Comparative transcriptome analysis of differentially expressed genes related to the physiological changes of yellow-green leaf mutant of maize

PeerJ

article

Tingchun Li¹  Huaying Yang¹  Yan Lu³  Qing Dong¹  Guihu Liu¹  Feng Chen²  Yingbing Zhou¹ 

[1] Tobacco Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences;Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee;Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University

关键词: Yellow-green leaf;    Chlorophyll biosynthesis;    Photosynthesis;    Tricarboxylic acid cycle;    Secondary metabolism;    Transcriptome analysis;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.10567

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Chlorophylls, green pigments in chloroplasts, are essential for photosynthesis. Reduction in chlorophyll content may result in retarded growth, dwarfism, and sterility. In this study, a yellow-green leaf mutant of maize, indicative of abnormity in chlorophyll content, was identified. The physiological parameters of this mutant were measured. Next, global gene expression of this mutant was determined using transcriptome analysis and compared to that of wild-type maize plants. The yellow-green leaf mutant of maize was found to contain lower contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid compounds. It contained fewer active PSII centers and displayed lower values of original chlorophyll fluorescence parameters than the wild-type plants. The real-time fluorescence yield, the electron transport rate, and the net photosynthetic rate of the mutant plants showed reduction as well. In contrast, the maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII of the mutant plants was similar to that of the wild-type plants. Comparative transcriptome analysis of the mutant plants and wild-type plants led to the identification of differentially expressed 1,122 genes, of which 536 genes were up-regulated and 586 genes down-regulated in the mutant. Five genes in the chlorophyll metabolism pathway, nine genes in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and seven genes related to the conversion of sucrose to starch displayed down-regulated expression. In contrast, genes encoding a photosystem II reaction center PsbP family protein and the PGR5-like protein 1A (PGRL1A) exhibited increased transcript abundance.

【 授权许可】

CC BY