Comparative Analysis Based on Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Data Reveal Differences between Emmer and Durum Wheat...

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Agricultural Science
• Genetics

Background:

• Nitrogen is crucial for plant development and defense mechanisms.
• Understanding plant responses to nutrient stress is vital for crop improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the differential responses of emmer and durum wheat to nitrogen starvation.
• To identify key genes and metabolites involved in nitrogen use efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Combined transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis of wheat seedlings under nitrogen starvation.
• Gene enrichment analysis and correlation-based network construction.
• Identification of central metabolites in genotype-specific responses.

Main Results:

• Durum wheat exhibited broader and stronger gene and metabolite responses compared to emmer wheat.
• Emmer wheat showed reduced primary metabolites, while durum wheat increased them under nitrogen starvation.
• Glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were identified as critical signaling molecules in emmer and durum wheat, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Wheat subspecies possess distinct strategies for nitrogen starvation response, involving differential metabolic regulation.
• Glutamate and GABA signaling pathways are key players in modulating growth under nitrogen-limited conditions.
• Findings provide insights into improving nitrogen use efficiency in wheat breeding programs.