High-Temperature-Responsive Poplar lncRNAs Modulate Target Gene Expression via RNA Interference and Act as RNA Scaffolds to Enhance Heat Tolerance

Abstract

High-temperature stress is a threat to plant development and survival. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in plant stress responses, but their functions in the complex stress response network remain unknown. Poplar contributes to terrestrial ecological stability. In this study, we identified 204 high-temperature-responsive lncRNAs in an abiotic stress-tolerant poplar (Populus simonii) species using strand-specific RNA sequencing (ssRNA-seq). Mimicking overexpressed and repressed candidate lncRNAs in poplar was used to illuminate their regulation pattern on targets using nano sheet mediation. These lncRNAs were predicted to target 185 genes, of which 100 were cis genes and 119 were trans genes. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that anatomical structure morphogenesis and response to stress and signaling were significantly enriched. Among heat-responsive LncRNAs, TCONS_00202587 binds to upstream sequences via its secondary structure and interferes with target gene transcription. TCONS_00260893 enhances calcium influx in response to high-temperature treatment by interfering with a specific variant/isoform of the target gene. Heterogeneous expression of these two lncRNA targets promoted photosynthetic protection and recovery, inhibited membrane peroxidation, and suppressed DNA damage in Arabidopsis under heat stress. These results showed that lncRNAs can regulate their target genes by acting as potential RNA scaffolds or through the RNA interference pathway.

Nanopore-Based Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Potential Mechanism of High-Temperature Tolerance in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

“…For instance, lncRNAs may be involved in ripening and softening in kiwifruit via regulating the expression of genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, brassinosteroid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction [48]. A recent study showed that lncRNAs regulate expression of target genes to enhance high-temperature tolerance in poplar [49]. LncRNAs are also found to play regulatory roles in the stress response in cucumber plants [50].…”

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Dysregulates the Expression of Long Noncoding RNAs in Placentas

“…The lncRNA cis-action is predicted by searching all coding genes within the 10-kb upstream and downstream of the target lncRNA, and these neighboring genes may be regulated by lncRNAs. The lncRNA trans-action was predicted based on nucleic acid base pairing [29]. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of the lncRNA target genes were conducted.…”

Genome-Wide Identification of Long Non-Coding RNAs and Their Potential Functions in Poplar Growth and Phenylalanine Biosynthesis

“…lncRNAs influence the formation of tension wood by regulating ARF s in Catalpa bungei ( Xiao et al, 2020 ). lncRNAs are widely involved in the secondary growth, GA response, heat tolerance, low nitrogen stress, salt stress, and other life processes of poplar ( Chen et al, 2016 ; Tian et al, 2016 ; Ci et al, 2019 ; Ma et al, 2019 ; Song et al, 2020 ).…”