Transcriptome sequencing and comparative analysis of differentially expressed genes in the roots of Musa Paradisiaca under salt stress

Salt stress severely impacts plant growth and development. Banana, a salt-sensitive plant, has been studied for decades with respect to its physiological and biochemical performances under salt stress. To understand the salinity tolerance mechanisms of banana, the RNA-seq technique is applsied to analyze the transcriptomic changes on roots treated with salt (60 mM NaCl) for 12 h and 24 h in comparison with those cultured in normal condition. Totally, 1466 and 2089 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 542 up- and 924 down-regulated-; 507 up- and 1582 down-regulated genes are identified after salt treatment at 12 h and 24 h, respectively. Functional annotation analysis indicates that a large number of genes can be involved in several aspects of salt stress response including stress signal transduction, ROS scavenging, osmoregulation and transcription factors (TFs). This study is the first report of a comprehensive transcriptome-based gene expression profile to analyze banana response to salt stress. The outcomes of this study could facilitate further dissecting the molecular mechanism underlying salt stress response and provide a valuable platform for further genetic improvement of salt tolerance in banana breeding programs.