Comparative transcriptome analysis and identification of key genes involved in the water deficit (WD) stress response of wheat roots inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhiza

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve the adaptation and stress tolerance by making changes in the gene expression pattern of the host plant. Therefore, investigating the expression profile of genes induced in the host plants mediated by mycorrhiza is necessary to further understand the molecular mechanisms of response to water stress. This research was conducted with the aim of studying the transcriptomics of wheat roots, in order to identify key genes and molecular mechanisms of mycorrhiza-mediated water deficit (WD) tolerance.

In the present study, the pattern of expression of Triticum aestivum L. roots (Chamran Cultivar) inoculated with AMF, Funneliformis mosseae was investigated. For this purpose, four different treatment combinations were performed: inoculated plants under water deficit condition (AMF+/WD), inoculated plants under normal irrigation (AMF+/Ctrl), non-inoculated plants under water deficit condition (AMF-/WD), non-inoculated plants under normal irrigation (AMF-/Ctrl). Total RNA was extracted from the roots of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants and cDNA libraries were built and sequenced with Illumina technology.