Gene expression analysis in leaf of Camellia sinensis reveals the response to fluoride

• Published in: Acta physiologiae plantarum 2021-07, Vol.43 (7), Article 111
• Main Authors: Pan, Junting, Xing, Anqi, Zhu, Jiaojiao, Nong, Shouhua, Ma, Yuanchun, Zhu, Xujun, Fang, Wanping, Wang, Yuhua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abscisic acid; Absorption; Accumulation; Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Calcium influx; Calcium ions; Calcium transport; Camellia sinensis; Fluorides; Gene expression; Genes; Homeostasis; Intracellular; Leaves; Life Sciences; Original Article; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Biochemistry; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant hormones; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plants; Signal transduction; Tea; Transcription factors; Ubiquitin; Vacuoles
• ISSN: 0137-5881; 1861-1664
• DOI: 10.1007/s11738-021-03283-5

Tea plants ( Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) can hyperaccumulate fluoride (F − ) without any toxic symptom, especially in mature leaves. However, the molecular mechanism of absorption and hyperaccumulation of F − was poorly understood in C. sinensis . Here, a transcriptomic analysis was performed to compare the responses to fluoride stress of tea leaves to understand F − accumulation and its influence on gene expression in C. sinensis leaves. The results indicated that numerous differentially expressed genes involved in ion absorption and transport exist in the process of F − absorption in C. sinensis leaves. The up-regulated expression of genes associated with uptake and transport of Ca 2+ and K + ( CNGC , TPC1 , CAX , and VHA ) increased the intracellular and vacuole cation concentration during F − accumulation in C. sinensis leaves. We also found that some of AQP ( PIPs and TIPs ) genes may promote F − into the intracellular spaces and vacuoles in C. sinensis leaves, respectively. In addition, F − induced the expression of differential genes related to plant hormone metabolism and signaling pathways (ABA, auxin, and GA). Subsequently, a lot of transcription factors ( WRKY , MYB , NAC , bHLH and AP2/ERF ) were activated to respond to F − stress in tea leaves by regulating plant hormone signal transduction and other pathways. And ubiquitin systems were involved in the regulation of proteins homeostasis under F − stress indicating that they are responsible for the response of C. sinensis leaves to F − . Overall, these findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the F − absorption mechanism and its influence on gene expression in tea leaves.