The mechanisms of stress tolerance have been studied extensively in model plants. Caragana (Caragana korshinskii), with its unique patterns of gene expression, is characterized by high drought and salt tolerance in northwestern China. However, there have been no reports on the differences between caragana's and model plants' mechanisms underlying their drought and salt tolerance, as well as regulation of gene expression.

The team investigated changes in the C. korshinskii transcriptome in response to drought and salt stresses. Compared to the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in drought- or salt-treated Arabidopsis, 542 DEGs in drought-treated samples and 529 DEGs in salt-treated samples were presumably unique to C. korshinskii.

Transcription profiles revealed that genes related to transcription factors, protein kinases, and antioxidant enzymes are relevant to the tolerance of drought and salt stress in this species. The expression patterns of 38 randomly selected DEGs were confirmed and were consistent with the changes in transcript abundance identified.

The team identified potential genes involved in drought and salt tolerance in C. korshinskii, as well as many DEGs uniquely expressed in drought- or salt-treated C. korshinskii. These results will lead to the discovery of stress-resistance-related genes in C. korshinskii and the development of plant cultivars.

For more information, read the full article on BMC Genomics.