The genomic landscape of molecular responses to natural drought stress in Panicum hallii.

ABSTRACT: Environmental stress is a major driver of ecological community dynamics and agricultural productivity. This is especially true for soil water availability, because drought is the greatest abiotic inhibitor of worldwide crop yields. Here, we test the genetic basis of drought responses in the genetic model for C₄ perennial grasses, Panicum hallii, through population genomics, field-scale gene-expression (eQTL) analysis, and comparison of two complete genomes. While gene expression networks are dominated by local cis-regulatory elements, we observe three genomic hotspots of unlinked trans-regulatory loci. These regulatory hubs are four times more drought responsive than the genome-wide average. Additionally, cis- and trans-regulatory networks are more likely to have opposing effect

SUBMITTER: Lovell JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6283873 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature