**5. Conclusions**

Using the meta-analysis approach coupled with the weighted gene co-expression network analysis on 72 RNA-Seq datasets from drought, salt, osmotic and waterlogging treatments, we decoded the core abiotic stress responsive genes (CARG) in sesame. In total, 543 genes were detected as the sesame CARGs, some of which were experimentally validated. The CARGs were further divided into three distinct functional modules, which are involved a wide range of biological pathways. Module-traits association analysis provided insights into the synergistic and antagonistic gene modules of abiotic stress response mechanisms in sesame. The stress specific expression patterns of genes within the different modules are tightly regulated by key transcription factors from the families of ERF, WRKY, MYB and bHLH. Moreover, a set of hub genes and master regulators predicted to play prominent functions for abiotic stresses responses in sesame was identified, representing useful resources of molecular biomarkers and highly-anticipated potential candidate genes for engineering multiple stresses tolerance in sesame.

**Supplementary Materials:** Supplementary materials can be found at http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/16/ 3930/s1.

**Author Contributions:** K.D. and X.Z. conceived, designed and supervised the experiment; K.D., M.A.M., T.Z., R.S., Y.Z., R.Z., J.Y., L.W. and X.Z. performed the experiments. K.D., M.A.M. and T.Z. conducted data analyses. K.D. wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This research was funded by the China Agriculture Research System (CARS-14), the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS-ASTIP-2016-OCRI) and the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (1610172018007).

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.
