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Poster

Session: Session 2 Presenting Authors at Posters (Odds)

P-403 - Combined network inference reveals key transcription factors and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways regulating drought and FHB responses in barley

Wednesday, July 16, 2025
13:30 - 15:15  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Plant Regulation of biotic and abiotic stress – trade-offs

    Presenting Author(s)

  • CS

    Christina Steidele

    Dr.
    Technical University of Munich
    Freising, Bayern, Germany

    • Author(s)

  • SH

    Sophia Hein

    Technical University of Munich
    Freising-Weihenstephan, Bayern, Germany

  • FH

    Felix Hoheneder

    Technical University of Munich
    Freising-Weihenstephan, Bayern, Germany

  • JK

    Johannes Kersting

    Technical University of Munich
    Freising-Weihenstephan, Bayern, Germany

  • LK

    Lisa Kurzweil

    Technical University of Munich
    Freising-Weihenstephan, Bayern, Germany

  • MG

    Michael Gigl

    Technical University of Munich
    Freising-Weihenstephan, Bayern, Germany

  • TS

    Timo Stark

    Technical University of Munich
    Freising-Weihenstephan, Bayern, Germany

  • CD

    Corinna Dawid

    Prof. Dr.
    Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory Science, Technical University of Munich, Lise-Meitner-Str. 34, 85354 Freising, Germany and Functional Phytometabolomics, Technical University of Munich, Lise-Meitner-Straße 34, 85354 Freising
    Munich, Bayern, Germany

  • ML

    Markus List

    Technical University of Munich
    Freising-Weihenstephan, Bayern, Germany

  • RH

    Ralph Hückelhoven

    TU Munich
    Freising, Bayern, Germany

Barley is an important crop, but its yield is threatened by abiotic stresses, such as drought, and biotic challenges, including Fusarium head blight (FHB). FHB, caused by various Fusarium species, leads to significant grain losses and poses mycotoxin-associated health risks to both humans and livestock. Transcription factor (TF)-driven stress response regulation is hardly understood in crop plants. This study investigates gene regulatory interactions in barley under combined drought and FHB stress. We utilized weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) to link gene expression data with physiological traits, including phytohormones and fungal transcripts. Additionally, we used a gene regulatory network (GRN) approach to identify TFs that influence responses to infection and drought stress. By integrating WGCNA with the GRN, we uncovered key TFs associated with responses to these stressors. KEGG annotation identified regulated metabolic pathways, which we validated through untargeted metabolomics profiling. Among various TFs that regulate specific subsets of the barley gene expression response, we identified HvWRKY23 as a significant regulator for multiple components of the biosynthesis pathway for barley-specific secondary metabolites known as Hordatines. Our combination of network inference techniques and untargeted metabolomics hence gained valuable insights into transcriptional regulation of physiological responses to single and combined stress exposure in barley.