2025-11-18 BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2025 25(卷), 1(期), (null页)
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production is increasingly constrained by drought, heat, and their combination, especially in arid regions like Xinjiang, China. While previous studies have focused on single-stress responses, the molecular mechanisms underlying wheat adaptation to combined drought and heat stress (HD) remain elusive. Here, we performed transcriptome profiling at three key spike developmental stages-Jointing Stage (JS), Stamen and Pistil Primordial Differentiation Stage (SPDS), and Tetrad Stage (TS)-under drought (DS), heat (HS), and combined HD conditions. Comparative analysis revealed that HD triggered the most extensive transcriptional reprogramming, with 3,884, 5,230, and 2,793 stage-specific upregulated genes across JS, SPDS, and TS, respectively. Notably, the overlap between HS- and HD-responsive genes was higher than that between DS and HD during early stages, indicating stress-specific transcriptional shifts. Functional enrichment highlighted pathways related to osmotic adjustment, oxidative defense, and phytohormone signaling, particularly ABA and JA biosynthesis. Among stress-responsive transcription factors, the AP2/ERF family showed prominent enrichment, with TaEREBP1-L (TraesCS5A02G215900) identified as a central regulator. Dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that TaEREBP1-L directly activated the promoters of ABA- and JA-pathway genes (AAO3, AOC2). Co-expression analysis further revealed its coordination with membrane transporters (e.g., ABC and MATE families), suggesting an integrative regulatory function under HD conditions. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing TaEREBP1-L displayed significantly enhanced drought and heat tolerance, evidenced by increased proline content, antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT), and elevated ABA/JA levels. These results demonstrate that TaEREBP1-L confers broad-spectrum stress tolerance by orchestrating hormonal and physiological pathways. Our findings provide valuable insights into combinatorial stress adaptation and identify TaEREBP1-L as a promising target for improving wheat resilience under climate-related challenges.