J. Plant Physiol. [JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Cloning and functional study of AdOPT1, a gene for synthesizing isoimperatorin from Angelica dahurica var. formosana.
Nong C, Jiang Y, Liu Y … +4 more , Zhang J, Xu D, Hou K, Wu W
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40527112 · Publisher ↗
Angelica dahurica var. formosana (ADF) is a perennial medicinal plant in the Apiaceae family. Its dried roots are rich in furanocoumarins, which exhibit significant pharmacological activities and development potential. T...
Angelica dahurica var. formosana (ADF) is a perennial medicinal plant in the Apiaceae family. Its dried roots are rich in furanocoumarins, which exhibit significant pharmacological activities and development potential. The main coumarins in ADF are imperatorin and isoimperatorin. The gene responsible for imperatorin biosynthesis has been reported, but the gene catalyzing isoimperatorin synthesis remains unknown. This study identified a candidate gene, AdOPT1 (1230 bp), from the transcriptome data of ADF through homology-based comparison with AkPT1 in Angelica keiskei, showing 93 % similarity. In vitro functional assays revealed that AdOPT1 catalyzes the oxygen-prenylation reaction between DMAPP and bergaptol to produce isoimperatorin. The kinetic parameters of AdOPT1 for bergaptol and DMAPP were found to be Km bergaptol = 112.9 ± 17.83 μM, Km DMAPP = 1.97 ± 0.08 μM, respectively. Molecular docking and alanine scanning analysis identified critical residues 45Lys, 124His, and 395Trp for AdOPT1 catalytic activity. Under various abiotic stresses such as flooding, salt, drought, and shading treatment, the expression level of AdOPT1 gene in ADF significantly increased, suggesting its involvement in ADF stress resistance. Additionally, transient overexpression of AdOPT1 significantly increased isoimperatorin content, with 3.26-fold higher than the control-group and 3.53-fold higher than the wild-type. It further confirmed that AdOPT1 is responsible for catalyzing the biosynthesis of isoimperatorin in ADF. This provides a molecular theoretical basis for making the biosynthesis pathway of furanocoumarin more comprehensive and helps to breed new high-quality ADF varieties in the future.
Enhancing microspore embryogenesis initiation by reducing ROS, autophagy, and cell death with novel small molecules in rapeseed and barley.
Rueda-Varela C, Carneros E, Caro E … +5 more , Pérez-Pérez Y, García-Rubia A, Martínez A, Gil C, Testillano PS
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40527111 · Publisher ↗
When submitted to stress conditions, microspores cultured in vitro can be reprogrammed towards an embryogenic pathway, the so-called microspore embryogenesis, which constitutes a biotechnological tool to rapidly produce...
When submitted to stress conditions, microspores cultured in vitro can be reprogrammed towards an embryogenic pathway, the so-called microspore embryogenesis, which constitutes a biotechnological tool to rapidly produce double-haploid plants for breeding programs. Nevertheless, not all cells succeed in switching their development and, as a consequence of the stress treatment applied, many of them undergo cell death, which causes a significant reduction of the final yield of the process. In this study, we have analyzed the potential of several novel small molecule antioxidants, never used before in plants, to improve cell viability during microspore embryogenesis induction. The new molecules have been tested in two crop species, Brassica napus and Hordeum vulgare, in which cell reprograming was induced by heat (32 °C) and cold (4 °C) treatments. Using transcriptomic and physiological approaches, we have analyzed changes in oxidative stress and autophagy, and their involvement in cell death during microspore embryogenesis induction. The results provide new evidence of increased ROS production and upregulated oxidative stress and autophagy-related genes during embryogenesis induction, all of which contribute to higher cell death. We identified novel small molecule antioxidants that mitigated these effects, enhancing cell viability and promoting microspore embryogenesis initiation. The findings in two phylogenetically distant crop species suggest a conserved cellular response and highlight the potential of these compounds to improve in vitro protocols in other species where early-stage cell death poses a significant challenge during embryogenesis induction.
Dynamic changes of rice sheath non-structural carbohydrates and source-sink balance under elevated atmospheric CO concentration and temperature stresses.
He H, Shi J, Chen M … +7 more , Zhao J, Qu K, Li M, Zhao L, Wang Y, Hu Z, Li Q
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40527110 · Publisher ↗
Rising CO levels and temperatures significantly affect rice yield and quality by altering key physiological processes. As vital carbon reserves, non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) maintain the source-sink balance, direct...
