Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i>
Salinity stress is a major abiotic factor that adversely affects plant growth and development. This study investigated the physiological and molecular responses of <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> to salinity stress by subjecting seedlings to varying concentrati...
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2025-02-01
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| author | Jin Jia Fengshuo Wang Mengmeng Yuan Zhiying Wang Zhe Qin Xiaoli Zhang Yutao Shao Haixia Pei |
| author_facet | Jin Jia Fengshuo Wang Mengmeng Yuan Zhiying Wang Zhe Qin Xiaoli Zhang Yutao Shao Haixia Pei |
| author_sort | Jin Jia |
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| description | Salinity stress is a major abiotic factor that adversely affects plant growth and development. This study investigated the physiological and molecular responses of <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> to salinity stress by subjecting seedlings to varying concentrations of NaCl. Physiological analysis revealed significant wilting, chlorosis, and a marked reduction in chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in NaCl-treated seedlings, indicating impaired photosynthetic efficiency and oxidative stress mitigation. RNA-seq analysis identified extensive transcriptional reprogramming, with 6693 and 10,280 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Z150 and Z300 treatments, respectively, compared to the control group. DEGs were clustered into six expression trends, with sustained up-regulation in Clusters 2 and 6 and down-regulation in Cluster 3. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis highlighted the involvement of these DEGs in stress responses. Key DEGs encoding heat shock proteins, peroxidases, glutathione S-transferases, and transcription factors were significantly induced under salinity stress, suggesting their roles in stress adaptation. Furthermore, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed significant down-regulation of genes associated with photosynthesis and carbon metabolism, indicating disruption of these critical pathways. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified hub genes, such as histidine synthase and low-density receptor-like protein, potentially central to salinity stress responses. Additionally, carotenoid metabolism was significantly inhibited, with down-regulation of key genes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway. RT-qPCR validation confirmed the reliability of the RNA-seq data. Collectively, these findings provide comprehensive insights into the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying response of <i>B. rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> to salinity stress, highlighting potential targets for improving salinity tolerance in crops. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-e0f4fafa563445f0906eb94f26e0906b2025-08-20T02:44:56ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-02-0114456610.3390/plants14040566Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i>Jin Jia0Fengshuo Wang1Mengmeng Yuan2Zhiying Wang3Zhe Qin4Xiaoli Zhang5Yutao Shao6Haixia Pei7School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSchool of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology, Baotou 014010, ChinaSalinity stress is a major abiotic factor that adversely affects plant growth and development. This study investigated the physiological and molecular responses of <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> to salinity stress by subjecting seedlings to varying concentrations of NaCl. Physiological analysis revealed significant wilting, chlorosis, and a marked reduction in chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in NaCl-treated seedlings, indicating impaired photosynthetic efficiency and oxidative stress mitigation. RNA-seq analysis identified extensive transcriptional reprogramming, with 6693 and 10,280 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Z150 and Z300 treatments, respectively, compared to the control group. DEGs were clustered into six expression trends, with sustained up-regulation in Clusters 2 and 6 and down-regulation in Cluster 3. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis highlighted the involvement of these DEGs in stress responses. Key DEGs encoding heat shock proteins, peroxidases, glutathione S-transferases, and transcription factors were significantly induced under salinity stress, suggesting their roles in stress adaptation. Furthermore, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed significant down-regulation of genes associated with photosynthesis and carbon metabolism, indicating disruption of these critical pathways. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified hub genes, such as histidine synthase and low-density receptor-like protein, potentially central to salinity stress responses. Additionally, carotenoid metabolism was significantly inhibited, with down-regulation of key genes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway. RT-qPCR validation confirmed the reliability of the RNA-seq data. Collectively, these findings provide comprehensive insights into the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying response of <i>B. rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> to salinity stress, highlighting potential targets for improving salinity tolerance in crops.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/4/566<i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i>salinitycarotenoid metabolismRNA-seqchlorophyll |
| spellingShingle | Jin Jia Fengshuo Wang Mengmeng Yuan Zhiying Wang Zhe Qin Xiaoli Zhang Yutao Shao Haixia Pei Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> Plants <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> salinity carotenoid metabolism RNA-seq chlorophyll |
| title | Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> |
| title_full | Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> |
| title_fullStr | Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> |
| title_short | Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals That the Photosynthesis and Carotenoid Metabolism Pathway Is Involved in the Salinity Stress Response in <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> |
| title_sort | transcriptomic analysis reveals that the photosynthesis and carotenoid metabolism pathway is involved in the salinity stress response in i brassica rapa i l ssp i pekinensis i |
| topic | <i>Brassica rapa</i> L. ssp. <i>Pekinensis</i> salinity carotenoid metabolism RNA-seq chlorophyll |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/4/566 |
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