Comparative transcriptomics analysis reveals differentially expressed genes regulating tuber dormancy in white yam

Transcriptomics profiling of tubers of two white yam genotypes TDr1100873 and Obiaoturug o was performed across dormancy stages, from 56 days after physiological maturity (56-DAPM) to dormancy breaking points of each genotype. Samples were collected at 56_DAPM, 87_DAPM, 101_DAPM, 115_DAPM, and 143_DAPM for RNA extraction. A total of 118,473 genes were expressed in at least one of tuber dormancy stages of the two yam genotypes, whereas, 7266 genes were differentially expressed between the six pairwise comparison samples. DEGs encoding 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED2), Abscisic acid-insensitive 5 (ABI5), Abscisic acid-insensitive 3 (AB13), 15-cis-phytoene desaturase (PDS), late embryogenesis abundant ( LEA ), sucrose non-fermentation 1 (SNF1)-related kinases ( SnRK1), EMBRYO SAC DEVELOPMENT ARREST (SAC9) . GEM-like protein 5 ( GLP5 ), protein G1-like5 (p53), cyclin-dependent kinase G-2-like, tubulin alpha-4 chain ( TUB4) , tubulin beta-7 chain ( TUB7I ), Della proteins ( RGL2 and XERICO) were found to be promoting dormancy induction and maintenance in tubers of both yam genotypes. Whereas DEGs encoding cytochrome P450 genes ( CYP72A219 , CYP72A219 , C YP94A1 , CYP71A1 , CYP714C2 , CYP72A219 , CYP71A1 ), gibberellin receptor, GDSL esterase/lipase gene ( LIP1 ), PIF4 , bZIP, alpha-amylase isozyme 3C-like ( α-amylase3c ), sucrose synthase 4-like ( SUS4 ), alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase ( UGlcNAc ), PP2C , Cyclin-D3-2, Histone deacetylase 1-like (HDAC1) and lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 homolog 3 (LSD1) possibly promoted dormancy breaking in tubers of both genotypes.