Changes in mRNA stability in response to nitrate in Arabidopsis thaliana roots

Nitrate, the primary source of nitrogen in agricultural soils, is an important signaling molecule that regulates global gene expression in plants. Changes in mRNA turnover rates allow the cell to finely tune the protein production according to environmental and cellular requirements. The transcriptomic response to nitrate has been extensively characterized, but we do not understand how mRNA stabilities change in response to nitrate treatments. To analyze RNA decay profiles at a genome-wide level, we performed RNA-seq analyses from rRNA-depleted RNA, extracted from Arabidopsis thaliana roots treated with nitrate and then with cordycepin. Integrative analysis with synthesis and localization data allowed us to understand post-transcriptional regulation for mRNA levels contributing to plant's adaptation to nutritional changes.