title: Transcriptome profiling reveals the genetic basis of alkalinity tolerance in wheat.
abstract: Soil alkalinity shows significant constraints to crop productivity; however, much less attention has been paid to analyze the effect of soil alkalinity on plant growth and development. Shanrong No. 4 (SR4) is an alkalinity tolerant bread wheat cultivar selected from an asymmetric somatic hybridization between the bread wheat cultivar Jinan 177 (JN177) and tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum), which is a suitable material for studying alkalinity tolerant associate genes.
  
  
  
  The growth of SR4 plant seedlings was less inhibited than that of JN177 when exposed to alkalinity stress conditions. The root cytosolic Na+/K+ratio in alkalinity stressed SR4 was lower than in JN177, while alkalinity stressed SR4 contained higher level of nutrient elements than in JN177. SR4 plant seedlings accumulated less malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), it also showed higher activity of ROS scavenging enzymes than JN177 under alkalinity stress. The root intracellular pH decreased in both alkalinity stressed JN177 and SR4, however, it was much lower in SR4 than in JN177 under alkalinity stress. The transcriptomes of SR4 and JN177 seedlings exposed to alkalinity stress were analyzed by digital gene expression tag profiling method. Alkalinity stress conditions up- and down-regulated a large number of genes in the seedling roots that play the functions in the categories of transcription regulation, signal transduction and protein modification.
  
  
  
  SR4 expresses a superior tolerance to alkaline stress conditions which is due to its strong absorbing ability for nutrient ions, a strong regulating ability for intracellular and rhizosphere pH and a more active ROS scavenging ability.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tai-Yong
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Agriculture, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Zhong-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Kang-Li
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Forest and Wetland Institute, Shandong Academy of Forestry, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jiu-Lan
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guang-Min
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China. liushuwei@126.com.
authors.forename: Shu-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D059467:Transcriptome; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012987:Soil
keywords: Alkali tolerance; Digital gene expression; Reactive oxygen species; Wheat; pH