Rising CO levels and temperatures significantly affect rice yield and quality by altering key physiological processes. As vital carbon reserves, non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) maintain the source-sink balance, directly influencing grain filling and food security. This study simulated high CO and temperature conditions using open-top chambers with four treatment groups: control (ACT, ambient CO at 415 ppm and temperature), elevated CO (EC, 600 ppm CO), elevated temperature (ET, ambient +2 °C), and combined CO and temperature elevation (ECT, 600 ppm CO +2 °C). NSC concentrations, along with key physiological indexes such as leaf nitrogen and antioxidant enzyme activity, and gene expression, was measured to assess climate impacts on japonica rice variety "Nanjing 9108" physiology and source-sink balance. This study found that EC enhanced NSC concentrations, increasing soluble sugars and starch by 6.33 % and 9.86 % at heading, raising stem sheath NSC by 9.30 %. Conversely, ET reduced sugars and starch by 16.67 % and 6.24 %, leading to a 7.75 % NSC decrease. Under ECT, NSC levels dropped by 1.07 %. Nitrogen concentrations in leaves, stem sheaths, and panicles declined under both EC and ET, EC reduced leaf nitrogen by 16.26 %, while ET lowered nitrogen in stem sheaths and panicles by 17.29 % and 16.53 %. EC upregulated OsSUT1 and OsSUT2 gene expression by 69.55 % and 131.85 %, boosting carbon transport, whereas ET suppressed those genes, reducing grain carbon supply. Overall, elevated CO improves NSC accumulation and transport, enhancing yield potential, while elevated temperature hinders these processes. Managing NSC and nitrogen dynamics is crucial to ensure stable rice yields under climate change.
Optimizing Plant Alkaloid Biosynthesis under Drought Stress: Regulatory Mechanisms and Biotechnological Strategies.
Guo Z, He S, Zhong X … +2 more , Yang N, Xu D
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40523330 · Publisher ↗
Global climate change exacerbates drought stress, severely affecting plant growth, agricultural productivity, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Alkaloids, nitrogenous compounds with diverse biological activi...
Global climate change exacerbates drought stress, severely affecting plant growth, agricultural productivity, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Alkaloids, nitrogenous compounds with diverse biological activities, hold substantial medicinal value across various plant species. This review investigates the regulatory mechanisms through which drought stress influences alkaloid synthesis, focusing on key pathways such as abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and reactive oxygen species (ROS) responses that modulate gene expression and metabolic processes. Furthermore, we explore advanced biotechnological strategies-including genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence (AI)-designed to optimizing alkaloid production under drought stress conditions. In agriculture, these strategies support the development of drought-resistant crops with enhanced alkaloid profiles, while in the pharmaceutical industry, sustainable production methods for valuable alkaloids are highlighted. The review also addresses critical challenges, such as balancing plant growth with metabolite production and ensuring field-level applicability of laboratory-developed strategies. By emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, this research provides comprehensive insights and practical guidance for enhancing crop resilience and maximizing alkaloid yields, thereby advancing sustainability in the medicinal plant industry.
High throughput phenotyping using automated imaging system reveals the relationship between seed yield and agronomic traits in Korean rice cultivars.
Hong JK, Baek J, Kim JY … +10 more , Kim SL, Lyu JI, Kang SH, Song J, Kim N, An E, Lee HS, Kim KH, Chung YS, Mansoor S
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40516130 · Publisher ↗
This study utilized plant phenomics image analysis technology to explore the agronomic characteristics of rice cultivars, aiming to enhance growth stability, yield potential, and digital data for rice breeding. RGB image...
