Flexible response and rapid recovery strategies of the plateau forage Poa crymophila to cold and drought

Abstract

Cold and drought stress are the two most severe abiotic stresses in alpine regions. Poa crymophila is widely grown in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau with strong tolerance. Here, by profiling gene expression patterns and metabolomics-associated transcriptomics co-expression network, the acclimation of Poa crymophila to the two stresses was characterized. (1) The genes and metabolites with stress tolerance were induced by cold and drought, while those related with growth were inhibited, and most of them were restored faster after stresses disappeared. In particular, the genes for the photosynthesis system had strong resilience. (2) Additionally, cold and drought activated hypoxia and UV-B adaptation genes, indicating long-term life on the plateau could produce special adaptations. (3) Phenolamines, polyamines, and amino acids, especially N′,N″,N′″-p-coumaroyl-cinnamoyl-caffeoyl spermidine, putrescine, and arginine, play key roles in harsh environments. Flexible response and quick recovery are strategies for adaptation to drought and cold in P. crymophila, accounting for its robust tolerance and resilience. In this study, we presented a comprehensive stress response profile of P. crymophila and provided many candidate genes or metabolites for future forage improvement.

Comparative Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Role of OsHPL1 in the Cold-Induced Metabolic Changes in Rice

“…Knowledge about the modulation of cold stress on the phenylpropane pathway is limited. Recent work has reported phenolamine responses to cold in Poa crymophila [ 33 ]. Our work revealed that cold stress regulates the phenylpropane pathway, such as flavonoids.…”

Tissue-Specific Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Response Mechanism of Cold Stress in Poa crymophila, a Native Grass in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

“…The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is known as the Roof of the World, the Third Pole and the Water Tower of Asia, which is an important shield for China's ecological security, as well as an important animal husbandry production base [19]. However, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a typical plateau continental climate, with a large temperature difference between day and night, low annual average temperature, and a short frost-free period which shows the average monthly temperature is between -20°C ~ -10°C [20,21]. The extreme climatic conditions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau impose selective pressures on the evolution of phenotypic and physiological characteristics.…”

“…The extreme climatic conditions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau impose selective pressures on the evolution of phenotypic and physiological characteristics. Many native species including Elymus s nutans, E. sibicicus, Poa pratensis and P. crymophila are widely distributed and utilized species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau due to their strong environmental adaptability and long-term natural domestication [20,22,23]. Of these native grasses, P. crymophila is widely distributed to humid grasslands, alpine grasslands, forest margins, hillsides, valleys, and tidal flats at an altitude of 2150 ~ 4800 m on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau [20].…”

“…Many native species including Elymus s nutans, E. sibicicus, Poa pratensis and P. crymophila are widely distributed and utilized species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau due to their strong environmental adaptability and long-term natural domestication [20,22,23]. Of these native grasses, P. crymophila is widely distributed to humid grasslands, alpine grasslands, forest margins, hillsides, valleys, and tidal flats at an altitude of 2150 ~ 4800 m on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau [20]. After more than 30 years of selection, cultivation, and domestication, P. crymophila has been cultivated as ecological grass variety widely used in ecological restoration of degraded grassland in the alpine region.…”

“…After more than 30 years of selection, cultivation, and domestication, P. crymophila has been cultivated as ecological grass variety widely used in ecological restoration of degraded grassland in the alpine region. It has excellent cold tolerance and can survive under about -40°C [20]. However, the physiological and molecular mechanism behind the cold stress tolerance and role of key regulatory genes and pathways of P. crymophila are poorly understood yet.…”