Transcrition profiling of shoots from related model and cultivated Lotus plant species following salt acclimation

ABSTRACT: Many plant researchers have applied genomic tools to model species to identify abiotic stress responsive genes that might be useful for improving stress tolerance in crops. However, it is unclear whether this translational approach will be successful given the complexity of abiotic stress tolerance. We carried out a functional genomic (ionomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic) comparison of three model and three forage species of the genus Lotus with varying tolerance to salinity. Transcriptome analysis showed that about 60 % of expressed genes were responsive to salt treatment in one or more of the six species tested, but less than 1 % was responsive in all genotypes. Therefore, genotype-specific responses overshadowed conserved transcriptional responses to salinity and represent an impediment to translational genomics. Fortunately, 'triangulation' from multiple species enabled the identification of a core set of conserved and tolerant-specific responses that could provide durable tolerance across genotypes.

INSTRUMENT(S): 418 [Affymetrix]

ORGANISM(S): Lotus corniculatus

SUBMITTER: Diego Sanchez 

PROVIDER: E-MEXP-2344 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress