Transcriptome analysis of the molecular basis of 11‐eicosenoic acid‐mediated salt stress tolerance in rice

Abstract

AbstractSalt stress is one of the major abiotic factors severely hampering rice production. Fatty acids play a crucial role in plants response to such stress. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential of unsaturated fatty acid (11‐eicosenoic acid [EA]) to enhance salt tolerance in rice, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Our study indicates that the exogenous application of EA could alleviate salt stress‐induced damage as well as improve the survival rate of rice seedlings. Transcriptome analysis was performed following treatment of rice seedlings with EA, NaCl, and NaCl + EA. The results showed that there were 4970, 11, 304, and 4735 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in NaCl versus CK, EA versus CK, NaCl + EA versus NaCl, and NaCl + EA versus CK, respectively. Notably, pathways such as unsaturated fatty acid metabolism, diterpenoid phytoalexin biosynthesis, and phytohormone signal transduction were significantly enriched in NaCl + EA versus NaCl. Specifically, genes related to ethylene, abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, gibberellin signaling, and fatty acid metabolism were implicated in the mitigation effect of EA on salt stress in rice. Furthermore, DEGs involved in rice diterpenoid biosynthesis were analyzed in detail, revealing that EA induced the biosynthesis of multiple diterpenoids. Metabolomic analysis showed that the levels of various fatty acids, phytohormones, and terpenes increased. The presented data may serve as a useful guide for further exploration of the various biological functions of EA in enhancing plant resilience to salt stress. Additionally, it offers a valuable list of genes for the development of crop plants with improved salt resistance.