Work

Genes associated with translation and oxidative phosphorylation as components of the translational response in nodulated and water-restricted soybean

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Soybean primarily acquires nitrogen through symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Water deficit (WD) is a major stress limiting crop yield. Nodulation may enhance drought tolerance in legumes by modulating nitrogen and hormone metabolism, osmotic adjustment, and antioxidant defenses; however, the molecular basis underlying the differential WD responses between N-fix and N-fed plants remain unclear. Translational control of gene expression is a key regulatory mechanism during stress. We compared the transcriptome and translatome of soybean roots from N-fix and N-fed plants exposed to WD across four combined treatments. N-fix plants under WD exhibited more complex responses in terms of total differentially expressed genes (DEGs) compared to N-fed plants. This increased complexity was also evident among translationally regulated DEGs and differentially expressed transcription factors, whose involvement in WD responses of N-fix plants is novel. Co-expression network analysis identified modules associated with core biological processes encompassing nodulation, WD, and notably, their interplay was particularly prominent in Module 1, which was enriched in genes related to ribosomal protein synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Guilt-by-Association analysis enabled the prediction of novel functions for differentially expressed, uncharacterized hub genes related to stress and/or nodulation responses. Translational regulation of genes involved in OXPHOS and translation initiation emerged as a central response in N-fix plants under WD. These findings reveal distinct molecular adaptations in N-fix soybean roots facing WD and highlight translational control as a key regulatory layer. We also identified promising candidate genes—including transcription factors and uncharacterized hub genes under translational regulation—that represent potential targets for improving drought tolerance in legumes once validated functionally. N-fix plants keep stomata open longer than N-fed ones in water-restricted conditions. The integration of WGCNA and DEG analysis enhances the interpretation of complex biological data. Translational control is key in shaping the response of nodulated soybean plants to water restriction. Translational control of OXPHOS and ribosomal proteins supports ATP demand in N-fix plants. TFs under translational control emerge as key targets for functional studies.

Source: BMC Plant Biology

DOI: 10.1186/s12870-026-09344-6