title: Comparative transcriptome analysis of developmental stages of the Limonium bicolor leaf generates insights into salt gland differentiation.
abstract: With the expansion of saline land worldwide, it is essential to establish a model halophyte to study the salt-tolerance mechanism. The salt glands in the epidermis of Limonium bicolor (a recretohalophyte) play a pivotal role in salt tolerance by secreting excess salts from tissues. Despite the importance of salt secretion, nothing is known about the molecular mechanisms of salt gland development. In this study, we applied RNA sequencing to profile early leaf development using five distinct developmental stages, which were quantified by successive collections of the first true leaves of L. bicolor with precise spatial and temporal resolution. Specific gene expression patterns were identified for each developmental stage. In particular, we found that genes controlling salt gland differentiation in L. bicolor may evolve in a trichome formation, which was also confirmed by mutants with increased salt gland densities. Genes involved in the special ultrastructure of salt glands were also elucidated. Twenty-six genes were proposed to participate in salt gland differentiation. Our dataset sheds light on the molecular processes underpinning salt gland development and thus represents a first step towards the bioengineering of active salt-secretion capacity in crops.
authors: Key Lab of Plant Stress Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, Shandong, 250014, China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Yuan
authors: CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.|Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China.
authors: Ming-Ju Amy
authors: MJ
authors: Lyu
authors: Key Lab of Plant Stress Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, Shandong, 250014, China.
authors: Bing-Ying
authors: BY
authors: Leng
authors: CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
authors: Guang-Yong
authors: GY
authors: Zheng
authors: Key Lab of Plant Stress Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, Shandong, 250014, China.
authors: Zhong-Tao
authors: ZT
authors: Feng
authors: College of Agriculture, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, China.
authors: Ping-Hua
authors: PH
authors: Li
authors: CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.|State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
authors: Xin-Guang
authors: XG
authors: Zhu
authors: Key Lab of Plant Stress Research, College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Ji'nan, Shandong, 250014, China.
authors: Bao-Shan
authors: BS
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D063990:Gene Ontology; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000235:genetics; D029606:Plumbaginaceae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000235:genetics; D064201:Trichomes / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Illumina sequencing; leaf development; recretohalophyte; salt gland; transcriptome