Differential Expr ession Fr amework of Genes Underpinning Root Hairs in Wheat cv. Zincol-16 using Transcriptomics

Abstract

Root hairs are specialized protmsions of epidermal cells of roots that playa pivotal role in water and nutrient uptake and soil anchorage, making them an intriguing target for investigating diverse aspects of cell biology, cell expansion, differentiation, and physiological. Transcriptomics has emerged as a powerful tool to umavel the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying plant development and responses to environmental cues. Zincol is a Pakistani wheat variety that has garnered attention for its elevated zinc content, holding significant promise for addressing micronutrient deficiencies in South Asia. This study employs RNA sequencing to dissect the transcriptome of Zincol root hairs and roots stripped of root hairs. Root hairs were isolated by gently stirring roots of 4-day old Zincol seedlings in liquid nitrogen and passing the sluny through a metal sh·ainer. One batch of isolated root hairs was used for qRT-PCR and another was sent for RNA sequencing along with stripped roots, total roots and leaf tissue. Tlu·ough pairwise differential analysis between root hairs and stripped roots, it was found that in root hairs 3,193 genes were upregulated, 7,371 were dowmegulated and 3.4% genes were exclusively while 9.3% were exclusively expressed in stripped roots. Expression of a gene coding for a C2H2-type domain-containing protein and its homeologues was compared in the four tissues. Expression of several other genes including expansins and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases was also compared. It is important to acknowledge the limitations of this study. The absence of biological replicates in the experimental design introduces certain constraints on the statistical robustness of the findings. Future research endeavors should consider incorporating replicates to strengthen the validity of the results.