Integration of consensus WGCNA and differential expression analysis reveals stable heat shock protein networks in soybean adaptation to Western Canada.

The expansion of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivation into Western Canada is constrained by distinct abiotic stressors, including shorter growing seasons and drought. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are critical regulators of stress adaptation; however, characterizing their expression in field conditions is often confounded by significant annual environmental variability. In this study, we integrated differential expression analysis, consensus Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), and rigorous protein-protein interactomic modeling across 4 years of field data (2018-2021) involving 10 genotypes grown in Eastern and Western Canada. By filtering temporal noise, we identified a stable, region-specific module that is computationally predicted to resolve into a highly coordinated physical chaperone complex. Subcellular characterization of this network revealed a robust core of chaperones targeting mitochondria and chloroplasts. Crucially, high-confidence predictions identified a physical interaction between a mitochondrial HSP60 hub and a nuclear domains rearranged methyltransferase, suggesting this chaperone complex potentially bridges localized organelle defense with systemic epigenetic regulation to safeguard metabolic capacity. These findings delineate a computationally modeled, geography-dependent stress response machine and provide ideal genetic targets for breeding programs aiming to improve soybean resilience in northern latitudes.