Abstract Detail

Comparative Genomics/Transcriptomics

Visger, Clayton [1], Soltis, Pamela S. [2], Soltis, Douglas [3].

Differential drought response and transcriptome size plasticity between aiploid and autotetraploid Tolmiea.

We investigated the transcriptomic basis of the ecophysiolgical divergence in drought response between diploid and polyploid Tolmiea. Using polyethylene glycol treated hydroponic cultures, we subjected T. diplomenziesii and T. menziesii to negative osmotic potential, inducing extreme drought stress. We then compared gene expression over time in response to our treatment and determined the gene functions most likely to contribute to the physiological differences between T. diplomenziesii and T. menziesii. Using recently developed methods, we accounted for variation in transcriptome size and cell size/density, enabling our comparisons of gene expression to take place in the context of change per cell, per biomass, and per transcriptome.We found that in response to drought, tetraploid Tolmiea exhibits an extreme degree of transcriptome size plasticity, both between individuals and within individual drought responses. Additionally, we found that between the diploid and tetraploid, 9.2% of all loci investigated were differentially responsive to drought. Based on the integration of a functional enrichment analysis and prior physiological investigations, our results suggest that the tetraploids may reduce their photosynthetic machinery in response to drought.

1 - California State University Sacramento, 600 j st, sacramento, ca, 95819, United States
2 - University Of Florida, Florida Museum Of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, 32611.0, United States
3 - University of Florida, Biology, Gainesville, FL

Keywords:
Polyploidy
transcriptomics
autopolyploidy
Tolmiea.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 21, Comparative Genomics and Transcriptomics I
Location: 102/Mayo Civic Center
Date: Tuesday, July 24th, 2018
Time: 11:30 AM
Number: 21014
Abstract ID:378
Candidate for Awards:Margaret Menzel Award