Gebeyehu Adane, Hammenhag Cecilia, Tesfaye Kassahun, Vetukuri Ramesh R, Ortiz Rodomiro, Geleta Mulatu
Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 190, Lomma, 23422, Sweden.
Bio and Emerging Technology Institute, P.O. Box 5954, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Sci Rep. 2025 Sep 12;15(1):32475. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-18728-x.
Noug (Guizotia abyssinica) is an economically important oilseed crop in Ethiopia that contributes significantly to local edible oil production and is a good protein source in animal feed. Despite its agronomic importance, the molecular basis of key agronomic traits, such as self-compatibility, photoperiod sensitivity, and oil biosynthesis, remains poorly understood due to the limited availability of genomic resources. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted extensive transcriptome profiling of 30 phenotypically diverse noug genotypes through RNA sequencing and de novo assembly. Our analysis generated 409,309 unigenes with an N50 of 584 bp, representing an extensive transcriptomic resource currently available for this crop. A total of 2,547 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, among which 409 were particularly associated with fatty acid metabolism pathways. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed significant enrichment in lipid metabolism, stress response, and floral development pathways. Notably, many transcription factor families, such as bHLH, MYB, and WRKY, were differentially expressed between early- and late-flowering genotypes and high- and low-oil varieties, suggesting their regulatory roles in these traits. Transcriptome assembly revealed 58,852 putative transcription factors distributed in 51 families. This study provides fundamental genomic resources for marker-assisted breeding to improve productivity, oil quality, and stress resistance. The identified candidate genes present new opportunities for this underutilized yet agronomically valuable crop through modern biotechnological approaches.
诺格（Guizotia abyssinica）是埃塞俄比亚一种具有重要经济价值的油料作物，对当地食用油生产有重大贡献，也是动物饲料中的优质蛋白质来源。尽管其在农艺学上具有重要意义，但由于基因组资源有限，关键农艺性状（如自交亲和性、光周期敏感性和油脂生物合成）的分子基础仍知之甚少。为了填补这一知识空白，我们通过RNA测序和从头组装对30种表型多样的诺格基因型进行了广泛的转录组分析。我们的分析产生了409,309个单基因，N50为584 bp，代表了目前该作物可用的广泛转录组资源。共鉴定出2,547个差异表达基因（DEG），其中409个与脂肪酸代谢途径特别相关。基因本体论（GO）和京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）分析显示，脂质代谢、应激反应和花发育途径有显著富集。值得注意的是，许多转录因子家族，如bHLH、MYB和WRKY，在早花和晚花基因型以及高油和低油品种之间差异表达，表明它们在这些性状中的调控作用。转录组组装揭示了分布在51个家族中的58,852个假定转录因子。本研究为标记辅助育种提供了基础基因组资源，以提高生产力、油脂质量和抗逆性。通过现代生物技术方法，鉴定出的候选基因为这种未充分利用但具有农艺价值的作物带来了新机遇。
