Transcriptome and metabolome profiling provide insights into molecular mechanism of pseudostem elongation in banana

Guiming Deng,Fangcheng Bi,Huijun Gao,Weidi He,Chunhua Hu,Miao Peng,Ganjun Yi,Ou Sheng,Jing Liu,Tongxin Dou,Tao Dong,Qiaosong Yang,Chunyu Li,Xiaohong Zhong

doi:10.1186/s12870-021-02899-6

Abstract

BackgroundBanana plant height is an important trait for horticultural practices and semi-dwarf cultivars show better resistance to damages by wind and rain. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the pseudostem height remain poorly understood. Herein, we studied the molecular changes in the pseudostem of a semi-dwarf banana mutant Aifen No. 1 (Musa spp. Pisang Awak sub-group ABB) as compared to its wild-type dwarf cultivar using a combined transcriptome and metabolome approach.ResultsA total of 127 differentially expressed genes and 48 differentially accumulated metabolites were detected between the mutant and its wild type. Metabolites belonging to amino acid and its derivatives, flavonoids, lignans, coumarins, organic acids, and phenolic acids were up-regulated in the mutant. The transcriptome analysis showed the differential regulation of genes related to the gibberellin pathway, auxin transport, cell elongation, and cell wall modification. Based on the regulation of gibberellin and associated pathway-related genes, we discussed the involvement of gibberellins in pseudostem elongation in the mutant banana. Genes and metabolites associated with cell wall were explored and their involvement in cell extension is discussed.ConclusionsThe results suggest that gibberellins and associated pathways are possibly developing the observed semi-dwarf pseudostem phenotype together with cell elongation and cell wall modification. The findings increase the understanding of the mechanisms underlying banana stem height and provide new clues for further dissection of specific gene functions.

Highlights

Banana plant height is an important trait for horticultural practices and semi-dwarf cultivars show better resistance to damages by wind and rain
Transcriptome analysis We investigated the changes in gene expression profiles in the pseudostems of wild type (WT) and MT plants
Based on our results and known roles of different hormones and their cross talk with Transcription factor (TF), we propose that interaction of BRs, auxins, and ethylene responsive factor (ERF) with gibberellic acid (GA) metabolism and signaling is likely to be responsible for the increase in pseudostem height of MT Aifen No.1 banana (Fig. 6)

Summary

Introduction

Banana plant height is an important trait for horticultural practices and semi-dwarf cultivars show better resistance to damages by wind and rain. We studied the molecular changes in the pseudostem of a semi-dwarf banana mutant Aifen No 1 Pisang Awak sub-group ABB) as compared to its wild-type dwarf cultivar using a combined transcriptome and metabolome approach. In banana (Musa spp.) production, plant architecture offers unique horticultural practices including, flower removal, bunch management, controlling pests and diseases, etc. The variants derived from tissue culture processing, are a good source of research materials suitable for a comparative transcriptome and metabolome analysis. In our Musa collections, there is a dwarf Pisang Awak variety ‘Aifen No 1’ (wild type, WT), of which the height is around 2.0–2.5 m. A semi-dwarf mutant (MT) with the height 2.8–3.5 m, was identified by screening the somaclonal variations from ‘Aifen No 1’ tissue cultured plants. Previous studies showed that hormone biosynthesis pathways are responsible for such variations [1]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion