolutionarily conserved transcriptional cascades (Liu et al, 2020). In recent years, hybrid breeding has a remarkable success in several allogamous species such as maize, sunflower, sorghum, sugar beet, and rye, but not be fully exploited in autogamous crops (Longin et al, 2012).…”

Identification and Verification of Genes Related to Pollen Development and Male Sterility Induced by High Temperature in Thermo-sensitive Genic Male Sterile Wheat Line YanZhan 4110S

“…In recent years, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) has been applied for the key genes and vital metabolic pathway networks in a strong instrument. For example, soybean [17], rice [18], cotton [19], cabbage [20], wheat [21] and rice [22].…”