Comparative transcriptome analysis of leaves from soybean GmIAA9 overexpression and knockout mutants under drought stress

The goal of this study was to elucidate the functional role of the GmIAA9 gene in mediating the transcriptional response of soybean (Glycine max) to drought stress. By conducting a comparative transcriptome analysis of leaves from GmIAA9 overexpression lines and gene knockout mutants at 6 days post-treatment, we aimed to identify the genome-wide gene expression networks directly or indirectly regulated by this auxin-responsive gene. The detection of 9,823 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the wild-type (WT) and the iaa9-1 knockout mutant, alongside 9,086 DEGs between WT and the OxGmIAA9-1 overexpressing line, underscores the profound and extensive regulatory influence of GmIAA9. This research is highly relevant as it provides a molecular basis for understanding how a single transcription factor can orchestrate complex stress adaptation pathways.