This study utilized plant phenomics image analysis technology to explore the agronomic characteristics of rice cultivars, aiming to enhance growth stability, yield potential, and digital data for rice breeding. RGB images were captured at three lateral angles during the growth period of the plants using ScanLyzer, LemnaTec. A total of 42 agronomic traits were analyzed across 102 rice cultivars, categorized into three maturing groups. In addition, to evaluate the measurement accuracy, 9 phenotypic traits, the panicle length (Pl), panicle count (Pc), and number of seeds were also measured destructively after harvest. Parameter estimated revealed that the Pl trait exerted the strongest positive effect on seed production across all groups analyzed, with coefficients (β) of 0.459 for the entire population, 0.456 in the early-maturing group, 0.537 in the medium-maturing group, and 0.574 in the medium-late maturing group (p < 0.05). Other traits, such as maximum area (Am), and maximum height (Hm), also positively influenced seed production but to a lesser extent. Notably, duration of maximum value of rice plant width had a significant negative effect in the early-maturing group (β = -0.369, p < 0.05). Correlation analyses revealed strong positive relationships between seed production and various traits across maturity classes, notably with days to maximum height, Pl, Pc, and seed count. Additionally, panicle length and count emerged as pivotal factors influencing seed numbers. These findings underscore the varying impacts of agronomic traits on seed yield depending on cultivars and maturity groups, offering valuable insights for the selection of rice cultivars aimed at optimizing seed production.
Mitochondrial respiration dynamics in grape exocarp: electron partitioning to AOX pathway during pre-veraison development.
Del-Saz NF, Hernández-Montes E
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40513525 · Publisher ↗
Fruit respiration varies throughout development, reflecting dynamic changes in energy demand and metabolic activity. Grapes grow more rapidly during the preveraison stage, as cell division and expansion drive berry enlar...
Fruit respiration varies throughout development, reflecting dynamic changes in energy demand and metabolic activity. Grapes grow more rapidly during the preveraison stage, as cell division and expansion drive berry enlargement before the onset of ripening. The plant mitochondrial electron transport chain contains two terminal oxidases; alternative oxidase (AOX) and cytochrome c oxidase (COX), the activities of which are central to predicting patterns of growth in plant organs. However, no previous studies have tested their activities in fruits when growth respiration predominates. Studies about the effect of the genetic variability in grape respiration during phase I of development are scarce. We characterized respiratory parameters in vivo (AOX and COX), and modelled ATP production, at five consecutive weeks during preveraison stage in grape exocarps of two varieties of Vitis vinifera (Merlot and Callet) under well-watered conditions. We also evaluated physical and chemical parameters in fruits (weight, diameter, malic acid and total soluble solids). We identified relationships between respiration via COX activity and carbon accumulation that indicated that ATP production is crucial for the growth of grape berries before the lag phase. After this, AOX activity was increased in parallel to malic acid content in fruit, to lower the reduction level of ETC components when ATP is less required for carbon accumulation. Further studies in more fruit layers, and during ripening, are needed to identify the metabolic role of AOX in grapes.
Screening of rice varieties with low accumulation of heavy metals based on leaf morphology.
Shao X, Yu P, Zuo M … +7 more , Tong Z, Huang Z, Xie Z, Chang R, Peng J, Deng Y, Huang Y
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40505488 · Publisher ↗
This study aimed to investigate the influence of the morphological traits of rice leaves (stomata, leaf area, and trichome density) on the accumulation of heavy metals in rice grains. It also screens for varieties with l...
This study aimed to investigate the influence of the morphological traits of rice leaves (stomata, leaf area, and trichome density) on the accumulation of heavy metals in rice grains. It also screens for varieties with low heavy metal accumulation and high adaptability (less foliar uptake). Field trials on 37 rice varieties and pot trials regulated by abscisic acid (ABA) were conducted to explore the effects of various leaf surface morphologies and stomata on cadmium (Cd) accumulation in brown rice. Analyzing leaf morphology in different rice varieties revealed that five with high Cd content had an 8.92 %-38.49 % increase in stomatal pore area compared to the average. Meanwhile, these five rice varieties with high Cd content exhibited xylem Cd transit rates above average, ranging from 9.22 % to 182.58 %. Transporter factors throughout the rice plant indicated that the processes from stem-leaf to rachis and husk to brown rice are crucial for Cd accumulation in rice. The results of the correlation and structural equation modelling indicated a significant correlation between rice leaf stomata and the transit rate of Cd in rice xylem. ABA spraying experiments showed that stomata regulate rice transpiration and affect Cd transport and accumulation in rice. Results showed that ABA spraying significantly reduced Cd content in brown rice by 2.4 %-24 % and transpiration rate (33.17 %-54.45 %). Ultimately, the variety ZhuLiangYou 35, characterized by its smaller stomatal pore area and reduced heavy metal concentration in brown rice, is recommended as an appropriate choice.
Hydrogen sulfide: A tiny molecule with a big role in stomatal regulation.
Jin Z, García-Mata C, Pei Y
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40499394 · Publisher ↗
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Anthocyanin and chlorophyll accumulation by targeted metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis involved in pigment accumulation during fruit maturation in Liriope spicata.
Shi J, Wang Y, Wang X … +8 more , Han M, Li R, Yu C, Peng Z, Gao Y, Liu Z, Shen Y, Duan L
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40472438 · Publisher ↗
Liriope spicata is extensively distributed in China, often cultivated under forest or in semi-shade as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine material, and has attracted widespread global interest due to its high ornament...
Liriope spicata is extensively distributed in China, often cultivated under forest or in semi-shade as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine material, and has attracted widespread global interest due to its high ornamental value. To obtain a better understanding of the differential metabolites between pigmented fruit and the color change from light green to black during development and ripening, we used a targeted metabolomic- and transcriptomic-based approach to investigate the anthocyanin and chlorophyll biosynthesis mechanism. A total of 9 cyanidin derivatives, 8 delphinidin derivatives, 5 malvidin derivatives, 9 pelargonidin derivatives, 6 petunidin derivatives, 4 petunidin derivatives, and 8 flavonoid derivatives were identified in L. spicata fruit at five development stages. Transcriptional factors MYB, bZIP, and WRKY were upregulated, which activated the expression of structural genes. The weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) of anthocyanins, chlorophyll, and associated genes revealed a regulatory system involved in the pigmentation of light green to black L. spicata fruit. Three phenylalanine deaminase genes (PALs) and a stay green gene (SGR) are involved in anthocyanin and chlorophyll biosynthesis, respectively. In the correlation analysis of anthocyanin components, it was suggested that PAL genes were closely related to different anthocyanins accumulated, moreover, the anthocyanin content and PAL activity show a positive correlation at different stages of fruit maturation. These findings provide new insights into molecular mechanisms of anthocyanin and chlorophyll biosynthesis and regulation of pigmentation changes in fruit. Therefore, this will facilitate the breeding of cultivars with high levels of anthocyanin in L. spicata which enhanced ornamental value and research on potential tinctorial and functional raw material.
The R2R3-MYB transcription factor MdMYB62 negatively regulates the drought and salt tolerance in apple.
Guo XL, Wu X, Li HL … +3 more , Liu RX, An JP, You CX
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40472437 · Publisher ↗
Drought and salt stresses represent significant environmental constraints that severely impair global plant growth and development. While numerous transcription factors regulating drought and salt stress responses have b...
Drought and salt stresses represent significant environmental constraints that severely impair global plant growth and development. While numerous transcription factors regulating drought and salt stress responses have been identified across plant species, their functional mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, we characterized MdMYB62, a MYB transcription factor from apple (Malus domestica), and elucidated its functional role under abiotic stress conditions. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that MdMYB62 expression was significantly modulated under both drought and salt stress conditions. Functional analyses revealed that overexpression of MdMYB62 in apple calli led to increased sensitivity to drought and salt stress.Consistent with these findings, ectopic expression of MdMYB62 in Arabidopsis resulted in reduced tolerance to these stress, which was associated with elevated accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results collectively establish MdMYB62 as a negative regulator of plant stress responses and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to abiotic stress.
PdSABP2A involved in jasmonic acid biosynthesis regulates Anoplophora glabripennis resistance of Populus deltoides 'Shalinyang'.
Wang Z, He C, Zhang Y … +3 more , Luo S, Wei J, Liu J
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40451011 · Publisher ↗
Populus deltoids 'Shalinyang' (PdS) is a new poplar variety with insect resistance cultivated in the western region of China. Anoplophora glabripennis (ALB) is an important forestry pest that causes great harm to poplar...
Populus deltoids 'Shalinyang' (PdS) is a new poplar variety with insect resistance cultivated in the western region of China. Anoplophora glabripennis (ALB) is an important forestry pest that causes great harm to poplar trees. However, the research on the insect resistance mechanism of PdS is still unclear, so exploring its defense response mechanism against ALB can provide theoretical and technical support for the subsequent cultivation of new varieties of poplar suitable for extensive planting and resistant to biotic stress. This study primarily aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying PdS's inducible resistance by jasmonic acid (JA). Here, 50 μM JA was applied to 1-year-old PdS plants to verify its anti-insect effect in PdS. It was found that superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and hydrogen peroxide (HO) content increased, malondialdehyde (MDA) content decreased, and the feeding area of ALB leaves and the number of stem bite marks decreased by 56.92 % and 49.33 % respectively compared to the control group. The results indicated that JA treatment had a positive regulatory effect on insect resistance in PdS. Based on the transcriptome data, the key gene PdSABP2A was screened from the methylesterase (MES) gene family that played an important role in plant defense response. The expression level of PdSABP2A gene also significantly increased in the external JA treatment experiment. The virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiment was used for gene function validation, and it was found that the expression level of PdSABP2A gene decreased by 73.72 %, and the JA content also significantly decreased. In addition, PdS subjected to the VIGS silencing treatment were more severely nibbled by ALB. The larvae inside PdS plants grew faster, had higher activity of digestive and defense enzymes, and lower mortality rates, all of which indicated a decrease in PdS insect resistance. These findings indicated that the PdSABP2A gene is involved in regulating the synthesis of JA and inducing the defense response of PdS against ALB.
Unveiling regional and altitudinal lipidomic analyte signatures of the argan tree (Argania spinosa L.) for environmental adaptation.
Abdelmoiz EF, Karim R, Farid R … +4 more , Fatima Ezzahra A, Abderrahim A, Abdelkarim FM, Bouchra B
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Aug · PMID 40449033 · Publisher ↗
Environmental factors such as altitude, precipitation, and temperature shape the lipidomic profiles of the argan tree (Argania spinosa L.), supporting its adaptation to stress. This study investigated lipidomic profiling...
Environmental factors such as altitude, precipitation, and temperature shape the lipidomic profiles of the argan tree (Argania spinosa L.), supporting its adaptation to stress. This study investigated lipidomic profiling and pathways in argan tree leaves from four altitudinal zones (A: low, B: moderate, C: high, D: very high) across three Moroccan regions (Chtouka Aït Baha, Essaouira, and Tiznit) using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-MS workflow included a transmethylation step that cleaves ester bonds and acetylations, yielding analytes derived from diverse precursor lipids such as glycerolipids, sterol esters, and wax esters. We identified 139 lipid analytes, categorized into fatty acyls (53 %), prenol lipids (41 %), and steroids (6 %). Shared lipids across all zones highlight core metabolic pathways essential for resilience, while unique lipids reflect zone-specific adaptations. Fourteen known analytes were identified as critical markers for regional adaptations through multivariate analyses, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), and Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) scores. Among these, three analytes (methyl 18-methyleicosanoate, Z,Z-11,13-Hexadecadien-1-ol, and 11-Octadecenoic acid) showed the highest accumulation in Zone A, whereas eleven analytes (Henicosyl formate, Dodecyl 2-methylbutanoate, Methyl 21-methyl-hexacosanoate, Methyl 13-methyltetradecanoate, Cetoleic acid, (Urs-12-en-3-ol, acetate, (3.beta.)-), Medicagenic acid, 2-(4a,8-Dimethyl-6-oxo-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,8a-octahydro-naphthalen-2-yl)-propionaldehyde, A'-Neogammacer-22(29)-en-3-one, Pregna-5,17(20)-dien-3-ol, (3.beta.,17E)-, and estra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-one, 3,4-bis(acetyloxy)- exhibited significant increases in Zone D. Multiple Linear Regression analysis showed that precipitation positively influenced analyte concentration (p = 0.00033), while altitude had a significant negative effect (p = 0.039). Pathways analysis highlighted the roles of cutin, suberin, and wax biosynthesis, as well as linoleic acid metabolism, in altitude-driven adaptations. This study demonstrates the metabolic plasticity of Argania spinosa L., offering insights for its conservation amidst climate change.
MbWRKY50 confers cold and drought tolerance through upregulating antioxidant capacity associated with ROS scavenging.
Wang X, Li Y, Chen Z … +7 more , Li L, Li Q, Geng Z, Liu W, Hou R, Zhang L, Han D
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jul · PMID 40441117 · Publisher ↗
Plant growth and development can be impacted by abiotic factors, including low temperature and dryness. Numerous studies have shown that plant responses to stress are largely influenced by the WRKY transcription factors...
Plant growth and development can be impacted by abiotic factors, including low temperature and dryness. Numerous studies have shown that plant responses to stress are largely influenced by the WRKY transcription factors (TFs). However, there are few studies on the role of WRKY genes in the stress response of Malus plants. In this experiment, Malus baccata (L.) Borkh was selected as the material, and the WRKY family gene MbWRKY50 was cloned using a gene cloning technique. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that MbWRKY50 and MdWRKY50 have the highest homology. Furthermore, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein expression assay revealed that the MbWRKY50 protein is located in the nucleus. The results of RT-qPCR showed that the expression of MbWRKY50 was increased in the roots and fully grown leaves of M. baccata, and the response to low temperature and drought environment was enhanced. The MbWRKY50 gene was transferred into tomato, which could better adapt to the cold and dry living conditions. In contrast to wild-type (WT) and untransformed (UL) tomato lines, overexpression of MbWRKY50 boosts the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). Moreover, it leads to a notable reduction in the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (HO), and superoxide anion free radicals (O). The results showed that MbWRKY50 activated the expression levels of LeABI3, LeNCED1, LeABF4, LeDREB1, LeCBF1, and LeCBF3 by binding to cold binding factor/dehydration response element (CBF/DREB) or participating in ABA synthesis, thereby enhancing the resistance of transgenic tomatoes to low temperature and drought stress.
Melatonin improves aluminum tolerance in soybean through modification of cell wall and vacuolar compartmentalization of aluminum.
Li H, Jia Z, Cheng K … +3 more , Wang L, Huang J, Wang H
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jul · PMID 40412154 · Publisher ↗
Aluminum (Al) toxicity has a significant adverse impact on plant growth and crop yield. Melatonin (MT) is involved in plant responses to various environmental stresses. However, the role of MT in mitigating Al toxicity r...
Aluminum (Al) toxicity has a significant adverse impact on plant growth and crop yield. Melatonin (MT) is involved in plant responses to various environmental stresses. However, the role of MT in mitigating Al toxicity remains largely unknown in soybean (Glycine max L.). In this study, the findings indicate that MT application alleviates Al-induced root growth inhibition and reduces Al accumulation in the cell wall. MT application under Al stress decreased the pectin and hemicellulose 1 content in the root tip cell wall and increased pectin methyl esterification, leading to reduced Al binding in the cell wall fractions. Additionally, MT treatment under Al stress inhibited lignin synthesis in the root tip cell wall, thereby alleviating the increased rigidity of cell wall and promoting its expansion. Furthermore, MT application under Al stress modulated the expression of Al transport-related genes (GmCDT3, GmNrat1, GmIREG3 and GmALS1), reducing cytoplasmic Al accumulation and enhancing vacuolar Al sequestration. Taken together, these findings suggest that MT mitigates Al toxicity in soybean by reducing Al deposition in the cell wall and enhancing Al sequestration in the vacuole. This study offers clues for enhancing crop resistance to Al toxicity in acidic soils.
5-Aminolevulinic Acid: from pyrrole biosynthetic precursor to multifunctional plant growth regulator.
Wang L, Zhang J, Zhao Q … +1 more , Zhang L
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jul · PMID 40398357 · Publisher ↗
5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a non-protein δ-amino acid and an essential precursor of tetrapyrrole compound biosynthesis. Nowadays, it is a well-known natural plant growth regulator with multiple biological regulatory...
5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a non-protein δ-amino acid and an essential precursor of tetrapyrrole compound biosynthesis. Nowadays, it is a well-known natural plant growth regulator with multiple biological regulatory functions. In this review, we summarize the regulatory effects of ALA in promoting plant growth and the development of organs such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits under normal conditions as well as stressful conditions. We emphasize the newly revealed signaling transduction and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of ALA in maintaining root functions against abiotic stresses, improving leaf photosynthetic performance, and enhancing fruit appearance and flavor qualities as well as storage. Although most of the current reports on ALA are still apparent effect descriptions rather than mechanism explorations, studies suggest that ALA can facilitate agricultural development toward higher yield, quality, efficiency, and safety. The regulatory mechanisms of ALA at different levels need further study in the future.
Next generation technologies for protein structure determination: challenges and breakthroughs in plant biology applications.
