Transcriptome analysis of Salvia miltiorrhiza under drought stress at different time points
Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) is a highly valuable traditional Chinese medicinal plant, whose growth and the accumulation of pharmacologically active secondary metabolites (including tanshinones and salvianolic acids) are severely constrained by drought stress, a major abiotic stress limiting crop yield and quality. This study conducted a time-course transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis on S. miltiorrhiza seedlings subjected to continuous drought treatment at multiple time points, aiming to systematically elucidate the dynamic molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying drought stress response in S. miltiorrhiza.Root tissues, the primary medicinal organ of S. miltiorrhiza, were harvested at different time points during drought treatment. Total RNA was extracted from these samples and subjected to high-throughput transcriptome sequencing on the Illumina platform. The generated transcriptomic data will be used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), characterize the temporal expression patterns of key genes involved in stress perception, hormone signaling transduction (such as ABA and JA pathways), and secondary metabolism (including MVA/MEP pathways for tanshinone biosynthesis), and construct the regulatory network of critical transcription factors (such as ERF, NAC, MYB, and bZIP) in drought response.This research provides a comprehensive and high-quality transcriptomic resource for exploring the drought resistance mechanism of S. miltiorrhiza, which not only deepens our understanding of the molecular basis of abiotic stress tolerance in medicinal plants, but also lays a solid foundation for genetic improvement of drought tolerance and enhancement of active ingredient content in S. miltiorrhiza through molecular breeding and genetic engineering.