Dynamic transcriptome profiling revealed a key gene ZmJMJ20 and pathways associated with cadmium stress in maize

Shuai Yu; Jialun Zhu; Yanzhe Yin; Xiaoyu Zhang; Yuxin Dai; Yupeng Xing; Xipeng Cheng; Ao Zhang; Cong Li; Yanshu Zhu; Yanye Ruan; Xiaomei Dong; Jinjuan Fan

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (Jun 2024)

Dynamic transcriptome profiling revealed a key gene ZmJMJ20 and pathways associated with cadmium stress in maize

Shuai Yu,
Jialun Zhu,
Yanzhe Yin,
Xiaoyu Zhang,
Yuxin Dai,
Yupeng Xing,
Xipeng Cheng,
Ao Zhang,
Cong Li,
Yanshu Zhu,
Yanye Ruan,
Xiaomei Dong,
Jinjuan Fan

Affiliations

Shuai Yu: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Jialun Zhu: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Yanzhe Yin: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Xiaoyu Zhang: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Yuxin Dai: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Yupeng Xing: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Xipeng Cheng: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Ao Zhang: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Cong Li: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Yanshu Zhu: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Yanye Ruan: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Xiaomei Dong: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
Jinjuan Fan: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Shenyang City Key Laboratory of Maize Genomic Selection Breeding, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 277
p. 116352

Abstract

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Cadmium (Cd) pollution in soil poses a global concern due to its serious impacts on human health and ecological security. In plants, tremendous efforts have been made to identify some key genes and pathways in Cd stress responses. However, studies on the roles of epigenetic factors in response to Cd stress were still limited. In the study, we first gain insight into the gene expression dynamics for maize seedlings under 0 h, 12 h, and 72 h Cd stress. As a result, six distinct groups of genes were identified by hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis. The key pathways associated with 12 h Cd stress were protein modifications including protein ubiquitination, signal transduction by protein phosphorylation, and histone modification. Whereas, under 72 h stress, main pathways were involved in biological processes including phenylalanine metabolism, response to oxygen-containing compounds and metal ions. Then to be noted, one of the most highly expressed genes at 12 h under Cd treatment is annotated as histone demethylases (ZmJMJ20). The evolutionary tree analysis and domain analysis showed that ZmJMJ20 belonged to the JmjC-only subfamily of the Jumonji-C (JmjC) family, and ZmJMJ20 was conserved in rice and Arabidopsis. After 72 h of Cd treatment, the zmjmj20 mutant created by EMS treatment manifested less severe chlorosis/leaf yellowing symptoms compared with wild-type plants, and there was no significant difference in Fv/Fm and φPSII value before and after Cd treatment. Moreover, the expression levels of several photosynthesis-related down-regulated genes in EMS mutant plants were dramatically increased compared with those in wild-type plants at 12 h under Cd treatment. Our results suggested that ZmJMJ20 plays an important role in the Cd tolerance response pathway and will facilitate the development of cultivars with improved Cd stress tolerance.

Published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

ISSN: 0147-6513 (Print); 1090-2414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Technology: Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering: Environmental pollution; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecotoxicology-and-environmental-safety

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