AUTHOR=Ma Dongmei , Cai Jinjun , Ma Qiaoli , Wang Wenjing , Zhao Lijuan , Li Jiawen , Su Lina 

TITLE=Comparative time-course transcriptome analysis of two contrasting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genotypes reveals tolerance mechanisms to salt stress

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1070846

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.1070846

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Salt stress is a major abiotic stress affecting plant growth and crop yield. For the successful cultivation of alfalfa (<italic>Medicago sativa</italic> L.), a key legume forage, in saline-affected areas, it’s essential to explore genetic modifications to improve salt-tolerance.Transcriptome assay of two comparative alfalfa genotypes, Adina and Zhaodong, following a 4 h and 8 h’s 300 mM NaCl treatment was conducted in this study in order to investigate the molecular mechanism in alfalfa under salt stress conditions. Results showed that we obtained 875,023,571 transcripts and 662,765,594 unigenes were abtained from the sequenced libraries, and 520,091 assembled unigenes were annotated in at least one database. Among them, we identified 1,636 differentially expression genes (DEGs) in Adina, of which 1,426 were up-regulated and 210 down-regulated, and 1,295 DEGs in Zhaodong, of which 565 were up-regulated and 730 down-regulated. GO annotations and KEGG pathway enrichments of the DEGs based on RNA-seq data indicated that DEGs were involved in (1) ion and membrane homeostasis, including ABC transporter, <italic>CLC</italic>, <italic>NCX</italic>, and <italic>NHX</italic>; (2) Ca<sup>2+</sup> sensing and transduction, including BK channel, EF-hand domain, and calmodulin binding protein; (3) phytohormone signaling and regulation, including <italic>TPR, FBP, LRR</italic>, and <italic>PP2C</italic>; (4) transcription factors, including zinc finger proteins, <italic>YABBY</italic>, and SBP-box; (5) antioxidation process, including <italic>GST</italic>, <uri xlink:href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1567724919300558" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">PYROX</uri>, and <italic>ALDH</italic>; (6) post-translational modification, including <italic>UCH</italic>, ubiquitin family, <italic>GT, MT</italic> and <italic>SOT</italic>. The functional roles of DEGs could explain the variations in salt tolerance performance observed between the two alfalfa genotypes Adina and Zhaodong. Our study widens the understanding of the sophisticated molecular response and tolerance mechanism to salt stress, providing novel insights on candidate genes and pathways for genetic modification involved in salt stress adaptation in alfalfa.</p>