Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and Maize

Under water stress, the primary root elongation zones of cotton and maize exhibit both conserved and divergent metabolic responses, including variations in sulfur and antioxidant metabolism. To explore the relative importance of metabolic and genetic controls of these responses for each species, and...

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Main Authors: Jian Kang, Sidharth Sen, Melvin J. Oliver, Robert E. Sharp
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Antioxidants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/2/287
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author Jian Kang
Sidharth Sen
Melvin J. Oliver
Robert E. Sharp
author_facet Jian Kang
Sidharth Sen
Melvin J. Oliver
Robert E. Sharp
author_sort Jian Kang
collection DOAJ
description Under water stress, the primary root elongation zones of cotton and maize exhibit both conserved and divergent metabolic responses, including variations in sulfur and antioxidant metabolism. To explore the relative importance of metabolic and genetic controls of these responses for each species, and the extent to which responses are mediated by similar gene expression networks within the framework of ortholog groups, comparative transcriptomics analyses were conducted under conditions of equivalent tissue water stress. Ortholog analysis revealed that 86% of the transcriptome response to water stress was phylogenetically unrelated between cotton and maize. Elevated transcript abundances for genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and signaling, as well as key enzymes that enable osmotic adjustment, were conserved between the species. In contrast, antioxidant responses, at least with regard to glutathione metabolism and anti-oxidative enzymes, did not exhibit such a transcript abundance adaptive signature. In particular, previously characterized differential responses of the glutathione and sulfur metabolic pathways between cotton and maize were not evident in the transcriptomic responses. The findings indicate that the antioxidant response in both species results from a metabolic acclimation to water stress, and thus represents an example of water stress-related metabolic plasticity.
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spelling doaj.art-07f22c6877634a68a38ea873903473bc2023-11-16T18:46:01ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212023-01-0112228710.3390/antiox12020287Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and MaizeJian Kang0Sidharth Sen1Melvin J. Oliver2Robert E. Sharp3Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USADivision of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USADivision of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USADivision of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USAUnder water stress, the primary root elongation zones of cotton and maize exhibit both conserved and divergent metabolic responses, including variations in sulfur and antioxidant metabolism. To explore the relative importance of metabolic and genetic controls of these responses for each species, and the extent to which responses are mediated by similar gene expression networks within the framework of ortholog groups, comparative transcriptomics analyses were conducted under conditions of equivalent tissue water stress. Ortholog analysis revealed that 86% of the transcriptome response to water stress was phylogenetically unrelated between cotton and maize. Elevated transcript abundances for genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and signaling, as well as key enzymes that enable osmotic adjustment, were conserved between the species. In contrast, antioxidant responses, at least with regard to glutathione metabolism and anti-oxidative enzymes, did not exhibit such a transcript abundance adaptive signature. In particular, previously characterized differential responses of the glutathione and sulfur metabolic pathways between cotton and maize were not evident in the transcriptomic responses. The findings indicate that the antioxidant response in both species results from a metabolic acclimation to water stress, and thus represents an example of water stress-related metabolic plasticity.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/2/287antioxidative metabolism<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>orthologstranscriptomicsrootssulfur metabolism
spellingShingle Jian Kang
Sidharth Sen
Melvin J. Oliver
Robert E. Sharp
Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and Maize
Antioxidants
antioxidative metabolism
<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>
orthologs
transcriptomics
roots
sulfur metabolism
title Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and Maize
title_full Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and Maize
title_fullStr Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and Maize
title_full_unstemmed Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and Maize
title_short Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Metabolic Rather than Genetic Control of Divergent Antioxidant Metabolism in the Primary Root Elongation Zone of Water-Stressed Cotton and Maize
title_sort comparative transcriptomics reveal metabolic rather than genetic control of divergent antioxidant metabolism in the primary root elongation zone of water stressed cotton and maize
topic antioxidative metabolism
<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>
orthologs
transcriptomics
roots
sulfur metabolism
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/2/287
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