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Zhao X, Qi G, Liu J, Chen K, Miao X, Hussain J, Liu S, Ren H. Genome-wide identification of WRKY transcription factors in Casuarina equisetifolia and the function analysis of CeqWRKY11 in response to NaCl/NaHCO 3 stresses. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:376. [PMID: 38714947 PMCID: PMC11077731 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-04889-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Casuarina equisetifolia (C. equisetifolia) is a woody species with many excellent features. It has natural resistance against drought, salt and saline-alkali stresses. WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play significant roles in plant response to abiotic stresses, therefore, molecular characterization of WRKY gene family under abiotic stresses holds great significance for improvement of forest trees through molecular biological tools. At present, WRKY TFs from C. equisetifolia have not been thoroughly studied with respect to their role in salt and saline-alkali stresses response. The current study was conducted to bridge the same knowledge gap. RESULTS A total of 64 WRKYs were identified in C. equisetifolia and divided into three major groups i.e. group I, II and III, consisting of 10, 42 and 12 WRKY members, respectively. The WRKY members in group II were further divided into 5 subgroups according to their homology with Arabidopsis counterparts. WRKYs belonging to the same group exhibited higher similarities in gene structure and the presence of conserved motifs. Promoter analysis data showed the presence of various response elements, especially those related to hormone signaling and abiotic stresses, such as ABRE (ABA), TGACG (MeJA), W-box ((C/T) TGAC (T/C)) and TC-rich motif. Tissue specific expression data showed that CeqWRKYs were mainly expressed in root under normal growth conditions. Furthermore, most of the CeqWRKYs were up-regulated by NaCl and NaHCO3 stresses with few of WRKYs showing early responsiveness to both stresses while few others exhibiting late response. Although the expressions of CeqWRKYs were also induced by cold stress, the response was delayed compared with other stresses. Transgenic C. equisetifolia plants overexpressing CeqWRKY11 displayed lower electrolyte leakage, higher chlorophyll content, and enhanced tolerance to both stresses. The higher expression of abiotic stress related genes, especially CeqHKT1 and CeqPOD7, in overexpression lines points to the maintenance of optimum Na+/K+ ratio, and ROS scavenging as possible key molecular mechanisms underlying salt stress tolerance. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that CeqWRKYs might be key regulators of NaCl and NaHCO3 stresses response in C. equisetifolia. In addition, positive correlation of CeqWRKY11 expression with increased stress tolerance in C. equisetifolia encourages further research on other WRKY family members through functional genomic tools. The best candidates could be incorporated in other woody plant species for improving stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Guoning Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Jinhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Kui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Xinxin Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China
| | - Jamshaid Hussain
- Department of Biotechnology, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, University Road, Tobe Camp, Abbottabad, 22060, Pakistan
| | - Shenkui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China.
| | - Huimin Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China.
