Germplasm Screening and Transcriptome Profiling Identify Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis-Related PAL Candidate Genes Associated with Freezing Tolerance in Potato
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seedlings are highly sensitive to freezing temperatures, which severely impairs growth and causes substantial losses in tuber yield and quality. This study aimed to screen freezing-tolerant potato germplasm accessions, identify candidate genes involved in the freezing response, and provide elite parental materials and a theoretical reference for molecular breeding of freezing-tolerant cultivars. We evaluated seedling freezing tolerance of 73 potato accessions using the freezing damage index (FDI), and performed transcriptome sequencing on leaf samples from highly freezing-tolerant (HT) accession 15-1881 and highly freezing-susceptible (HS) accession B8 following freezing treatment. Substantial variation in freezing tolerance was observed across the germplasm panel, with 5 HT accessions and 12 HS accessions identified, showing marked phenotypic and physiological differences under freezing stress. Transcriptomic analysis detected 6560 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in 15-1881 and 5161 DEGs in B8, with 3558 DEGs specific to 15-1881. The phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway exhibited noticeable expression divergence between 15-1881 and B8, harboring 17 15-1881-specific DEGs including three tandem phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) genes. The HT germplasm accessions obtained in this study provide breeding resources for freezing-tolerant potato improvement, and the PAL genes characterized here represent promising candidate genes associated with freezing response in potato.
Source: Biomolecules
DOI: 10.3390/biom16091249
Institution: Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
Award: G1114482364
OpenAlex ID: W7204562207