Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis and Candidate Gene Identification for Wild Rice (GZW) and Cultivated Rice (R998)...

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Rice, a thermophilic crop, is sensitive to low temperatures, limiting its cultivation areas.
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance is crucial for expanding rice production globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis of cold stress response in indica rice (R998) and wild rice (GZW).
• To identify key genes and regulatory networks involved in low-temperature tolerance in rice.

Main Methods:

• Phenotypic evaluation of rice cultivars under 10°C low-temperature stress.
• Comparative transcriptomic analysis using RNA-sequencing at six time points.
• Differential gene expression analysis, Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA).

Main Results:

• Wild rice (GZW) exhibited significantly higher low-temperature resistance than indica rice (R998).
• A total of 15,712 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, enriched in pathways like photosynthesis and hormone signal transduction.
• 12 key genes related to cold tolerance, including transcription factors, were identified via WGCNA.

Conclusions:

• The study identified significant differences in cold tolerance mechanisms between indica and wild rice.
• The findings provide a theoretical foundation and genetic resources for improving rice cold tolerance.