Transcriptomics of tapping and healing process in frankincense tree during resin production

• Published in: Genomics (San Diego, Calif.) Calif.), 2021-11, Vol.113 (6), p.4337-4351
• Main Authors: Khan, Abdul Latif, Asaf, Sajjad, Numan, Muhammad, AbdulKareem, Noor Mazin, Imran, Muhammad, Riethoven, Jean-Jack M., Kim, Ho-Youn, Al-Harrasi, Ahmed, Schachtman, Daniel P., Al-Rawahi, Ahmed, Lee, In-Jung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boswellia - metabolism; Boswellia sacra; Ecophysiolomics; Frankincense - metabolism; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Phytohormones; Plant-growth regulators; Resins, Plant - metabolism; Transcriptome; Trees - metabolism; Wounding stress
• ISSN: 0888-7543; 1089-8646
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.11.020

Frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra Fluek) has been poorly known on how it responds to tapping and wound-recovery process at molecular levels. Here, we used RNA-sequencing analysis to profile transcriptome of B. sacra after 30 min, 3 h and 6 h of post-tapping. Results showed 5525 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were related to terpenoid biosynthesis, phytohormonal regulation, cellular transport, and cell-wall synthesis. Plant-growth-regulators were applied exogenously which showed regulation of endogenous jasmonates and resulted in rapid recovery of cell-wall integrity by significantly up-regulated gene expression of terpenoid biosynthesis (germacrene-D synthase, B-amyrin synthase, and squalene epioxidase-1) and cell-wall synthesis (xyloglucan endotransglucosylase, cellulose synthase-A, and cell-wall hydrolase) compared to control. These findings suggest that tapping immediately activated several cell-developmental and regeneration processes, alongwith defense-induced terpenoid metabolism, to improve the healing process in epidermis. Exogenous growth regulators, especially jasmonic acid, can drastically help tree recovery from tissue degeneration and might help in tree conservation purposes. •Transcriptome of frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra Fluek) was analyzed after 30min, 3h and 6h of post tapping.•Genes related to terpenoid biosynthesis, phytohormonal regulation, and cell-wall synthesis were significantly expressed.•Exogenous plant-growth regulators enhanced jasmonates and rapid recovery of cell-wall integrity during wounding•Tapping significantly increased the mRNA expression of early and late terpenoid biosynthesis and cell-wall synthesis than control.•In conclusion, tapping immediately activated several cell developmental and regeneration processes.