Temporal Gene Expression in Apical Culms Shows Early Changes in Cell Wall Biosynthesis Genes in Sugarcane

Author(s):Show less -

Hosaka, Guilherme Kenichi ^[1] ; Correr, Fernando Henrique ^[1] ; da Silva, Carla Cristina ^[2] ; Sforca, Danilo Augusto ^[2] ; Barreto, Fernanda Zatti ^[3] ; Balsalobre, Thiago Willian Almeida ^[3] ; Pasha, Asher ^[4] ; de Souza, Anete Pereira ^[2] ; Provart, Nicholas James ^[4] ; Carneiro, Monalisa Sampaio ^[3] ; Margarido, Gabriel Rodrigues Alves ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr ESALQ, Piracicaba - Brazil

^[2] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Ctr Mol Biol & Genet Engn CBMEG, Campinas - Brazil

^[3] Fed Univ Sao Carlos CCA UFSCar, Ctr Agr Sci, Plant Biotechnol Lab, Araras - Brazil

^[4] Univ Toronto, Dept Cell & Syst Biol, Ctr Anal Genome Evolut & Funct, Toronto, ON - Canada

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE; v. 12, DEC 13 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Multiple genes in sugarcane control sucrose accumulation and the biosynthesis of cell wall components; however, it is unclear how these genes are expressed in its apical culms. To better understand this process, we sequenced mRNA from +1 stem internodes collected from four genotypes with different concentrations of soluble solids. Culms were collected at four different time points, ranging from six to 12-month-old plants. Here we show differentially expressed genes related to sucrose metabolism and cell wall biosynthesis, including genes encoding invertases, sucrose synthase and cellulose synthase. Our results showed increased expression of invertases in IN84-58, the genotype with lower sugar and higher fiber content, as well as delayed expression of secondary cell wall-related cellulose synthase for the other genotypes. Interestingly, genes involved with hormone metabolism were differentially expressed across time points in the three genotypes with higher soluble solids content. A similar result was observed for genes controlling maturation and transition to reproductive stages, possibly a result of selection against flowering in sugarcane breeding programs. These results indicate that carbon partitioning in apical culms of contrasting genotypes is mainly associated with differential cell wall biosynthesis, and may include early modifications for subsequent sucrose accumulation. Co-expression network analysis identified transcription factors related to growth and development, showing a probable time shift for carbon partitioning occurred in 10-month-old plants. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/22993-7 - Transcriptomics for the identification of commercially important genes in sugarcane
• Grantee: Gabriel Rodrigues Alves Margarido
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Young Investigators Grants