Limonium bicolor, known horticulturally as sea lavender, is a typical recretohalophyte with salt glands in its leaf epidermis that secrete excess Na+ out of the plant. Although many genes have been proposed to contribute to salt gland initiation and development, a detailed analysis of alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation patterns, and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been lacking. Here, we applied single-molecule long-read mRNA isoform sequencing (Iso-seq) to explore the complexity of the L. bicolor transcriptome in leaves during salt gland initiation (stage A) and salt gland differentiation (stage B) based on the reference genome. We identified alternative splicing events and the use of alternative poly(A) sites unique to stage A or stage B, leading to the hypothesis that they might contribute to the differentiation of salt glands. Based on the Iso-seq data and RNA in situ hybridization of candidate genes, we selected the lncRNA Btranscript_153392 for gene editing and virus-induced gene silencing to dissect its function. In the absence of this transcript, we observed fewer salt glands on the leaf epidermis, leading to diminished salt secretion and salt tolerance. Our data provide transcriptome resources for unraveling the mechanisms behind salt gland development and furthering crop transformation efforts towards enhanced survivability in saline soils.
(© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact
[email protected] for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact
[email protected].)
Processing Request
No Comments.