Multi-omics network analysis identifies putative regulators of molecular responses to water stress and sulfur deficiency in Pisum sativum
Résumé
Plants in their physical environment face multiple biotic and abiotic stresses during
their life cycle. In nature, environmental stresses often co-occur – such as water deficit and
nutrient deficiencies – and can have synergistic, antagonistic or additive effects on the plant
molecular responses. In pea (Pisum sativum), combination of water stress (WS) and sulfur (S)
deficiency showed a mitigation effect on the seed protein composition, as compared to S
deficiency occurring alone (Henriet et al., 2019). To better understand how pea responds to
WS and/or S deficiency, a multi-omics (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, ionomics)
analysis has been performed from leaf samples collected during a time course, on different
lots of plants subjected to either WS, S deficiency, or to the combination of the two stressors.
Our analyses revealed that 21% of the stress-responsive mRNAs, proteins, metabolites and
ions showed a stronger response when S deficiency occurs with WS, suggesting synergistic
or additive effects. Using a weighted-gene co-expression network approach, we evidenced
genes strongly regulated by changes in the S concentration in leaves. The comparison
between our transcriptomics and proteomics data allows us to formulate hypotheses on the
level of regulation (transcriptional or post-transcriptional) of these genes. We also propose
candidate genes that might help plants to better tolerate combinatorial stresses.