Department of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, People's Republic of China.
Plant Mol Biol. 2022 Jan;108(1-2):1-14. doi: 10.1007/s11103-021-01196-y. Epub 2021 Nov 30.
Developing embryo and endosperm of sorghum show substantial and multifaceted differences in gene expression and alternative splicing, which are potentially relevant to heterosis. Differential regulation of gene expression and alternative splicing (AS) are major molecular mechanisms dictating plant growth and development, as well as underpinning heterosis in F1 hybrids. Here, using deep RNA-sequencing we analyzed differences in genome-wide gene expression and AS between developing embryo and endosperm, and between F1 hybrids and their pure-line parents in sorghum. We uncover dramatic differences in both gene expression and AS between embryo and endosperm with respect to gene features and functions, which are consistent with the fundamentally different biological roles of the two tissues. Accordingly, F1 hybrids showed substantial and multifaceted differences in gene expression and AS compared with their pure-line parents, again with clear tissue specificities including extents of difference, genes involved and functional enrichments. Our results provide useful transcriptome resources as well as novel insights for further elucidation of seed yield heterosis in sorghum and related crops.
高粱的发育胚胎和胚乳在基因表达和选择性剪接方面表现出显著的和多方面的差异，这与杂种优势可能有关。基因表达和选择性剪接（AS）的差异调控是决定植物生长和发育的主要分子机制，也是 F1 杂种杂种优势的基础。在这里，我们使用深度 RNA 测序分析了高粱中发育胚胎和胚乳之间以及 F1 杂种与其纯系亲本之间全基因组基因表达和 AS 的差异。我们发现胚胎和胚乳在基因特征和功能方面存在显著的差异，这与两种组织的根本不同的生物学功能相一致。相应地，F1 杂种与它们的纯系亲本相比，在基因表达和 AS 方面表现出显著的和多方面的差异，同样具有明显的组织特异性，包括差异程度、涉及的基因和功能富集。我们的结果提供了有用的转录组资源，并为进一步阐明高粱和相关作物的种子产量杂种优势提供了新的见解。
