DNA Methylation Changes and Its Associated Genes in Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Yu-711 Response to Drought Stress Using MethylRAD Sequencing
Michael Ackah,
Liangliang Guo,
Shaocong Li,
Xin Jin,
Charles Asakiya,
Evans Tawiah Aboagye,
Feng Yuan,
Mengmeng Wu,
Lionnelle Gyllye Essoh,
Daniel Adjibolosoo,
Thomas Attaribo,
Qiaonan Zhang,
Changyu Qiu,
Qiang Lin,
Weiguo Zhao
Affiliations
Michael Ackah
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Liangliang Guo
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Shaocong Li
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Xin Jin
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Charles Asakiya
Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Evans Tawiah Aboagye
Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Feng Yuan
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Mengmeng Wu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Lionnelle Gyllye Essoh
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Daniel Adjibolosoo
Key Laboratory of Cotton Genetics, Genomics and Breeding, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Thomas Attaribo
School of Agriculture, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo UK-0215-5321, Ghana
Qiaonan Zhang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Changyu Qiu
Sericultural Research Institute, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530007, China
Qiang Lin
Sericultural Research Institute, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530007, China
Weiguo Zhao
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China
Drought stress remains one of the most detrimental environmental cues affecting plant growth and survival. In this work, the DNA methylome changes in mulberry leaves under drought stress (EG) and control (CK) and their impact on gene regulation were investigated by MethylRAD sequencing. The results show 138,464 (37.37%) and 56,241 (28.81%) methylation at the CG and CWG sites (W = A or T), respectively, in the mulberry genome between drought stress and control. The distribution of the methylome was prevalent in the intergenic, exonic, intronic and downstream regions of the mulberry plant genome. In addition, we discovered 170 DMGs (129 in CG sites and 41 in CWG sites) and 581 DMS (413 in CG sites and 168 in CWG sites). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicates that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, spliceosome, amino acid biosynthesis, carbon metabolism, RNA transport, plant hormone, signal transduction pathways, and quorum sensing play a crucial role in mulberry response to drought stress. Furthermore, the qRT-PCR analysis indicates that the selected 23 genes enriched in the KEGG pathways are differentially expressed, and 86.96% of the genes share downregulated methylation and 13.04% share upregulation methylation status, indicating the complex link between DNA methylation and gene regulation. This study serves as fundamentals in discovering the epigenomic status and the pathways that will significantly enhance mulberry breeding for adaptation to a wide range of environments.
