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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Global Change and Photosynthesis Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #307679
Title: Distinct transcriptional profiles of ozone stress in soybean (Glycine max) flowers and pods

Author
item LEISNER, C - University Of Illinois
item MING, R - University Of Illinois
item Ainsworth, Elizabeth - Lisa

Submitted to: BMC Plant Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/14/2014
Publication Date: 11/28/2014
Citation: Leisner, C.P., Ming, R., Ainsworth, E.A. 2014. Distinct transcriptional profiles of ozone stress in soybean (Glycine max) flowers and pods. Biomed Central (BMC) Plant Biology. 14:335.

Interpretive Summary: Concentrations of tropospheric ozone have more than doubled since the Industrial Revolution, and are causing damage to crops and crop yield. Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is the world’s most important legume crop and is sensitive to current concentrations of ozone. When grown in the field, soybeans produce fewer pods per node when exposed to elevated ozone. This study used RNA-sequencing to understand the changes in gene expression underpinning yield loss at elevated ozone. Both soybean flower and pod tissues showed significant changes in gene expression when exposed to elevated ozone. Flower tissues increased expression of genes encoding matrix metalloproteinases, which are proteins involved in programmed cell death, senescence and stress response in plants. Pod tissues responded to elevated ozone by increasing expression of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes, which may be involved with increased pod dehiscence in elevated ozone. This work identified genes and mechanisms involved in soybean yield loss at elevated ozone, and showed that flowers and pods have distinct responses to ozone stress.

Technical Abstract: Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a secondary air pollutant and anthropogenic greenhouse gas. Concentrations of tropospheric O3 ([O3] have more than doubled since the Industrial Revolution, and are high enough to damage plant productivity. Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is the world's most important legume crop and is sensitive to O3. Current ground-level [O3] are estimated to reduce global soybean yields by 6% to 16%. In order to understand transcriptional mechanisms of yield loss in soybean, we examined the transcriptome of soybean flower and pod tissues exposed to elevated [O3] using RNA-Sequencing. Elevated [O3] elicited a strong transcriptional response in flower and pod tissues, with increased expression of genes involved in signaling in both tissues. Flower tissues also responded to elevated [O3] by increasing expression of genes encoding matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs are zinc- and calcium-dependent endopeptidases that have roles in programmed cell death, senescence and stress response in plants. Pod tissues responded to elevated [O3] by increasing expression of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes, which may be involved with increased pod dehiscence in elevated [O3]. This study established that gene expression in reproductive tissues of soybean are impacted by elevated [O3], and flowers and pods have distinct transcriptomic responses to elevated [O3].