Academic Journal

Gene expression analysis of drought tolerance and cuticular wax biosynthesis in diploid and tetraploid induced wallflowers

Bibliographic Details
Title: Gene expression analysis of drought tolerance and cuticular wax biosynthesis in diploid and tetraploid induced wallflowers
Authors: Fazilat Fakhrzad, Abolfazl Jowkar
Source: BMC Plant Biology, Vol 24, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2024)
Subject Terms: Autotetraploid, Cuticular wax compositions, Drought tolerance, Erysimum cheiri, Gene expression analysis, Wallflower, Botany, QK1-989
Publisher Information: BMC, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Botany
Description: Abstract Whole-genome doubling leads to cell reprogramming, upregulation of stress genes, and establishment of new pathways of drought stress responses in plants. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance and cuticular wax characteristics in diploid and tetraploid-induced Erysimum cheiri. According to real-time PCR analysis, tetraploid induced wallflowers exhibited increased expression of several genes encoding transcription factors (TFs), including AREB1 and AREB3; the stress response genes RD29A and ERD1 under drought stress conditions. Furthermore, two cuticular wax biosynthetic pathway genes, CER1 and SHN1, were upregulated in tetraploid plants under drought conditions. Leaf morphological studies revealed that tetraploid leaves were covered with unique cuticular wax crystalloids, which produced a white fluffy appearance, while the diploid leaves were green and smooth. The greater content of epicuticular wax in tetraploid leaves than in diploid leaves can explain the decrease in cuticle permeability as well as the decrease in water loss and improvement in drought tolerance in wallflowers. GC‒MS analysis revealed that the wax components included alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, and fatty acids. The most abundant wax compound in this plant was alkanes (50%), the most predominant of which was C29. The relative abundance of these compounds increased significantly in tetraploid plants under drought stress conditions. These findings revealed that tetraploid-induced wallflowers presented upregulation of multiple drought-related and wax biosynthesis genes; therefore, polyploidization has proved useful for improving plant drought tolerance.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1471-2229
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/1471-2229
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05007-6
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/fc7a6447c1d44ea6a68e38956d726088
Accession Number: edsdoj.fc7a6447c1d44ea6a68e38956d726088
ISSN: 14712229
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05007-6
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals