Identifying long non-coding RNAs involved in heat stress response during wheat pollen development.

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Molecular Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Wheat is a vital global food crop, but climate change-induced heat waves threaten its productivity.
• Heat stress during wheat's reproductive stage severely impacts pollen viability and grain development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in wheat pollen development under heat stress.
• To identify heat-responsive lncRNAs and their regulatory networks in different wheat cultivars.

Main Methods:

• Transcriptome data analysis of four wheat cultivars under heat stress.
• Identification and expression analysis of lncRNAs.
• Bioinformatic analysis of lncRNA-target gene interactions and regulatory networks (lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA).

Main Results:

• Identified 11,054 lncRNA-producing loci, with 5,482 differentially expressed under heat stress.
• Discovered lncRNAs regulate protein-coding genes in cis and trans, forming complex regulatory networks.
• Gene ontology analysis indicated lncRNA targets are involved in hormonal response, protein folding, and stress response pathways.

Conclusions:

• Identified conserved lncRNA-gene and lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA modules across wheat cultivars related to heat stress response.
• Provides foundational knowledge and molecular resources for future research on wheat reproductive development under thermal stress.
• Highlights the importance of lncRNAs in mediating plant adaptation to environmental challenges.