Drought stress poses a significant challenge to turfgrass growth, particularly in the regions like southern United States, where bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) is widely used for lawns and sports fields. Drought stress disrupts physiological processes, leading to reduced water availability, impaired photosynthesis, and oxidative stress. To understand the bermudagrass response to drought, we investigated the physiological differences and characterized the gene expression and metabolite profiles in two bermudagrass genotypes, TifTuf and Premier. Physiological measurements showed significant variations in green cover percentage, visual quality, and relative water content between the two genotypes. RNA sequencing revealed extensive gene expression changes, with differentially expressed genes that were upregulated in both genotypes. Gene ontology (GO) analysis highlighted biological processes such as transcription regulation, lipid metabolism, and cellular structure development pathways. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that TifTuf had significant changes in galactose metabolism, carotenoid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways, while Premier showed enrichment in plant hormone signaling, lipid metabolism, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways. Metabolomic analysis provided insights into metabolic reprogramming due to drought stress. Principal component analysis revealed distinct metabolic patterns between control and drought‐stressed samples, with both genotypes showing substantial alterations. Differential metabolite analysis identified key metabolites associated with stress adaptation, including the phytohormone ABA and various amino acids. This analysis elucidates the intricate physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in bermudagrass genotypes. These findings enhance the understanding of drought stress adaptation strategies in bermudagrass and offer valuable insights for the development of drought‐tolerant genotypes.

中文翻译：

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转录组学和代谢组学分析揭示了干旱胁迫下百慕大草的差异表达基因和代谢途径


干旱胁迫对草坪草的生长构成了重大挑战，尤其是在美国南部等地区，百慕大草 （Cynodon sp.） 被广泛用于草坪和运动场。干旱胁迫会破坏生理过程，导致水分供应减少、光合作用受损和氧化应激。为了了解百慕大草对干旱的反应，我们研究了两种百慕大草基因型 TifTuf 和 Premier 的生理差异并表征了基因表达和代谢物谱。生理测量显示两种基因型之间的绿色覆盖率、视觉质量和相对含水量存在显著差异。RNA 测序揭示了广泛的基因表达变化，差异表达基因在两种基因型中均上调。基因本体论 （GO） 分析突出了转录调控、脂质代谢和细胞结构发育途径等生物过程。KEGG 通路分析表明，TifTuf 在半乳糖代谢、类胡萝卜素生物合成和植物激素信号转导途径方面发生显著变化，而 Premier 在植物激素信号传导、脂质代谢和次生代谢物生物合成途径方面表现出富集。代谢组学分析为干旱胁迫引起的代谢重编程提供了见解。主成分分析揭示了对照和干旱胁迫样本之间不同的代谢模式，两种基因型都显示出显着的变化。差异代谢物分析确定了与应激适应相关的关键代谢物，包括植物激素 ABA 和各种氨基酸。 该分析阐明了百慕大草基因型耐旱性背后的复杂生理和分子机制。这些发现增强了对百慕大草干旱胁迫适应策略的理解，并为耐旱基因型的开发提供了有价值的见解。