Pinus tabuliformis Raw sequence reads

Ultraviolet (UV) is an important ecological factor affecting plants growth and distribution. Understanding plant response to different UV radiation is lacking, especially from the systems biology point of view and in particular for forest trees. Here, we evaluated the physiological and transcriptomic responses to short-term high-intensity UV-B and UV-C on Pinus tabuliformis, a major conifer in Northern China. Time-ordered gene co-expression network and network comparison incorporating physiological traits and gene expression identified the similarity and heterogeneity in P. tabuliformis response to UV-B and UV-C radiation. Although both radiation types caused an obvious transition from weakening of primary metabolism to enhancement of secondary metabolism, the activation of stress resistance related signaling pathway and improvement of antioxidant capacity and flavonoid content, it was showed that UV-B radiation with higher intensity imparted a stronger effect than UV-C. We isolated and compared the subnetworks related to Fv/Fm and Flavniods in the respond to UV-B and UV-C radiation, and found the effects were consistent for Fv/Fm but variable for the biosynthesis of flavniods. Additionally, and for the first time, we found peptide hormones were involved in the defense against UV-B. The present study provided an effective strategy in characterizing the complex physiological and gene regulation of diverse stress responses in non-model plant species.