Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic Analysis

Low temperatures greatly restrict the development, growth, and productivity of soybeans, with their effects differing across various cultivars. The present work investigated the transcriptome and physiological reactions of two soybean cultivars, namely “KD52” exhibiting cold tolerance and “DS17” dis...

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Main Authors: Xiulin Liu, Chunlei Zhang, Sobhi F. Lamlom, Kezhen Zhao, Ahmed M. Abdelghany, Xueyang Wang, Fengyi Zhang, Rongqiang Yuan, Dezhi Han, Bire Zha, Wencheng Lu, Honglei Ren, Bixian Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/11/856
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author Xiulin Liu
Chunlei Zhang
Sobhi F. Lamlom
Kezhen Zhao
Ahmed M. Abdelghany
Xueyang Wang
Fengyi Zhang
Rongqiang Yuan
Dezhi Han
Bire Zha
Wencheng Lu
Honglei Ren
Bixian Zhang
author_facet Xiulin Liu
Chunlei Zhang
Sobhi F. Lamlom
Kezhen Zhao
Ahmed M. Abdelghany
Xueyang Wang
Fengyi Zhang
Rongqiang Yuan
Dezhi Han
Bire Zha
Wencheng Lu
Honglei Ren
Bixian Zhang
author_sort Xiulin Liu
collection DOAJ
description Low temperatures greatly restrict the development, growth, and productivity of soybeans, with their effects differing across various cultivars. The present work investigated the transcriptome and physiological reactions of two soybean cultivars, namely “KD52” exhibiting cold tolerance and “DS17” displaying cold sensitivity, to cold stress across a precisely defined period. The soybean plants were subjected to cold treatment at 6 °C for durations of 0, 2, 4, and 8 h. A comparative physiological marker study revealed distinct reactions to cold stress in the two cultivars. The findings showed that increased malondialdehyde levels provided evidence of DS17’s heightened vulnerability to lipid peroxidation and membrane degradation. In contrast, the KD52 cultivar exhibited increased activities of antioxidant enzymes, including peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, in response to cold exposure, suggesting a strong antioxidant defense system against oxidative stress. The transcriptomic analysis revealed dynamic responses, mapping 54,532 genes. Within this group, a total of 234 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found to be consistently changed at several time intervals, showing unique expression patterns across the two cultivars. Analysis of the association between these important DEGs and the physiological indicators revealed candidate genes that may be involved in controlling oxidative damage and antioxidant defenses. Some key genes showed a progressive rise in expression over time in both cultivars, with a more significant acceleration in KD52, and are probably involved in promoting adaptation processes during extended periods of cold exposure. The identification of improved defense mechanisms in KD52, together with the identification of crucial genes, offers great prospects for enhancing the cold stress resilience of soybean.
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spelling doaj-art-984f34dfd16a41368c0931845084fdb62025-08-20T02:08:08ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372024-10-01131185610.3390/biology13110856Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic AnalysisXiulin Liu0Chunlei Zhang1Sobhi F. Lamlom2Kezhen Zhao3Ahmed M. Abdelghany4Xueyang Wang5Fengyi Zhang6Rongqiang Yuan7Dezhi Han8Bire Zha9Wencheng Lu10Honglei Ren11Bixian Zhang12Soybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaSoybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaPlant Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture Saba Basha, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21531, EgyptSoybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaCrop Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22516, EgyptSoybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaSoybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaSoybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaHeihe Branch Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Heihe 164300, ChinaSchool of Modern Agriculture and Ecological Environment, Resource Utilization and Plant Protection, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaHeihe Branch Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Heihe 164300, ChinaSoybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaSoybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Harbin 150086, ChinaLow temperatures greatly restrict the development, growth, and productivity of soybeans, with their effects differing across various cultivars. The present work investigated the transcriptome and physiological reactions of two soybean cultivars, namely “KD52” exhibiting cold tolerance and “DS17” displaying cold sensitivity, to cold stress across a precisely defined period. The soybean plants were subjected to cold treatment at 6 °C for durations of 0, 2, 4, and 8 h. A comparative physiological marker study revealed distinct reactions to cold stress in the two cultivars. The findings showed that increased malondialdehyde levels provided evidence of DS17’s heightened vulnerability to lipid peroxidation and membrane degradation. In contrast, the KD52 cultivar exhibited increased activities of antioxidant enzymes, including peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, in response to cold exposure, suggesting a strong antioxidant defense system against oxidative stress. The transcriptomic analysis revealed dynamic responses, mapping 54,532 genes. Within this group, a total of 234 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found to be consistently changed at several time intervals, showing unique expression patterns across the two cultivars. Analysis of the association between these important DEGs and the physiological indicators revealed candidate genes that may be involved in controlling oxidative damage and antioxidant defenses. Some key genes showed a progressive rise in expression over time in both cultivars, with a more significant acceleration in KD52, and are probably involved in promoting adaptation processes during extended periods of cold exposure. The identification of improved defense mechanisms in KD52, together with the identification of crucial genes, offers great prospects for enhancing the cold stress resilience of soybean.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/11/856soybean adaptationtranscriptome analysiscold tolerancegene expressionoxidative enzymes
spellingShingle Xiulin Liu
Chunlei Zhang
Sobhi F. Lamlom
Kezhen Zhao
Ahmed M. Abdelghany
Xueyang Wang
Fengyi Zhang
Rongqiang Yuan
Dezhi Han
Bire Zha
Wencheng Lu
Honglei Ren
Bixian Zhang
Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic Analysis
Biology
soybean adaptation
transcriptome analysis
cold tolerance
gene expression
oxidative enzymes
title Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic Analysis
title_full Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic Analysis
title_fullStr Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic Analysis
title_short Genetic Adaptations of Soybean to Cold Stress Reveal Key Insights Through Transcriptomic Analysis
title_sort genetic adaptations of soybean to cold stress reveal key insights through transcriptomic analysis
topic soybean adaptation
transcriptome analysis
cold tolerance
gene expression
oxidative enzymes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/11/856
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