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Zhang Y, Wei Y, Meng J, Wang Y, Nie S, Zhang Z, Wang H, Yang Y, Gao Y, Wu J, Li T, Liu X, Zhang H, Gu L. Chromosome-scale de novo genome assembly and annotation of three representative Casuarina species: C. equisetifolia, C. glauca, and C. cunninghamiana. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:1490-1505. [PMID: 36971060 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Australian pine (Casuarina spp.) is extensively planted in tropical and subtropical regions for wood production, shelterbelts, environmental protection, and ecological restoration due to their superior biological characteristics, such as rapid growth, wind and salt tolerance, and nitrogen fixation. To analyze the genomic diversity of Casuarina, we sequenced the genomes and constructed de novo genome assemblies of the three most widely planted Casuarina species: C. equisetifolia, C. glauca, and C. cunninghamiana. We generated chromosome-scale genome sequences using both Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) Sequel sequencing and chromosome conformation capture technology (Hi-C). The total genome sizes for C. equisetifolia, C. glauca, and C. cunninghamiana are 268 942 579 bp, 296 631 783 bp, and 293 483 606 bp, respectively, of which 25.91, 27.15, and 27.74% were annotated as repetitive sequences. We annotated 23 162, 24 673, and 24 674 protein-coding genes in C. equisetifolia, C. glauca, and C. cunninghamiana, respectively. We then collected branchlets from male and female individuals for whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) to explore the epigenetic regulation of sex determination in these three species. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed differential expression of phytohormone-related genes between male and female plants. In summary, we generated three chromosome-level genome assemblies and comprehensive DNA methylation and transcriptome datasets from both male and female material for three Casuarina species, providing a basis for the comprehensive investigation of genomic diversity and functional gene discovery of Casuarina in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China
| | - Yongcheng Wei
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China
| | - Jingxiang Meng
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China
| | - Yujiao Wang
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China
| | - Sen Nie
- Fujian Academy of Forestry Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350012, China
| | - Zeyu Zhang
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Huiyuan Wang
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Yongkang Yang
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Yubang Gao
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Ji Wu
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Tuhe Li
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Xuqing Liu
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Hangxiao Zhang
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Lianfeng Gu
- College of Forestry, Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
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Zhang S, He C, Wei L, Jian S, Liu N. Transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveals key genes and secondary metabolites of Casuarina equisetifolia ssp. incana in response to drought stress. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:200. [PMID: 37069496 PMCID: PMC10111710 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04206-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Casuarina equisetifolia is drought tolerant, salt tolerant, and able to grow in barren environments. It is often used to reduce wind damage, to prevent sand erosion, and to help establish plant communities in tropical and subtropical coastal zones. To determine the basis for its drought tolerance, we conducted transcriptomic and metabolic analyses of young branchlets under a non-drought treatment (D_0h) and 2-, 12-, and 24-h-long drought treatments (D_2h, D_12h, and D_24h). A total of 5033 and 8159 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in D_2h/D_0h and D_24h/D_0h. These DEGs were involved in plant hormone signal transduction, jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. A total of 148 and 168 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified in D_12h/D_0h and D_24h/D_0h, which were mainly amino acids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. In conclusion, C. equisetifolia responds to drought by regulating plant hormone signal transduction and the biosynthesis of JA, flavonoid, and phenylpropanoid. These results increase the understanding of drought tolerance in C. equisetifolia at both transcriptional and metabolic levels and provide new insights into coastal vegetation reconstruction and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shike Zhang
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Vegetation Ecosystem Restoration on Islands and Coastal Zones, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- College of Life Sciences, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chunmei He
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Vegetation Ecosystem Restoration on Islands and Coastal Zones, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Long Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Protection and Utilization, Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, 510520, China
| | - Shuguang Jian
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Vegetation Ecosystem Restoration on Islands and Coastal Zones, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
| | - Nan Liu
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Vegetation Ecosystem Restoration on Islands and Coastal Zones, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
- College of Life Sciences, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
