Comparative transcriptome profiling reveals cold stress responsiveness in two contrasting Chinese jujube cultivars

Abstract

Background: Low temperature is a major factor influencing the growth and development of Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) in cold winter and spring. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms enabling jujube to cope with different freezing stress conditions. To elucidate the freezing-related molecular mechanism, we conducted comparative transcriptome analysis between 'Dongzao' (low freezing tolerance cultivar) and 'Jinsixiaozao' (high freezing tolerance cultivar) using RNA-Seq. Results: More than 20,000 genes were detected at chilling (4°C) and freezing (− 10°C, − 20°C, − 30°C and − 40°C) stress between the two cultivars. The numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two cultivars were 1831, 2030, 1993, 1845 and 2137 under the five treatments. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that the metabolic pathway, response to stimulus and catalytic activity were significantly enriched under stronger freezing stress. Among the DEGs, nine participated in the Ca 2+ signal pathway, thirty-two were identified to participate in sucrose metabolism, and others were identified to participate in the regulation of ROS, plant hormones and antifreeze proteins. In addition, important transcription factors (WRKY, AP2/ERF, NAC and bZIP) participating in freezing stress were activated under different degrees of freezing stress. Conclusions: Our research first provides a more comprehensive understanding of DEGs involved in freezing stress at the transcriptome level in two Z. jujuba cultivars with different freezing tolerances. These results may help to elucidate the molecular mechanism of freezing tolerance in jujube and also provides new insights and candidate genes for genetically enhancing freezing stress tolerance.

Transcriptome Profiling of Maize (Zea mays L.) Leaves Reveals Key Cold-Responsive Genes, Transcription Factors, and Metabolic Pathways Regulating Cold Stress Tolerance at the Seedling Stage

“…In this study, 147 TFs belonging to 32 TF families, including AP2/ERF (27), MYB (19), bHLH (13), WRKY (21), C 2 H 2 (8), and NAC (13), were largely regulated by cold stress (Table 2, Figure 5). Similar to our findings, in previous studies, comparative transcriptome analysis of rice, Chinese jujube, and peanut under cold stress conditions identified the above TF families to be the most regulated gene members [60,61,71,72]. These TF genes in their respective families are divided into diverse subgroups based on their specific motif structures, showing that they may perform their specific biological activities under cold stress.…”

“…In this study, 14 DEGs encoding MAPKs were regulated by cold stress (Table S4). Multiple MAPKs have been implicated in improving cold tolerance in rice and Chinese jujube, according to previous research [60,61]. In this study, RBOH (Zm00001d009248), MAP3 (Zm00001d001978), and MKK3 (Zm00001d013510 and Zm00001d028026) had higher expression levels in the tolerant lines (Table S4).…”

Transcriptome and de novo analysis of Rosa xanthina f. spontanea in response to cold stress

“…In the present study, there were more downregulated genes than upregulated genes at 4 °C and − 20 °C in R. xanthina f. spontanea . This result is similar with those of Kou et al [ 22 ] in potato and Zhou et al [ 23 ] in Chinese jujube, which indicated that different cultivars may have similar responses and cold resistance mechanisms. However, these results are not consistent with those of Niu et al [ 24 ] in Prunus persica under freezing stress treatment, in which the number of upregulated genes was greater than that of downregulated genes.…”

Transcriptome analysis of the winter wheat Dn1 in response to cold stress

“…In previous studies, researchers have comprehensively analysed gene functions and metabolic pathways at the transcriptional level under cold stress using RNA-seq technology [ 9 , 11 , 12 ]. Recent plant transcriptome studies have found that calcium ion (Ca 2+ ) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated signalling pathways and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades in plants are able to rapidly respond to cold stress [ 13 , 14 ].…”