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Booth MW, Breed MF, Kendrick GA, Bayer PE, Severn-Ellis AA, Sinclair EA. Tissue-specific transcriptome profiles identify functional differences key to understanding whole plant response to life in variable salinity. Biol Open 2022; 11:276025. [PMID: 35876771 PMCID: PMC9428325 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants endure environmental stressors via adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. Studying these mechanisms in seagrasses is extremely relevant as they are important primary producers and functionally significant carbon sinks. These mechanisms are not well understood at the tissue level in seagrasses. Using RNA-seq, we generated transcriptome sequences from tissue of leaf, basal leaf meristem and root organs of Posidonia australis, establishing baseline in situ transcriptomic profiles for tissues across a salinity gradient. Samples were collected from four P. australis meadows growing in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Analysis of gene expression showed significant differences between tissue types, with more variation among leaves than meristem or roots. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed the differences were largely due to the role of photosynthesis, plant growth and nutrient absorption in leaf, meristem and root organs, respectively. Differential gene expression of leaf and meristem showed upregulation of salinity regulation processes in higher salinity meadows. Our study highlights the importance of considering leaf meristem tissue when evaluating whole-plant responses to environmental change. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Differences in seagrass leaf, meristem and root transcriptomes across variable salinities are due to tissue-specific processes. Leaf meristem contained the broadest process range, indicating preferential use for inferring plant-wide activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell W Booth
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Gary A Kendrick
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Philipp E Bayer
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Anita A Severn-Ellis
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Aquatic Animal Health Research, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia, 6020, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Sinclair
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.,Kings Park Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, 1 Kattidj Close, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, Australia
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