Purine nucleotide metabolism response to drought stress in rice

Purine metabolism is crucial for plants not only because they are critical biochemical compounds themselves but also because they are involved in the regulation of cellular enzymatic reactions, influencing growth, development, and reproduction. In this study, RNA sequencing (RNASeq) was employed to clarify gene expression differences in rice under drought stress. Moreover, gene ontology (GO), and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed to understand the potential function of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), their interactions and regulatory pathways in biological systems. Furthermore, quantitative reverse transcription PCR was executed to characterize the expression level of the genes involved in the purine metabolism (anabolism and catabolism) in rice under the threat of drought. Last but not least, metabolite analysis was performed quantitatively by using liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS). Collectively, our findings revealed the mechanism of the adaptive response of purine metabolism-relevant genes and purine nucleoside content in response to drought stress in rice.