Table_1_Identification and characterization of long noncoding RNAs involved in the aluminum stress response in Medicago truncatula via genome-wide analysis.XLSX

Numerous studies have shown that plant long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important regulatory role in the plant response to environmental stress. However, there are no reports on lncRNAs regulating and enhancing aluminum (Al) stress tolerance in legumes. This study analyzed the role of lncRNAs in response to Al stress in the legume model plant Medicago truncatula. A total of 219.49 Gb clean data were generated: 3,284 lncRNA genes were identified, of which 515 were differentially expressed, and 1,254 new genes were functionally annotated through database alignment. We further predicted and classified putative targets of these lncRNAs and found that they were enriched in biological processes and metabolic pathways such as plant hormone signal transduction, cell wall modification and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Finally, we characterized the functions of 2 Al-activated-malate-transporter-related lncRNAs in yeast. The recombinant plasmids of MSTRG.12506.5 and MSTRG.34338.20 were transformed into yeast, and these yeast exhibited better growth than those carrying empty vectors on medium supplemented with 10 μM AlCl3 and showed that they have biological functions affording Al stress tolerance. These findings suggest that lncRNAs are involved in regulating plant responses to Al stress. Our findings help to understand the role of lncRNAs in the response to Al stress in legumes and provide candidate lncRNAs for further studies.

大量研究表明，植物长链非编码RNA（long noncoding RNAs，lncRNAs）在植物响应环境胁迫过程中发挥重要调控作用。然而，目前尚无关于lncRNAs调控并增强豆科植物铝（Aluminum，Al）胁迫耐受性的相关报道。本研究以豆科模式植物蒺藜苜蓿（Medicago truncatula）为材料，分析了lncRNAs在响应Al胁迫过程中的作用。本研究共获得219.49 Gb清洁数据，共鉴定得到3284个lncRNA基因，其中515个为差异表达lncRNA；通过数据库比对为1254个新基因完成功能注释。本研究进一步预测并分类了这些lncRNAs的潜在靶基因，发现其富集于植物激素信号转导、细胞壁修饰以及三羧酸（TCA）循环等生物学过程与代谢通路。最后，本研究对2个与铝激活苹果酸转运蛋白相关的lncRNAs在酵母中的功能进行了鉴定：将MSTRG.12506.5与MSTRG.34338.20的重组质粒转化至酵母后，在添加10 μM氯化铝（AlCl3）的培养基上，携带上述重组质粒的酵母生长状态优于携带空载体的酵母，证实二者具备赋予酵母抗Al胁迫的生物学功能。本研究结果表明，lncRNAs参与调控植物对Al胁迫的响应；该研究有助于理解lncRNAs在豆科植物响应Al胁迫过程中的作用，并为后续相关研究提供了候选lncRNAs。