Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been defined as non-coding transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides, which play essential roles during transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in multiple biological processes. Understanding <i>R. delavayi</i> lncRNAs is of great significance...

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Main Authors: Changming Liu, Yang Liu, Xinyue Zhang, Lujie An, Zhiguo Tian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Life
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/5/697
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author Changming Liu
Yang Liu
Xinyue Zhang
Lujie An
Zhiguo Tian
author_facet Changming Liu
Yang Liu
Xinyue Zhang
Lujie An
Zhiguo Tian
author_sort Changming Liu
collection DOAJ
description Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been defined as non-coding transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides, which play essential roles during transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in multiple biological processes. Understanding <i>R. delavayi</i> lncRNAs is of great significance as it is profoundly influenced by heat stress. In this research, a total of 1145 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) and 9447 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (log<sub>2</sub>|FC| > 1, <i>p</i> < 0.05) were characterized between heat-stress-treated groups and control groups. Further analysis showed that 229 DE-lncRNAs (144 upregulated and 85 downregulated) were commonly distributed in two comparisons (CK_vs._H3 and CK_vs._H6). We further investigated the cis- and trans-acting genes of the upregulated DE-lncRNAs, and found that 142 upregulated DE-lncRNAs corresponded to 1565 cis-acting DEGs, and 143 upregulated DE-lncRNAs corresponded to 3417 trans-acting DEGs. KEGG enrichment analysis of these target genes revealed that cis- and trans-acting DEGs of upregulated DE-lncRNA were primarily enriched in five and twelve KEGG pathways, respectively. Co-expression network analysis of upregulated DE-lncRNAs and DEGs enriched in the common KEGG pathways revealed 57 co-expression relationships between 28 DE-lncRNAs and 43 cis-acting DEGs and 554 co-expression relationships between 26 DE-lncRNAs and 90 trans-acting DEGs. Six DE-lncRNAs and six of their target DEGs were used as candidate genes to verify the RNA-seq data using qRT-PCR. Further analysis revealed three target genes (<i>TrxG</i>, <i>PEPC</i>, and <i>CCR</i>) out of six candidate DEGs that were selected as candidate genes for subsequent research. This study examined the relationship between DE-lncRNAs and DEGs and further screened out candidate DE-lncRNAs that can potentially provide an important theoretical basis and experimental data for the genetic improvement of heat tolerance in <i>R. delavayi</i>.
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spelling doaj-art-fb926e408c354776a212c40a2e3c62c12025-08-20T03:14:46ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-04-0115569710.3390/life15050697Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>Changming Liu0Yang Liu1Xinyue Zhang2Lujie An3Zhiguo Tian4College of Biomedical and Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo 726000, ChinaCollege of Biomedical and Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo 726000, ChinaCollege of Biomedical and Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo 726000, ChinaCollege of Biomedical and Food Engineering, Shangluo University, Shangluo 726000, ChinaCollege of Art, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, ChinaLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been defined as non-coding transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides, which play essential roles during transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation in multiple biological processes. Understanding <i>R. delavayi</i> lncRNAs is of great significance as it is profoundly influenced by heat stress. In this research, a total of 1145 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) and 9447 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (log<sub>2</sub>|FC| > 1, <i>p</i> < 0.05) were characterized between heat-stress-treated groups and control groups. Further analysis showed that 229 DE-lncRNAs (144 upregulated and 85 downregulated) were commonly distributed in two comparisons (CK_vs._H3 and CK_vs._H6). We further investigated the cis- and trans-acting genes of the upregulated DE-lncRNAs, and found that 142 upregulated DE-lncRNAs corresponded to 1565 cis-acting DEGs, and 143 upregulated DE-lncRNAs corresponded to 3417 trans-acting DEGs. KEGG enrichment analysis of these target genes revealed that cis- and trans-acting DEGs of upregulated DE-lncRNA were primarily enriched in five and twelve KEGG pathways, respectively. Co-expression network analysis of upregulated DE-lncRNAs and DEGs enriched in the common KEGG pathways revealed 57 co-expression relationships between 28 DE-lncRNAs and 43 cis-acting DEGs and 554 co-expression relationships between 26 DE-lncRNAs and 90 trans-acting DEGs. Six DE-lncRNAs and six of their target DEGs were used as candidate genes to verify the RNA-seq data using qRT-PCR. Further analysis revealed three target genes (<i>TrxG</i>, <i>PEPC</i>, and <i>CCR</i>) out of six candidate DEGs that were selected as candidate genes for subsequent research. This study examined the relationship between DE-lncRNAs and DEGs and further screened out candidate DE-lncRNAs that can potentially provide an important theoretical basis and experimental data for the genetic improvement of heat tolerance in <i>R. delavayi</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/5/697<i>R. delavayi</i>lncRNA cis-actinglncRNA trans-actinglncRNAsheat stress response
spellingShingle Changming Liu
Yang Liu
Xinyue Zhang
Lujie An
Zhiguo Tian
Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>
Life
<i>R. delavayi</i>
lncRNA cis-acting
lncRNA trans-acting
lncRNAs
heat stress response
title Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>
title_full Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>
title_fullStr Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>
title_full_unstemmed Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>
title_short Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and mRNAs Reveals Key Trans-Target Genes Associated with Heat Stress Response in <i>Rhododendron delavayi</i>
title_sort integrated analysis of long non coding rnas and mrnas reveals key trans target genes associated with heat stress response in i rhododendron delavayi i
topic <i>R. delavayi</i>
lncRNA cis-acting
lncRNA trans-acting
lncRNAs
heat stress response
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/5/697
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AT yangliu integratedanalysisoflongnoncodingrnasandmrnasrevealskeytranstargetgenesassociatedwithheatstressresponseinirhododendrondelavayii
AT xinyuezhang integratedanalysisoflongnoncodingrnasandmrnasrevealskeytranstargetgenesassociatedwithheatstressresponseinirhododendrondelavayii
AT lujiean integratedanalysisoflongnoncodingrnasandmrnasrevealskeytranstargetgenesassociatedwithheatstressresponseinirhododendrondelavayii
AT zhiguotian integratedanalysisoflongnoncodingrnasandmrnasrevealskeytranstargetgenesassociatedwithheatstressresponseinirhododendrondelavayii