Genome-wide transcriptome profiling revealed biological macromolecules respond to low temperature stress in Brassica napus L

Structural and functional characterization of genes PYL-PP2C-SnRK2s in the ABA signalling pathway of Cucurbita pepo

BACKGROUND

The core regulation of the abscisic acid (ABA) signalling pathway comprises the multigenic families PYL, PP2C, and SnRK2. In this work, we conducted a genome-wide study of the components of these families in Cucurbita pepo.

RESULTS

The bioinformatic analysis of the C. pepo genome resulted in the identification of 19 CpPYL, 102 CpPP2C and 10 CpSnRK2 genes. The investigation of gene structure and protein motifs allowed to define 4 PYL, 13 PP2C and 3 SnRK2 subfamilies. RNA-seq analysis was used to determine the expression of these gene families in different plant organs, as well as to detect their differential gene expression during germination, and in response to ABA and cold stress in leaves. The specific tissue expression of some gene members indicated the relevant role of some ABA signalling genes in plant development. Moreover, their differential expression under ABA treatment or cold stress revealed those ABA signalling genes that responded to ABA, and those that were up- or down-regulated in response to cold stress. A reduced number of genes responded to both treatments. Specific PYL-PP2C-SnRK2 genes that had potential roles in germination were also detected, including those regulated early during the imbibition phase, those regulated later during the embryo extension and radicle emergence phase, and those induced or repressed during the whole germination process.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcomes of this research open new research lines for agriculture and for assessing gene function in future studies.

Research progress on the physiological response and molecular mechanism of cold response in plants

Low temperature is a critical environmental stress factor that restricts crop growth and geographical distribution, significantly impacting crop quality and yield. When plants are exposed to low temperatures, a series of changes occur in their external morphology and internal physiological and biochemical metabolism. This article comprehensively reviews the alterations and regulatory mechanisms of physiological and biochemical indices, such as membrane system stability, redox system, fatty acid content, photosynthesis, and osmoregulatory substances, in response to low-temperature stress in plants. Furthermore, we summarize recent research on signal transduction and regulatory pathways, phytohormones, epigenetic modifications, and other molecular mechanisms mediating the response to low temperatures in higher plants. In addition, we outline cultivation practices to improve plant cold resistance and highlight the cold-related genes used in molecular breeding. Last, we discuss future research directions, potential application prospects of plant cold resistance breeding, and recent significant breakthroughs in the research and application of cold resistance mechanisms.

Multiomics analysis reveals a link between Brassica-specific miR1885 and rapeseed tolerance to low temperature

Brassica crops include various edible vegetable and plant oil crops, and their production is limited by low temperature beyond their tolerant capability. The key regulators of low-temperature resistance in Brassica remain largely unexplored. To identify posttranscriptional regulators of plant response to low temperature, we performed small RNA profiling, and found that 16 known miRNAs responded to cold treatment in Brassica rapa. The cold response of seven of those miRNAs were further confirmed by qRT-PCR and/or northern blot analyses. In parallel, a genome-wide association study of 220 accessions of Brassica napus identified four candidate MIRNA genes, all of which were cold-responsive, at the loci associated with low-temperature resistance. Specifically, these large-scale data analyses revealed a link between miR1885 and the plant response to low temperature in both B. rapa and B. napus. Using 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends approach, we validated that miR1885 can cleave its putative target gene transcripts, Bn.TIR.A09 and Bn.TNL.A03, in B. napus. Furthermore, overexpression of miR1885 in Semiwinter type B. napus decreased the mRNA abundance of Bn.TIR.A09 and Bn.TNL.A03 and resulted in increased sensitivity to low temperature. Knocking down of miR1885 in Spring type B. napus led to increased mRNA abundance of its targets and improved rapeseed tolerance to low temperature. Together, our results suggested that the loci of miR1885 and its targets could be potential candidates for the molecular breeding of low temperature-tolerant Spring type Brassica crops.

Cloning and Functional Characterization of Cold-Inducible MYB-like 17 Transcription Factor in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important crop for edible oil, vegetables, and biofuel. Rapeseed growth and development require a minimum temperature of ~1-3 °C. Notably, frost damage occurs during overwintering, posing a serious threat to the productivity and yield of rapeseed. MYB proteins are important transcription factors (TFs) in plants, and have been proven to be involved in the regulation of stress responses. However, the roles of the MYB TFs in rapeseed under cold stress conditions are yet to be fully elucidated. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of one MYB-like 17 gene, BnaMYBL17, in response to low temperature, the present study found that the transcript level of BnaMYBL17 is induced by cold stress. To characterize the gene's function, the 591 bp coding sequence (CDS) from rapeseed was isolated and stably transformed into rapeseed. The further functional analysis revealed significant sensitivity in BnaMYBL17 overexpression lines (BnaMYBL17-OE) after freezing stress, suggesting its involvement in freezing response. A total of 14,298 differentially expressed genes relative to freezing response were found based on transcriptomic analysis of BnaMYBL17-OE. Overall, 1321 candidate target genes were identified based on differential expression, including Phospholipases C1 (PLC1), FCS-like zinc finger 8 (FLZ8), and Kinase on the inside (KOIN). The qPCR results confirmed that the expression levels of certain genes showed fold changes ranging from two to six when compared between BnaMYBL17-OE and WT lines after exposure to freezing stress. Furthermore, verification indicated that BnaMYBL17 affects the promoter of BnaPLC1, BnaFLZ8, and BnaKOIN genes. In summary, the results suggest that BnaMYBL17 acts as a transcriptional repressor in regulating certain genes related to growth and development during freezing stress. These findings provide valuable genetic and theoretical targets for molecular breeding to enhance freezing tolerance in rapeseed.