Genomic alterations of early drought responses in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)

Umashankar Chandrasekaran; Kunhyo Kim; Hyun Seok Kim

doi:10.66835/psh.2026.e0011

Short Communication

**Genomic alterations of early drought responses in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)**

Umashankar Chandrasekaran¹^*, Kunhyo Kim² & Hyun Seok Kim^2,3,4

¹National Key Laboratory of Ecological Security and Sustainable Development in Arid Region,Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (XIEG, CAS),Urumqi, Xinjiang-830011. China
²Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
³Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
⁴Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea

*Corresponding author: Umashankar Chandrasekaran shankarstar@gmail.com

Received on: 2 Jun 2026, Published online: 12 Sep 2026

Published in Volume 1, Issue 2, 2026, pages e0011

https://doi.org/10.66835/psh.2026.e0011

Manuscript PDF Supplementary material DOCX

Abstract

Research exposing early drought adaptation is limited in trees. To elucidate the root specific responses in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), we conducted illumina RNA-Sequencing and de novo transcriptome assembly (developing full-length transcripts and generating contigs that corresponds to paralogous genes using TRINITY tool). Early chlorophyll estimation showed a declining trend in Chl’b’ under drought treatment. Further, our comprehensive transcriptome analysis (control vs drought) revealed key evidences for an early drought response through root functioning: (i) activation of core ABA signaling, as seen in the upregulation of PYL1 and RCAR11 genes; (ii) upregulation of sucrose loading proton pumps, H⁺ATPase and the downregulation of starch breakdown gene, SBE2.2; (iii) downregulation of ROS regulator genes, NADPH dehydrogenase and Ca2⁺ dependent protein kinases; (iv) upregulation of xylem secondary cell wall lignification genes like PER72 and CORD72; (v) upregulation of an aquaporin gene PIP3A along with SNARE; (vi) upregulation of root gravitropism and hydrotropism genes, SEC6 and ARF7. Further confirmation of early robust responses to severe drought was evident through the high expression of genes related to root cell wall thickening, root volatile synthesis, antioxidant defense, hormonal crosstalk, and ABA-responsive transcription factors. In conclusion, our research has identified the involvement of pivotal genes regulating photosystem complex in the drought prone tree species P.strobus vital for future genetic studies.

Keywords

Root
Trinity-RNA Seq
Xylem vessel
Sucrose proton pump
Abscisic acid

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Chandrasekaran, U., Kim, K., & Kim, H. S. (2026). Genomic alterations of early drought responses in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Plant Science Horizons, 1(2), e0011. https://doi.org/10.66835/psh.2026.e0011

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Chandrasekaran, U., Kim, K., & Kim, H. S. (2026). Genomic alterations of early drought responses in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) . Plant Science Horizons, 1(2), e0011. https://doi.org/10.66835/psh.2026.e0011

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