Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Key Pathways and Genes Involved in Late-Acting Self-Incompatibility in Akebia trifoliata

TL;DR

This study identifies key genes and pathways involved in late-acting self-incompatibility in Akebia trifoliata, offering insights for improving its breeding efficiency.

Contribution

The study reveals the molecular mechanisms of late-acting self-incompatibility in Akebia trifoliata through comparative transcriptomics.

Findings

Differentially expressed genes were enriched in MAPK signaling, hormone transduction, and ubiquitin pathways.

Self-pollinated pistils showed restricted pollen tube spread and differential gene expression at 48 and 96 hours.

The results suggest late-acting self-incompatibility occurs within the pollen tube and resembles S-RNase-mediated mechanisms.

Abstract

Self-incompatibility (SI) is a key reproductive mechanism in angiosperms that prevents self-fertilization and promotes genetic diversity while limiting breeding efficiency. Akebia trifoliata is a recently domesticated economic crop native to East Asia with medicinal, edible, and oil-producing value. However, its late-acting self-incompatibility (LSI) severely limits genetic improvement and commercial development. To investigate the molecular basis of LSI, we conducted comparative transcriptomic analyses of pistils at 48, 96, 144, 192, and 240 h after self- and cross-pollination, identifying 1552, 2954, 1302, 814, and 1978 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. DEGs were consistently enriched in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, plant hormone signal transduction, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathways, with clear transcriptional differences before and after 96 h. Compared with cross-pollinated pistils, self-pollinated pistils showed restricted pollen tube spread, and genes related to pollen recognition and tube development showed differential expression at 48 and 96 h, indicating that LSI probably occurs within the pollen tube. Collectively, these results indicate that pistils of A. trifoliata exhibit distinct early responses to self- and cross-pollination, and that DEG-enriched pathways are similar to those involved in S-RNase-mediated SI. These results provide new insights into the molecular basis of LSI and suggest potential targets for overcoming the SI barrier.

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