Maurino VG
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jul · PMID 40382917 · Publisher ↗
Advancements in structural biology have significantly deepened our understanding of plant proteins, which are central to critical biological functions such as photosynthesis, metabolism, signal transduction, and structur...
Advancements in structural biology have significantly deepened our understanding of plant proteins, which are central to critical biological functions such as photosynthesis, metabolism, signal transduction, and structural architechture. Gaining insights into their structures is crucial for unraveling their functions and mechanisms, which in turn has profound implications for agriculture, biotechnology, and environmental sustainability. Traditional methods in protein structural biology often fall short in addressing large protein assemblies and membrane proteins, and, in particular the dynamics and structural features of proteins in the native cellular context. This paper explores how next-generation technologies are transforming the field of plant protein structural biology, offering powerful tools to overcome longstanding obstacles and enabling remarkable scientific breakthroughs. Key technologies discussed include advanced X-ray crystallography, Cryo-Electron microscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, Cross-linking mass spectrometry, and Artificial Intelligence-driven approaches. These technologies are examined in terms of their challenges, innovations, and application with particular emphasis on their relevance to plant systems. Future directions in plant protein structural biology are also discussed. Although technical details are not covered in depth, readers are referred to the primary literature for more comprehensive information.
Systematical accumulating and regulating evaluations of leaf functional metabolites in geographically isolated edible medicinal plants of Piper sarmentosum.
Ziting L, Xiaoqing W, Kemei W … +5 more , Yachao B, Aimin G, Huang L, Bin L, Jun Z
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jul · PMID 40349452 · Publisher ↗
The edible medicinal plant Piper sarmentosum is widely distributed in south China. This study raised a hypothesis of geographically isolated P. sarmentosum plants possessing potential site- or/and plant-dependent accumul...
The edible medicinal plant Piper sarmentosum is widely distributed in south China. This study raised a hypothesis of geographically isolated P. sarmentosum plants possessing potential site- or/and plant-dependent accumulating metabolites, expressing genes, and colonizing bacteria. Here, P. sarmentosum plants of Guangzhou City (PG, comparison group) and Hainan Island (PH, control group) were collected for assaying leaf metabolomes (LMs), leaf transcriptomes (LTs), and leaf-assembled bacterial communities (LABCs), respectively. In LMs and LTs, 930 metabolites and 82,606 unigenes were identified with 552 differently accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and 28,177 differently expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. In LABCs, cluster analysis yielded 822 PG-PH-common, 1114 PG-unique, and 203 PH-unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs). In contrast of PH-LMs, the elevated accumulations of alkaloids and lipids and the decreased accumulations of flavonoids and phenolic acids were observed in PG-LMs. Typically, the DAMs and DEGs were co-enriched in two metabolic pathways of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids, visibly displaying the related DEGs, such as chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI) and phenylalanine amino lyase (PAL), with regulating the functional DAMs, such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, p-coumaric acid, and naringenin. Noticeably, these DAMs were also significantly correlated with a number of different types or/and abundances of leaf-assembled bacteria (DTAB) between PG- and PH-LABCs, such as Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas. Therefore, this study clearly elucidated the functional metabolite accumulations and the close relationships with plant mRNA expressions and bacterial colonizations in geographically isolated plants of P. sarmentosum, providing new insight of selectively utilizing leaf food- and medicine-associated metabolites in different habitats of edible medicinal plants.
Establishment of Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation and CRISPR/Cas9-guided gene editing in Elymus nutans.
Li C, Peng X, Zhang Z … +7 more , Liu Y, Pedro GC, Fu C, Yang Y, Dong Q, Duan Y, Sun X
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jul · PMID 40345045 · Publisher ↗
Elymus nutans, an allohexaploid (2n = 6x = 42) species with a StStHHYY genome, is a native perennial in the alpine grasslands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, and has been widely used for artificial pasture and ecological...
Elymus nutans, an allohexaploid (2n = 6x = 42) species with a StStHHYY genome, is a native perennial in the alpine grasslands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, and has been widely used for artificial pasture and ecological restoration as a forage grass with highest yield on the plateau. Nevertheless, the lack of a stable transformation system has impeded further efforts to trait improvement of E. nutans. In the present study, we established a reliable Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation system for E. nutans, and successfully generated EnTCP4-edited plants using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The editing efficiency achieved 19.23 % in E. nutans. Knocking out EnTCP4 significantly delayed flowering and enhanced water-deficit stress resistance. This research represents a significant breakthrough in the genetic transformation and gene editing of E. nutans, laying a technological foundation to gain insight into gene functions and molecular breeding in E. nutans.
