Genomics and Transcriptomics of plant architecture in barley (Horedum vulgare L.)

Background and Aim: Barley (Horedum vulgare L.) is the fourth most cultivated cereal worldwide. It is an excellent model crop for genetic studies of cereals with complex genome such as wheat. In our group, different genomics and transcriptomics approaches are used to clarify molecular basis of plant architecture in barley. The tiny inflorescence tissue where the shoot architecture and in particular spike structure and flowering time are mainly decided were subjected to whole transcriptome and miRNA analyses when plant decides to transit from vegetative to reproductive stage. Moreover, crown as another decisive part for shoot architecture where axillary buds that effectively contribute to the final yield, was studied using the same mentioned approaches. The genomics of barley was also investigated to identify the most genomics loci contributing to shoot architecture through wide genome meta quantitative trait loci (MQTL) analysis.Methods: Genome-wide molecular basis of architecture was studied through whole transcriptome analysis, miRNA deep sequencing and MQTL analysis. The transcriptome profiling and miRNAs deep sequencing were conducted on inflorescence at the two most critical stages during inflorescence development i.e. double ridge and triple mold stages during transition from vegetative to reproductive stage as well as crown at vegetative stage. The MQTL analysis of different shoot architecture traits was conducted on all reported QTLs in the last two decades.Results: The whole transcripome and miRNAs profiling through deep sequencing in inflorescences tissues at different time points and crown resulted in identification of key genes and constructive of regulatory networks controlling shoot architecture in barley. The most stable and reliable genomic parts that contributes to shoot architecture such as plant height, number of tillers, grain weight and final yield were identified on the all ۱۲ chromosomes of barley. The contribution of genomics knowledge from barley to evolutionary close cereals such as wheat and maize was confirmed by the syntenic analysis on the syntenic regions controlling the same traits among these cereals. Conclusion: The results highlighted important molecular basis and pathways controlling the plant architecture in barley. These results can improve breeding of yield in barley and potentially can be applied to other cereals with more complex genome.

کلیدواژه ها:

Cereals ، Genomics ، Plant architecture