Methylation and Expression of Rice NLR Genes after Low Temperature Stress

• Published in: Gene 2022-12, Vol.845, p.146830-146830, Article 146830
• Main Authors: Chen, Kun, Shi, Zuqi, Zhang, Shengwei, Wang, Yanxin, Xia, Xue, Jiang, Yan, Gull, Sadia, Chen, Lin, Guo, Hui, Wu, Tingkai, Zhang, Hongyu, Liu, Jinglan, Kong, Weiwen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: DNA methylation; Low temperature stress; Nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat gene; Rice; Transcriptional regulation
• ISSN: 0378-1119; 1879-0038
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146830

•The methylation and expression of nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptor genes in rice are revealed after low temperature stress.•Many rice nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptor genes show DNA methylation alteration after low temperature stress.•A great number of rice nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptor genes are induced by low temperature stress at the transcriptional level. Nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) are included in most plant disease resistance proteins. Some NLR proteins have been revealed to be induced by the invasion of plant pathogens. DNA methylation is required for adaption to adversity and proper regulation of gene expression in plants. Low temperature stress (LTS) is a restriction factor in rice growth, development and production. Here, we report the methylation and expression of NLR genes in two rice cultivars, i.e., 9311 (an indica rice cultivar sensitive to LTS), and P427 (a japonica cultivar, tolerant to LTS), after LTS. We found that the rice NLR genes were heavily methylated within CG sites at room temperature and low temperature in 9311 and P427, and many rice NLR genes showed DNA methylation alteration after LTS. A great number of rice NLR genes were observed to be responsive to LTS at the transcriptional level. Our observation suggests that the alteration of expression of rice NLR genes was similar but their change in DNA methylation was dynamic between the two rice cultivars after LTS. We identified that more P427 NLR genes reacted to LTS than those of 9311 at the methylation and transcriptional level. The results in this study will be useful for further understanding the transcriptional regulation and potential functions of rice NLR genes.