The gene regulatory network reveals mechanisms of cadmium tolerance in Shanxin poplar

IF 4.1 2区生物学 Q2 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Plant Science Pub Date : 2025-08-15 DOI:10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112722

Wenjie He , Biyao Gang , Minglong Yan, Ying Li, Jingrui Liu, Huiyan Guo

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic non-essential heavy metal that presents substantial risks to plant life. The primary regulators and molecular mechanisms governing Cd tolerance remain incompletely understood. In this study, RNA-seq analysis was performed on Populus davidiana × P. bolleana (Shanxin Poplar) under CdCl₂ treatment. The analysis identified 1562, 1766, and 1611 differentially expressed genes across distinct stress periods. Through a partial correlation coefficient algorithm, a three-layered gene regulatory network (GRN) was constructed to infer regulatory interactions among genes. The GRN encompasses 3156 regulatory interactions, incorporating eight Transcription factors (TFs) in the first layer, 56 TFs in the second layer, and 129 structural genes in the third layer. These components are linked to seven enriched biological processes associated with stress response. Through ChIP-PCR, LUC activity, and qRT-PCR assays, approximately 93.6 % of predicted relationships between the first and second layers, and 94.9 % between the second and third layers were validated, confirming the GRN's reliability. Ten TFs from the GRN were randomly selected, and their overexpression was separately introduced into Shanxin poplar. The staining and physiological changes indicated that they could confer Cd tolerance in the plants. Additionally, PdbZAT10, PdbCZF1, and PdbLHY TFs were identified as potential key regulators in Cd tolerance. These findings illuminate the essential regulators and mechanisms of Cd tolerance in poplar plants.

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基因调控网络揭示了陕新杨树耐镉机制

镉（Cd）是一种剧毒的非必需重金属，对植物生命构成重大风险。控制Cd耐受性的主要调节因子和分子机制仍不完全清楚。本研究对杨树（Populus davidiana × P.）进行了RNA-seq分析。CdCl2处理下的山杨。分析发现，在不同的压力时期，1562、1766和1611个基因表达存在差异。通过偏相关系数算法，构建三层基因调控网络（GRN），推断基因间的调控相互作用。GRN包含3156个调控相互作用，包括8个转录因子（tf）在第一层，56个tf在第二层，129个结构基因在第三层。这些成分与应激反应相关的七个丰富的生物过程有关。通过ChIP-PCR、LUC活性和qRT-PCR检测，第一层和第二层之间的预测关系约为93.6 %，第二层和第三层之间的预测关系约为94.9 %，证实了GRN的可靠性。从GRN中随机选取10个tf，分别导入过表达的山心杨树中。染色和生理变化表明它们可以赋予植物耐Cd性。此外，PdbZAT10、PdbCZF1和PdbLHY tf被确定为Cd耐受性的潜在关键调节因子。这些发现阐明了杨树耐Cd的重要调控因子和机制。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Plant Science 生物-生化与分子生物学

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

1.90%

发文量

322

审稿时长

33 days

期刊介绍： Plant Science will publish in the minimum of time, research manuscripts as well as commissioned reviews and commentaries recommended by its referees in all areas of experimental plant biology with emphasis in the broad areas of genomics, proteomics, biochemistry (including enzymology), physiology, cell biology, development, genetics, functional plant breeding, systems biology and the interaction of plants with the environment. Manuscripts for full consideration should be written concisely and essentially as a final report. The main criterion for publication is that the manuscript must contain original and significant insights that lead to a better understanding of fundamental plant biology. Papers centering on plant cell culture should be of interest to a wide audience and methods employed result in a substantial improvement over existing established techniques and approaches. Methods papers are welcome only when the technique(s) described is novel or provides a major advancement of established protocols.