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Published on: February 10, 2023
Transcriptional responses to phosphate starvation in Brachypodium distachyon roots
Pengshan Zhao1, Lirong Wang2, Hengxia Yin3
1Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Gansu Province, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China; Shapotou Desert Research & Experiment Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
Abstract:
Brachypodium distachyon is a model plant that has recently emerged in grass research. Although the growth and photochemical efficiency of this species respond strongly to phosphate (Pi) availability, its Pi starvation response mechanism, which controls the Pi homeostasis, remains largely unknown. This study presents the transcriptomic response profiles of Pi-deficient roots at growth stages during which the plants were starved but obvious growth defects were absent. The results identify several phosphate transporters (i.e., PHO1), purple acid phosphatases, and SYG1/PHO81/XPR1 (SPX) domain-containing proteins out of a total of 1740 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In particular, the transcription factor ethylene response factor (ERF), basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), and WRKY family genes were the three most abundant DEG groups and the latter was significantly enriched. Comparative transcriptome analysis of Brachypodium versus Arabidopsis and rice revealed the presence of several common components in response to Pi fluctuations. Most significantly, jasmonic acid (JA) signaling-related genes were overrepresented in gene ontology (GO) enrichment tests. The presence of a possible link between low Pi response, inositol polyphosphates, and JA signaling is therefore discussed.
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Transcription
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
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