Transcriptomic insights into soybean seed deterioration in uncontrolled storage

Abstract

Soybean, the main agricultural commodity of Brazil, is sensitive to deterioration during storage due to its high fatty acid content and fragile seed coat, especially under tropical conditions where high temperature and humidity accelerate this process. The objective of this study is to investigate the mechanisms that are altered during the storage of soybean seeds under uncontrolled environmental conditions. For this purpose, RNA-seq libraries were generated from freshly harvested soybean seeds (FHS) and seeds stored under uncontrolled conditions (UES). The total RNA from seeds of the cultivar BRS 413 was extracted and sequenced for gene expression analysis. Relative expression indicated 325 genes repressed in UES and 150 induced when comparing the genes in stored seeds to freshly harvested ones. Genes related to protein folding, carbohydrate metabolism, lipids, phytohormones, and transcription factors showed a significant reduction in their expression during the storage. Among the genes uniquely expressed in UES, alanine-glyoxylate transaminase (GGAT), cysteine synthase (CSase), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), thioredoxin peroxidase (Peroxiredoxin), cytochrome P450 and protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) stood out for making part of protective mechanisms against oxidative stress in plants.