Comparative transcriptome analysis in three sorghum (<i>Sorghum bicolor</i>) cultivars reveal genomic basis of differential seed quality

Sorghum is a globally important C4 crop that serves both as staple food and as bio-fuel, and showed high phenotypic variation in grain quality. In this study, we performed RNA-seq in grains of three local <i>Sorghum</i> cultivars Z6, Z27 and HC4, which have differential agronomic traits especially in grain color. Our analysis revealed more than 3000 differentially expressed genes among the three cultivars. The differentially expressed genes were enriched in carbohydrate, amino acid and flavonoid metabolic pathways, which may affect the appearance and nutrition value of grains. We also identified new genes and SNPs in the three cultivars. Our results revealed the transcriptome variations among different <i>Sorghum</i> cultivars that correlates with grain nutrition, and provided valuable information for sorghum breeding.高粱（Sorghum）是全球重要的C4作物，兼具主食与生物燃料原料双重用途，其籽粒品质表现出较高的表型变异。本研究针对3个农艺性状存在差异（尤以籽粒颜色为著）的地方高粱品种Z6、Z27和HC4的籽粒开展了RNA测序（RNA-seq）分析。分析结果显示，3个品种间共鉴定出超过3000个差异表达基因（differentially expressed genes）。这些差异表达基因显著富集于碳水化合物、氨基酸及黄酮类代谢通路，这类通路或可影响籽粒的外观与营养价值。本研究同时在3个品种中鉴定出了新基因与单核苷酸多态性（Single Nucleotide Polymorphism，SNPs）。本研究揭示了不同高粱品种间与籽粒营养相关的转录组变异，为高粱遗传育种提供了极具价值的参考信息。