Integrating transcriptome and physiological analysis reveals the stress responses of rose petals to surface water in the iron-mining area

• Published in: Scientia horticulturae 2025-01, Vol.339, p.113827, Article 113827
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jingjing, Han, Siwen, Wu, Shuyi, Feng, Zhuangzhuang, Zhao, Yifei, Du, Siman, Xu, Min, Wang, Wenyu, Qin, Zhe, Xin, Cuihua, Pei, Haixia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Heavy metal element; Physiology; Rose; Surface water; Transcriptome
• ISSN: 0304-4238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2024.113827

•The high concentrations of iron ions and even Mn ions were detected in surface water of the iron minning area of Bayan Obo. Surface water stress in iron mining areas promoted senescence and reduced MDA and increased the contents of GSH and NADPH in rose petals.•Fe elemental in surface waters of the iron-mining area may be the main cause of phenotypic and physiological changes in rose petals.•Fe elemental can also promote senescence and reduced MDA and increased the contents of GSH and NADPH in rose petals.•Changes in the expression patterns of rose petal genes involved in the TCA cycle and the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways under surface water stress.•Surface water stress up-regulated the expressions of the key rate-limiting enzyme PEPCK in GNG. Mining activities in the iron area mining have caused serious pollution of surface water in the area, which in turn affects the normal growth and development of plants. As a restorative plant with heavy metal adsorption function, the stress response mechanism of rose to surface water in the iron-mining area remains unelucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of surface water treatment on the phenotypic, physiological and molecular levels of the plant using rose as a material. The results showed that surface water in the Bayan Obo iron mining area caused darkening and soft rotting of rose petals, increased degree of petal damage, decreased the content of MDA (Malondialdehyde), increased the ratio of GSH/GSSG (glutathione/oxidized glutathione) and NADPH/NADP+(nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate/oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate), suggesting that the rose produces more GSH to prevent oxidative stress. Transcriptome analysis further revealed a large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the TCA (the tricarboxylic acid) cycle and the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways under surface water stress, and these DEGs can promote the production of NADPH, which in turn positively regulates the content of GSH. Multiple peroxidase-related genes (RhPRXs) also exhibited a significant stress response in this process. In summary, our research results reflect that roses under surface water stress in the iron-mining area exhibit certain defense mechanisms at both physiological and transcriptional levels, and also provide a reference for cultivating effective rose resources for repairing pollution in mining areas and evaluating excessive iron pollution as a biologic