Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i>
In forage crops, age-dependent and stress-induced senescence reduces forage yield and quality. Therefore, delaying leaf senescence may be a way to improve forage yield and quality as well as plant resilience to stresses. Here, we used RNA-sequencing to determine the molecular bases of age-dependent...
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/9/1570 |
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| author | Kashif Mahmood Ivone Torres-Jerez Nick Krom Wei Liu Michael K. Udvardi |
| author_facet | Kashif Mahmood Ivone Torres-Jerez Nick Krom Wei Liu Michael K. Udvardi |
| author_sort | Kashif Mahmood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In forage crops, age-dependent and stress-induced senescence reduces forage yield and quality. Therefore, delaying leaf senescence may be a way to improve forage yield and quality as well as plant resilience to stresses. Here, we used RNA-sequencing to determine the molecular bases of age-dependent and dark-induced leaf senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i>. We identified 6845 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in M3 leaves associated with age-dependent leaf senescence. An even larger number (14219) of DEGs were associated with dark-induced senescence. Upregulated genes identified during age-dependent and dark-induced senescence were over-represented in oxidation–reduction processes and amino acid, carboxylic acid and chlorophyll catabolic processes. Dark-specific upregulated genes also over-represented autophagy, senescence and cell death. Mitochondrial functions were strongly inhibited by dark-treatment while these remained active during age-dependent senescence. Additionally, 391 DE transcription factors (TFs) belonging to various TF families were identified, including a core set of 74 TFs during age-dependent senescence while 759 DE TFs including a core set of 338 TFs were identified during dark-induced senescence. The heterologous expression of several senescence-induced TFs belonging to NAC, WKRY, bZIP, MYB and HD-zip TF families promoted senescence in tobacco leaves. This study revealed the dynamics of transcriptomic responses to age- and dark-induced senescence in <i>M. truncatula</i> and identified senescence-associated TFs that are attractive targets for future work to control senescence in forage legumes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:15:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0322be0a0a1444aca6612dc004df3282 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:15:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-0322be0a0a1444aca6612dc004df32822023-11-23T08:01:10ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092022-05-01119157010.3390/cells11091570Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i>Kashif Mahmood0Ivone Torres-Jerez1Nick Krom2Wei Liu3Michael K. Udvardi4Institute for Agricultural Biosciences, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK 73401, USAInstitute for Agricultural Biosciences, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK 73401, USAInstitute for Agricultural Biosciences, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK 73401, USAInstitute for Agricultural Biosciences, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK 73401, USANoble Research Institute, L.L.C., Ardmore, OK 73401, USAIn forage crops, age-dependent and stress-induced senescence reduces forage yield and quality. Therefore, delaying leaf senescence may be a way to improve forage yield and quality as well as plant resilience to stresses. Here, we used RNA-sequencing to determine the molecular bases of age-dependent and dark-induced leaf senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i>. We identified 6845 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in M3 leaves associated with age-dependent leaf senescence. An even larger number (14219) of DEGs were associated with dark-induced senescence. Upregulated genes identified during age-dependent and dark-induced senescence were over-represented in oxidation–reduction processes and amino acid, carboxylic acid and chlorophyll catabolic processes. Dark-specific upregulated genes also over-represented autophagy, senescence and cell death. Mitochondrial functions were strongly inhibited by dark-treatment while these remained active during age-dependent senescence. Additionally, 391 DE transcription factors (TFs) belonging to various TF families were identified, including a core set of 74 TFs during age-dependent senescence while 759 DE TFs including a core set of 338 TFs were identified during dark-induced senescence. The heterologous expression of several senescence-induced TFs belonging to NAC, WKRY, bZIP, MYB and HD-zip TF families promoted senescence in tobacco leaves. This study revealed the dynamics of transcriptomic responses to age- and dark-induced senescence in <i>M. truncatula</i> and identified senescence-associated TFs that are attractive targets for future work to control senescence in forage legumes.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/9/1570forage legumestranscriptome analysistranscription factorsheterologous expression |
| spellingShingle | Kashif Mahmood Ivone Torres-Jerez Nick Krom Wei Liu Michael K. Udvardi Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i> Cells forage legumes transcriptome analysis transcription factors heterologous expression |
| title | Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i> |
| title_full | Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i> |
| title_fullStr | Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i> |
| title_short | Transcriptional Programs and Regulators Underlying Age-Dependent and Dark-Induced Senescence in <i>Medicago truncatula</i> |
| title_sort | transcriptional programs and regulators underlying age dependent and dark induced senescence in i medicago truncatula i |
| topic | forage legumes transcriptome analysis transcription factors heterologous expression |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/9/1570 |
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