Paper · 2025 · BMC Plant Biology

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the complex response mechanisms of soybean leaves and roots to salt stress

Wenkang Huang; Jinji Tu; Jiangyuan Ya; et al.

15
claims
26
verbatim quotes
2
citations
3
research areas
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Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Soil salinization severely affects plant growth and development and has become one of the important abiotic stresses limiting crop growth. To improve soybean yield in saline soils, it is important to understand how soybean responds to salt stress and gain insight into the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the physiology and molecular expression of soybean (YC03-3) under different salt concentrations by evaluating morphophysiological and transcriptomic approaches. RESULTS: In this study, we first analysed the effects of salt stress on soybean leaf and root growth at the physiological level. Salt stress significantly decreased the soluble protein and photosynthetic pigment contents and significantly increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents of both soybean leaves and roots. Salt stress decreased the nitrogen (N) concentration in leaves but had no effect on the N concentration in roots. Transcriptome sequencing identified 10,508 and 10,827 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leaves and roots, respectively. Among these, 2,549 DEGs were co-responsive in both tissues, while 1,601 showed differential responses (e.g., upregulated in one tissue but downregulated in the other).Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that KEGG pathways for phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were enriched in both soybean roots and leaves under salt stress. In addition, three genes, Glyma.17G230500, Glyma.11G003600, and Glyma.09G192800, were screened by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). These genes may play a key role in breeding salt-tolerant soybeans. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that salt treatment significantly inhibits the growth of soybeans, leading to decreases in the contents of photosynthetic pigments and enhancement of antioxidant enzyme systems in the roots and leaves of soybean plants. As a result, ROS accumulate and MDA levels increase. In addition, the assimilation and transport of ions in soybeans were affected by salt stress. Transcriptome analysis showed that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was significantly enriched in soybean roots and leaves under salt stress conditions. In addition, three genes, Glyma.17G230500, Glyma.11G003600 and Glyma.09G192800, were identified by WGCNA screening.

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The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 15

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Salt stress decreased soluble protein and photosynthetic pigment contents in leaves and roots.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxe0
Organ / stage
leaves and rootse0
Treatment
Salt stresse0
Outcome
soluble protein and photosynthetic pigment contentse0
Direction
decreasede0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Salt stress significantly decreased the soluble protein and photosynthetic pigment contents and significantly increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents of both soybean leaves and roots”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 629–850 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Salt stress increased MDA and ROS contents in leaves and roots.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxe0
Organ / stage
leaves and rootse0
Treatment
Salt stresse0
Outcome
malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contentse0
Direction
increasede0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Salt stress significantly decreased the soluble protein and photosynthetic pigment contents and significantly increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents of both soybean leaves and roots”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 629–850 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Salt stress decreased leaf nitrogen concentration.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Organ / stage
leavese0
Treatment
Salt stresse0
Outcome
nitrogen (N) concentratione0
Direction
decreasede0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Salt stress decreased the nitrogen (N) concentration in leaves”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 852–914 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Salt stress had no effect on root nitrogen concentration.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Organ / stage
rootse0
Treatment
Salt stresse1
Outcome
N concentratione0
Direction
no effecte0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“had no effect on the N concentration in roots”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 919–964 · show in text ↑
e1

“Salt stress decreased the nitrogen (N) concentration in leaves but had no effect on the N concentration in roots”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 852–964 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Leaf transcriptome contained 10,508 DEGs.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Organ / stage
leavese0
Outcome
differentially expressed genes (DEGs)e0
Value
10,508e0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Transcriptome sequencing identified 10,508 and 10,827 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leaves and roots, respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 966–1091 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Root transcriptome contained 10,827 DEGs.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Organ / stage
rootse0
Outcome
differentially expressed genes (DEGs)e0
Value
10,827e0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Transcriptome sequencing identified 10,508 and 10,827 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leaves and roots, respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 966–1091 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

