Comprehensive transcriptome profiling and identification of potential genes responsible for salt tolerance in tall fescue leaves under salinity stress

illumina RNA sequencing of tall fescue leaves generated a total of raw 144,339 reads. After de novo assembly, unigenes with a total length of 129,749,938 base pairs were obtained. For functional annotations, the unigenes were aligned to functional databases. Further analysis revealed 79,352 coding DNA sequences and 13,003 microsatellites distributed across 11,277 unigenes as well as single nucleotide polymorphisms. Totally, 1,862 unigenes were predicted to encode for 2120 transcription factors among which most were key salt-responsive. We determined differential gene expression and distribution per sample and most genes related to salt tolerance and photosynthesis were upregulated in 48 h vs 24 h salt treatment. Protein interaction analysis revealed the high interaction of chaperonins and Rubisco proteins in 48h vs 24h salt treatment Overall design: one control one 24h one 48h