Advances in Transcriptome Analyses Using RNA Sequencing Technology in Soybean Plants [Glycine max]

Soybean [Glycine max] is an important oil and food plant for both humans and animals. Recent development in RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology provides a cost effective approach to analyzing transcriptomes of plants at different developmental stages and in responses to different biotic and abiotic challenges. Currently there are over 5 000 RNA-seq datasets in soybean plants publicly available at SRA database in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Such a large number of RNA-seq datasets provide soybean researchers an opportunity as well as a challenge for fully exploring the data to understand soybean biology. A number of research articles have been published on applications of RNA-seq in transcriptome analysis of soybean plants, covering a wide range of topics including growth and development, plant mineral nutrients, responses to environmental stresses, pathogens and pests. In this work we compile and review recent advances of RNA-seq transcriptome analyses including profiling of differential gene expression, gene alternative splicing, and gene regulatory networks in soybean plants, with key findings excerpted from each individual published article.