Abstract
Carbohydrate metabolism is an important biochemical process related to developmental growth and yield-related traits. Due to global climate change and rapid population growth, increasing rice yield has become vital. To understand whole carbohydrate metabolism pathways and find related clues for enhancing yield, genes in whole carbohydrate metabolism pathways were systemically dissected using meta-transcriptome data. This study identified 866 carbohydrate genes from the MapMan toolkit and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database split into 11 clusters of different anatomical expression profiles. Analysis of functionally characterized carbohydrate genes revealed that source activity and eating quality are the most well-known functions, and they each have a strong correlation with tissue-preferred clusters. To verify the transcriptomic dissection, three pollen-preferred cluster genes were used and found downregulated in the gori mutant. Finally, we summarized carbohydrate metabolism as a conceptual model in gene clusters associated with morphological traits. This systemic analysis not only provided new insights to improve rice yield but also proposed novel tissue-preferred carbohydrate genes for future research.
Highlights
As the world’s population increases and arable land decreases year by year, food security has become one of the most serious problems faced by all countries [1]
These genes were searched in the MapMan toolkit, and genes in bincodes related to carbohydrate metabolism were identified: photosynthesis, major CHO, minor CHO, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis/glyoxylate cycle, OPP, TCA/organic acid transformation, and C1-metabolism
Many studies on carbohydrate metabolism in rice have been performed. These studies mostly focused on the source-sink mechanism and specific temporal samples such as the grain-filling stages. To complement this uneven interpretation of carbohydrate metabolism and provide new insights on rice productivity to enhance research associated with carbon metabolism, 866 carbohydrate metabolism-related genes were systemically dissected into 11 clusters according to metaanatomical expression data (Figure 3; Table S5)
Summary
As the world’s population increases and arable land decreases year by year, food security has become one of the most serious problems faced by all countries [1]. Improving its production is of great strategic significance for ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural development [2]. As a sessile and autophototrophic plant, rice generates carbohydrates by photosynthesis. These photoassimilates undergo a series of ordered metabolic processes and play a pivotal role in different developmental stages, including vegetative, reproductive, and ripening. Carbohydrate reserves in mature seeds provide the primary energy intake of mankind and contribute energy during its germination [3]. This source-sink coordination that runs through the entire plant life cycle reflects the importance of carbohydrate metabolism in rice productivity improvement
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