Selection and validation of reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR analysis across tissues at different developmental stages in Taraxacum kok-saghyz.
Li Y, Yao Y, Xu T … +7 more , Yang X, He Y, Zhang S, Xie Q, Cao J, Tang C, Liu H
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jun · PMID 40328166 · Publisher ↗
Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a highly sensitive and widely used method for analyzing gene expression profiles. Accurate qRT-PCR normalization requires the identification of stable referen...
Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a highly sensitive and widely used method for analyzing gene expression profiles. Accurate qRT-PCR normalization requires the identification of stable reference genes under specific experimental conditions. Although seven reference genes have been used in Taraxacum kok-saghyz (TKS), an alternative natural rubber-producing crop, a systematic identification of reliable internal references for gene expression analysis across tissues at distinct developmental stages of TKS has not been conducted. In this study, we screened 12 candidate reference genes (CRGs) based on RNA-seq data from 26 TKS samples, representing five tissue types and nine developmental stages. The expression levels of the 12 CRGs, along with 7 previously reported reference genes (RRGs), were quantified by qRT-PCR across various tissues and developmental stages. The expression stability of the 19 genes was further evaluated by four commonly used algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, comparative delta Ct, and BestKeeper), and their results were integrated by RefFinder to generate a comprehensive stability ranking. The final results revealed that TkADF1 and TkRPT6A were the most suitable internal control genes for the all-tissue group and leaf samples. TkUPL and TkSIZ1 were found to be optimal for root samples, while TkADF1 and TkSRPRA were preferred choices for latex samples. Moreover, validation using two rubber biosynthesis-related genes (TkFPS1 and TkSRPP2) confirmed the reliability of these recommended genes, showing a strong positive correlation with the RNA-seq data. This study provides reliable reference genes for qRT-PCR normalization in TKS, facilitating future research on developmental regulation and natural rubber biosynthesis.
Drought-induced changes in antioxidant capacity, mineral content, and plant development in basal leafy cactus: comparisons between Pereskia aculeata miller and Pereskia bahiensis Gürke.
Gomes DS, Andrade AN, Dantas EFO … +10 more , Soares VA, Araujo DJ, Santos SK, Lopes AS, Ribeiro JES, Ferreira VCS, Henschel JM, Pereira WE, Dias TJ, Batista DS
J Plant Physiol · 2025 Jun · PMID 40319545 · Publisher ↗
Pereskia aculeata is known for its high levels of proteins, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds, qualifying it as an unconventional food. In contrast, the nutritional potential of P. bahiensis remains much less e...
Pereskia aculeata is known for its high levels of proteins, minerals, vitamins, and bioactive compounds, qualifying it as an unconventional food. In contrast, the nutritional potential of P. bahiensis remains much less explored. Drought and defense-related bioregulators like salicylic acid (SA) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) can influence plant composition and antioxidant responses, but their effects on Pereskia species are still unclear. This study aimed to assess the growth and nutritional profiles of P. aculeata and P. bahiensis under water deficit, SA, and SNP, testing whether P. bahiensis also holds food potential and whether these treatments enhance antioxidant capacity. For this, plants were grown under two irrigation regimes: well-watered (80 % water retention capacity - WRC) and water deficit (15 % WRC for 8 days, followed by total water restriction for 16 days). Additionally, plants were foliar sprayed with 100 μM SA, 100 μM SNP, or water (control). P. bahiensis exhibited greater phenolic compounds content and antioxidant capacity, but lower biomass production, and contents of sugars and minerals compared to P. aculeata. Drought increased the antioxidant capacity but decreased mineral content and biomass in the two species; while SA and SNP only affected Mn contents, not affecting the antioxidant capacity and growth. These findings highlight the great antioxidant capacity of P. bahiensis, surpassing that of P. aculeata, which underscores its potential as a nutraceutical plant. Moreover, water deficit can be used as a strategy to improve antioxidant capacity of both species, while SA and SNP treatments have no effects in their quality.
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