Transcriptome profiling is a powerful approach to understanding the molecular responses of plants to various environmental stimuli, including abiotic stress. Abiotic stress factors such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and nutrient deficiency can significantly impact plant growth and development. Analyzing the transcriptome, which represents the entire set of RNA transcripts in a cell or tissue, provides insights into the genes that are differentially expressed in response to stress. Here is a general outline of the steps involved in transcriptome profiling of abiotic stress in plants:

  1. Sample Collection: Collect plant samples at different time points during the stress treatment to capture dynamic changes in gene expression and also include control samples without stress for comparison.
  2. RNA Extraction: Isolate total RNA from the collected plant tissues using a suitable method. This step ensures the extraction of a representative sample of all RNA, including messenger RNA (mRNA).
  3. RNA Quality Assessment: Check the quality and quantity of the extracted RNA using techniques such as gel electrophoresis or a nanodrop spectrophotometer.
  4. Library Preparation: Convert the isolated RNA into a cDNA (complementary DNA) library using reverse transcription and prepare libraries for sequencing, such as by using RNA-seq (RNA sequencing) or other high-throughput sequencing technologies.
  5. Sequencing: Sequence the prepared libraries using next-generation sequencing platforms. This step generates massive amounts of short DNA sequences corresponding to the expressed transcripts.
  6. Data Analysis:
    • Perform bioinformatics analysis to process the raw sequencing data, including quality control and filtering.
    • Map the sequenced reads to the reference genome or assemble de novo if a reference genome is not available.
    • Quantify gene expression levels and identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between stressed and control samples.
  7. Functional Annotation: Annotate the identified DEGs with functional information, such as gene ontology (GO) terms and pathway enrichment analysis.
  8. Validation: Validate the expression patterns of selected genes using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) or other experimental methods.
  9. Interpretation of Results: Interpret the results in the context of the plant's response to abiotic stress and identify key pathways, regulatory networks, and potential biomarkers associated with stress tolerance.
  10. Publication and Sharing: Prepare and publish the findings, contributing to the scientific community's understanding of plant responses to abiotic stress. Transcriptome profiling can provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying stress responses and help identify potential targets for improving stress tolerance in crops or other plants.
    Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-020-0352-7

Dr. Md. Monirul Islam
Senior Scientist
ASRBC, ACI Seed

Fig: Overview of experimental design and analysis pipeline. RNA from pepper leaves was subjected to each abiotic stress (heat, cold, salinity, and osmotic stress), and the 0-h sample from the mock control was harvested. Marker gene expression was confirmed for each stress condition, and the values were normalized to C. annuum actin expression and were calculated relative to the control group as mean values with standard deviation. The validated RNAs were sequenced by the Illumina HiSeq 2500 system. All RNA-seq reads were pre-processed for a quality assessment. The filtered transcriptome reads were aligned to the CM334 genome, and the expression profile was analyzed.