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Wang Y, Zhang Y, Wei Y, Meng J, Zhong C, Fan C. Characterization of HAK protein family in Casuarina equisetifolia and the positive regulatory role of CeqHAK6 and CeqHAK11 genes in response to salt tolerance. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1084337. [PMID: 36816483 PMCID: PMC9936244 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1084337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The potassium transporter group of the HAK/KUP/KT (high-affinity K+)/KUP (K+ uptake)/KT (K+ transporter) family plays a crucial role in plant growth and development as well as in environmental adaptation such as tolerance to salt stress. HAK/KUP/KT genes and their functions have been characterized for a number of plant species, but they remain unknown for Casuarina equisetifolia, an important tree species for coastal protection in southern China and many other countries. In this study, 25 HAK genes were identified in the C. equisetifolia genome. Their gene structure, conserved motif, phylogeny, and expression were comprehensively and systematically analyzed to understand their functions. All HAK genes were relatively conserved and could be divided into four clusters. The expression level of two particular genes, CeqHAK11 and CeqHAK6, increased significantly with the duration of salt treatment. To further elucidated their function in response to salt stress, subcellular localization, and their functional analysis were developed. Results revealed that CeqHAK11 and CeqHAK6 were localized on the plasma membrane, which mainly mediated high-affinity K+ uptake. Overexpression of CeqHAK6 or CeqHAK11 in Arabidopsis showed higher germination and survival rates and longer root length than wild-type (WT) under salt stress, suggesting that both genes improve tolerance to salt stress. Moreover, CeqHAK6 and CeqHAK11 improved their ability to tolerate salt stress by increasing the K+/Na+ ratio and antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, POD, and SOD), and decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Consequently, CeqHAK6 and CeqHAK11 were verified as potassium transport proteins and could be applied for further molecular breeding for salt tolerance in C. equisetifolia or other crops to increasing salt tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tropical Forestry, Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China
- Specialty Cash Crop Research Laboratory, Cotton Research Institute of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tropical Forestry, Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongcheng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tropical Forestry, Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingxiang Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tropical Forestry, Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chonglu Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tropical Forestry, Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunjie Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tropical Forestry, Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China
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Fernandes I, Paulo OS, Marques I, Sarjkar I, Sen A, Graça I, Pawlowski K, Ramalho JC, Ribeiro-Barros AI. Salt Stress Tolerance in Casuarina glauca: Insights from the Branchlets Transcriptome. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2942. [PMID: 36365395 PMCID: PMC9658546 DOI: 10.3390/plants11212942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and the accelerated rate of population growth are imposing a progressive degradation of natural ecosystems worldwide. In this context, the use of pioneer trees represents a powerful approach to reverse the situation. Among others, N2-fixing actinorhizal trees constitute important elements of plant communities and have been successfully used in land reclamation at a global scale. In this study, we have analyzed the transcriptome of the photosynthetic organs of Casuarina glauca (branchlets) to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying salt stress tolerance. For that, C. glauca plants supplied either with chemical nitrogen (KNO3+) or nodulated by Frankia (NOD+) were exposed to a gradient of salt concentrations (200, 400, and 600 mM NaCl) and RNA-Seq was performed. An average of ca. 25 million clean reads was obtained for each group of plants, corresponding to 86,202 unigenes. The patterns of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) clearly separate two groups: (i) control- and 200 mM NaCl-treated plants, and (ii) 400 and 600 mM NaCl-treated plants. Additionally, although the number of total transcripts was relatively high in both plant groups, the percentage of significant DEGs was very low, ranging from 6 (200 mM NaCl/NOD+) to 314 (600 mM NaCl/KNO3+), mostly involving down-regulation. The vast majority of up-regulated genes was related to regulatory processes, reinforcing the hypothesis that some ecotypes of C. glauca have a strong stress-responsive system with an extensive set of constitutive defense mechanisms, complemented by a tight mechanism of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. The results suggest that the robustness of the stress response system in C. glauca is regulated by a limited number of genes that tightly regulate detoxification and protein/enzyme stability, highlighting the complexity of the molecular interactions leading to salinity tolerance in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Fernandes
- Computational Biology and Population Genomics Group, cE3c–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Octávio S. Paulo
- Computational Biology and Population Genomics Group, cE3c–Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Marques
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), Associated Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Indrani Sarjkar
- Bioinformatics Facility, University of North Bengal, Siliguri 734013, India
| | - Arnab Sen
- Bioinformatics Facility, University of North Bengal, Siliguri 734013, India
| | - Inês Graça
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), Associated Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Katharina Pawlowski
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - José C. Ramalho
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), Associated Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
- GeoBioSciences, GeoTechnologies and GeoEngineering (GeoBioTec), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (UNL), 2829-516 Monte de Caparica, Portugal
| | - Ana I. Ribeiro-Barros
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), Associated Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal
- GeoBioSciences, GeoTechnologies and GeoEngineering (GeoBioTec), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (UNL), 2829-516 Monte de Caparica, Portugal
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