Comparative Transcriptomics of Multi-Stress Responses in and .

The environment is seldom optimal for plant growth and changes in abiotic and biotic signals, including temperature, water availability, radiation and pests, induce plant responses to optimise survival. The New Zealand native plant species and close relative to , grows under environmental conditions that are unsustainable for many plant species. Here, we compare the responses of both species to different stressors (low temperature, salt and UV-B radiation) to help understand how can grow in such harsh environments. The stress transcriptomes were determined and comparative transcriptome and network analyses discovered similar and unique responses within species, and between the two plant species. A number of widely studied plant stress processes were highly conserved in and . However, in response to cold stress, Gene Ontology terms related to glycosinolate metabolism were only enriched in . Salt stress was associated with alteration of the cuticle and proline biosynthesis in and , respectively. Anthocyanin production may be a more important strategy to contribute to the UV-B radiation tolerance in . These results allowed us to define broad stress response pathways in and and suggested that regulation of glycosinolate, proline and anthocyanin metabolism are strategies that help mitigate environmental stress.