Transcriptome Network Identifies Key regulators and Noncoding RNAs in
Regulation of Abiotic Stress Response in Alfalfa
Abstract
Alfalfa is an important legume forage grown worldwide and its
productivity is affected by drought and salt stresses. In this work,
three alfalfa germplasms with contrasting tolerances were used for
unraveling the transcriptomic responses to drought and salt stresses.
Twenty-one different RNA samples were extracted and sequenced using the
PacBio and the Illumina platforms to obtain full-length transcriptomic
profiles in response to germplasm, stress condition or tissue source
(leaf, stem and root). A total of 1,124,275 and 91,378 unique isoforms
and genes were obtained, respectively. Comparative analysis identified
multiple transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation mechanism,
including alternative splicing events, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs),
transcription factors, and nonsense-mediated mRNA decay events. This is
the first report of a genome-wide profiling of non-coding RNAs in
alfalfa. Finally, a weighted gene regulation network was generated
allowing to identify master genes including transcription factors and
other regulators such lncRNAs in regulation of plant response to drought
and salt stresses. This research provides new insight to understand the
molecular mechanisms by which drought and high salinity affect alfalfa
growth and production and improves and refine the underestimated
transcriptional landscape in M. sativa.