MULTI-OMICS OF GENUS SOLANUM L. TRICHOMES REVEALS THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN STRESS MEMORY AND THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS FOR RECOVERY

Abstract

Trichomes are cosmopolitan biological textures originating from the aerial epidermis, which render as a superior model to investigate plant differentiation at the cell level. The main function of these epidermal protuberances is protection from abiotic and biotic stresses. Trichomes are classified to glandular and non-glandular types. Glandular trichomes are biochemical factories and storage compartments for a diverse array of specialized metabolites. However, little knowledge is available about the plant machinery to coordinate trichome formation, metabolism regulation, and stress resistance. In the present study, trichomes are proved to be the key link between stress memory and the molecular mechanism of Solanaceous species for recovery. Scanning with electron microscope SEM confirmed the distribution of four glandular and six non-glandular trichome types between the studied Solanum species. Multi-omics analysis including genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic studies revealed that Solanum species, which contain approximately equal density and same types of trichomes are closer genetically to each other. Several stress-responsive cis-elements were identified through in-silico analysis of the promoters of MIXTA, MIXTA-like1 and MIXTA-like2 the key genes of trichome formation. The transcriptomic results demonstrated that all genes were differentially expressed in the studied Solanum species due to trichome types and density according to its tolerance to stresses. This report shed light into endemism of Solanum species in their defined zones.