2,549 DEGs responded in both tissues.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Outcome
DEGs were co-responsive in both tissuese0
Value
2,549e0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“2,549 DEGs were co-responsive in both tissues”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1106–1151 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

1,601 DEGs responded differently between tissues.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Outcome
differential responsese0
Value
1,601e0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“1,601 showed differential responses (e.g., upregulated in one tissue but downregulated in the other)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1159–1259 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways were enriched in both roots and leaves under salt.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxe0
Organ / stage
roots and leavese0
Treatment
salt stresse0
Outcome
KEGG pathways for phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were enrichede0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“KEGG pathways for phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were enriched in both soybean roots and leaves under salt stress”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1353–1464 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

WGCNA identified Glyma.17G230500.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Gene
Glyma.17G230500e0
Outcome
were screened by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA)e0
Value
three genese0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“three genes, Glyma.17G230500, Glyma.11G003600, and Glyma.09G192800, were screened by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1479–1609 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

WGCNA identified Glyma.11G003600.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Gene
Glyma.11G003600e0
Outcome
were screened by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA)e0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“three genes, Glyma.17G230500, Glyma.11G003600, and Glyma.09G192800, were screened by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1479–1609 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

WGCNA identified Glyma.09G192800.

Taxon
soybeanGlycine maxt0
Gene
Glyma.09G192800e0
Outcome
were screened by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA)e0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“three genes, Glyma.17G230500, Glyma.11G003600, and Glyma.09G192800, were screened by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1479–1609 · show in text ↑
t0

“soybean”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 78–85 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Salt inhibited soybean growth.

Taxon
soybeansGlycine maxe0
Treatment
salt treatmente0
Outcome
growthe0
Direction
inhibitse0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“salt treatment significantly inhibits the growth of soybeans”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1734–1794 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Salt enhanced antioxidant enzyme systems in soybean roots and leaves.

Taxon
soybean plantsGlycine maxe0
Organ / stage
roots and leavese0
Treatment
salt treatmente1
Outcome
antioxidant enzyme systemse0
Direction
enhancemente0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“enhancement of antioxidant enzyme systems in the roots and leaves of soybean plants”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1864–1947 · show in text ↑
e1

“salt treatment significantly inhibits the growth of soybeans, leading to decreases in the contents of photosynthetic pigments and enhancement of antioxidant enzyme systems in the roots and leaves of soybean plants”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1734–1947 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Salt affected ion assimilation and transport in soybean.

Taxon
soybeansGlycine maxe0
Treatment
salt stresse0
Outcome
assimilation and transport of ionse0

Not reportedComparatorDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Glycine max
Glycine max · TaxonPublic domain · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“assimilation and transport of ions in soybeans were affected by salt stress”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 2019–2094 · show in text ↑

salinity · physiology: antioxidant enzymes · Glycine max (soybean)Results differ

20 papers: 10 positive, 10 negative or no effect

9 papers in the same direction as this paper · 10 in the opposite direction

  1. negative
  2. negative
  3. negative

16 papers more in this group

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salinity · molecular: metabolites · Glycine max (soybean)Results differ

33 papers: 10 positive, 23 negative or no effect

22 papers in the same direction as this paper · 10 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

29 papers more in this group

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salinity · physiology: photosynthesis · Glycine max (soybean)Results differ

37 papers: 8 positive, 29 negative or no effect

28 papers in the same direction as this paper · 8 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

33 papers more in this group

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salinity · physiology: oxidative · Glycine max (soybean)Results differ

41 papers: 4 positive, 37 negative or no effect

36 papers in the same direction as this paper · 4 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

37 papers more in this group

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salinity · nutrient: content · Glycine max (soybean)Positive and negative results

20 papers: 4 positive, 16 negative or no effect

15 papers in the same direction as this paper · 4 in the opposite direction

  1. negative
  2. positive
  3. positive

16 papers more in this group

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salinity · growth · Glycine max (soybean)Positive and negative results

116 papers: 6 positive, 110 negative or no effect

109 papers in the same direction as this paper · 6 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

112 papers more in this group

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Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.