Table_1_Genome-wide analysis of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) lateral roots in response to nitrogen application.docx

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the significant cash crops in China. As a leaf crop, nitrogen supply can not only increase the number of new shoots and leaves but also improve the tenderness of the former. However, a conundrum remains in science, which is the molecular mechanism of nitrogen use efficiency, especially long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). In this study, a total of 16,452 lncRNAs were identified through high-throughput sequencing analysis of lateral roots under nitrogen stress and control conditions, of which 9,451 were differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs). To figure out the potential function of nitrogen-responsive lncRNAs, co-expression clustering was employed between lncRNAs and coding genes. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed nitrogen-responsive lncRNAs may involve in many biological processes such as plant hormone signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum. The expression abundance of 12 DE-lncRNAs were further verified by RT-PCR, and their expression trends were consistent with the results of RNA-seq. This study expands the research on lncRNAs in tea plants, provides a novel perspective for the potential regulation of lncRNAs on nitrogen stress, and valuable resources for further improving the nitrogen use efficiency of tea plants.

茶树（Camellia sinensis）作为中国重要的经济作物之一，其叶片生长对于氮素供应的依赖性不仅能够促进新枝和叶片数量的增加，亦能提升叶片的柔韧性。然而，科学领域仍面临一个难题，即氮素利用效率的分子机制，尤其是长非编码RNA（lncRNA）。在本研究中，通过对氮素胁迫及对照组侧根进行高通量测序分析，共鉴定出16,452个lncRNA，其中9,451个为差异表达lncRNA（DE-lncRNA）。为了探究氮响应性lncRNA的潜在功能，本研究采用lncRNA与编码基因之间的共表达聚类分析。KEGG富集分析显示，氮响应性lncRNA可能参与众多生物学过程，例如植物激素信号转导、氮代谢以及内质网中的蛋白质加工。此外，通过对12个DE-lncRNA的表达丰度进行RT-PCR验证，其表达趋势与RNA-seq结果一致。本研究丰富了茶树中lncRNA的研究，为氮胁迫下lncRNA的潜在调控机制提供了新的视角，并为进一步提高茶树氮素利用效率提供了宝贵资源。