Journal Of Plant Physiology[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
The role of jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate in enhancing photosynthesis and stress response.
Sonatan SD, Paul JK, Azmal M … +2 more , Haque ASNB, Ghosh A
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41678942 · Publisher ↗
Jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) regulate photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant defense, and adaptive responses to environmental stressors. This review explores their biosynthesis, signaling pathways, and...
Jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) regulate photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant defense, and adaptive responses to environmental stressors. This review explores their biosynthesis, signaling pathways, and functional roles in modulating photosynthesis and enhancing stress resilience. JA and MeJA activate defense-related genes, regulate photosystem II components, and modulate antioxidant enzyme activity to mitigate oxidative stress. Their impact extends to secondary metabolite production, hormonal crosstalk, and adaptive responses to diverse environmental stressors. While exogenous JA/MeJA applications improve resilience and yield, challenges remain in optimizing agricultural use due to hormonal crosstalk and trade-offs between growth and defense. Future research should refine jasmonate-based strategies and integrate them with sustainable farming practices to enhance crop productivity and resilience.
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the 22 kDa α-prolamin genes orchestrates the regulation of functional amino acid content in foxtail millet.
Zhao R, Chen J, Li Y … +8 more , Jin M, Liu K, Liu Y, Gao L, Yang G, Yuan X, Chu X, Wang JG
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41666850 · Publisher ↗
Improving the nutritional quality of cereal crops remains a primary objective in modern breeding programs. The composition and content of prolamins directly affect the overall nutritional value. This study elucidates the...
Improving the nutritional quality of cereal crops remains a primary objective in modern breeding programs. The composition and content of prolamins directly affect the overall nutritional value. This study elucidates the role of two 22 kDa α-prolamin genes (Seita.9G301400 and Seita.9G406400) in foxtail millet using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout. While simultaneous disruption of both genes in double mutants reduced prolamin content, amino acids, and soluble sugars, single-gene mutants exhibited the opposite effect. These single mutants displayed increased grain size alongside significantly enhanced levels of essential amino acids and sugars. Starch pasting properties were also improved in single mutants but compromised in double mutants. Our findings demonstrate that individual knockout of the two prolamin genes enhances nutritional and sensory quality, providing a potential strategy for developing improved foxtail millet varieties.
Revisiting plant isoprene emission: From atmospheric chemistry to plant stress resilience.
Sharkey TD, Bellucci M, Loreto F … +5 more , Mostofa MG, Sahu A, Serda BML, Weraduwage SM, Xu Y
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41643528 · Publisher ↗
The emission of isoprene from plants was first discovered in the 1950s but was relatively unknown in the plant science community until the 1990s. Isoprene is the five-carbon branched molecule that is the root member of t...
The emission of isoprene from plants was first discovered in the 1950s but was relatively unknown in the plant science community until the 1990s. Isoprene is the five-carbon branched molecule that is the root member of the extensive family of isoprenoids. The amount of isoprene from plants exceeds all other hydrocarbon inputs to the atmosphere. Plant-emitted isoprene can affect ozone formation and often increases (but can decrease) growth of aerosols (particles in the atmosphere). The rate of isoprene emission is estimated using empirical or mechanistic modeling has been used to predict global emissions. Beyond its atmospheric role, isoprene can improve plant resilience to biotic and abiotic stress, likely through interactions with transcriptional networks that regulate plant growth and defense. Isoprene has all the properties of the five compounds classically described as plant hormones. These and an additional four molecules are now called small molecule plant growth regulators, and we propose that isoprene also belongs to this group. Plants previously thought to lack the capacity for isoprene emission have now been found that make isoprene in response to leaf damage. This discovery suggests that many plants once classified as non-emitters likely have the capacity to emit isoprene under specific conditions. This review summarizes past and current understanding of the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanisms, atmospheric significance, and physiological roles of isoprene emitted from plants.
Routing resilience: Engineering metabolite transport for combined drought and heavy-metal tolerance in plants.
Mishra G
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41638161 · Publisher ↗
Plants can experience individual stresses such as drought or heavy-metal exposure, yet in many environments these factors co-occur, imposing conflicting demands on water conservation, ion homeostasis, and metabolic detox...
Plants can experience individual stresses such as drought or heavy-metal exposure, yet in many environments these factors co-occur, imposing conflicting demands on water conservation, ion homeostasis, and metabolic detoxification. While biosynthetic pathways for stress-responsive metabolites are well studied, the regulation and engineering of metabolite transport remain largely overlooked. Transporters such as ABC, MATE, NPF, SWEET, and ALMT determine how osmolytes, antioxidants, and chelators are distributed across tissues and the rhizosphere, shaping physiological outcomes under stress. This Opinion highlights metabolite transport as a missing regulatory layer linking drought physiology and metal detoxification networks. I propose a Cross-stress Metabolite-Transport Engineering (CoMET) framework that treats these transporters as programmable valves to optimize metabolite fluxes under combined stress. CoMET integrates flux diagnostics, synthetic promoter logic, transporter editing, and field-based learning loops. Recognizing and engineering metabolite transport as a dynamic control system could redefine how crops maintain both water relations and detoxification capacity in increasingly contaminated and drought-prone soils.
Establishing one-step hairy root transformation system in safflower using RUBY reporter.
Guo R, Zhang X, Jiao X … +3 more , Zhu C, Wei J, Zhu Y
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41638160 · Publisher ↗
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an important economic crop, which has widespread applications in medicine, food, and industry. Currently, the study of gene function regulating the synthesis of key medicinal compon...
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an important economic crop, which has widespread applications in medicine, food, and industry. Currently, the study of gene function regulating the synthesis of key medicinal components in safflower has always been a research hotspot. However, due to the fact that the tissue culture method is time-intensive and heavily genotype-dependent, the pollen tube pathway method has low repeatability, high environmental sensitivity, and significant differences in evolutionary pathways and genetic backgrounds between model plants and safflower, and there are still many genes whose functions are unknown. In this study, a one-step hairy root transformation system in safflower was established, and the RUBY reporter was used to observe the transformation efficiency in real time. The explants and dark culture time were optimized, and the transformation efficiency reached 76.66 %. Moreover, this study provides a technical path for improving the genetic transformation of other medicinal plants.
The mechanisms by which polyamines regulate wheat grain filling under drought stress conditions.
Afjeh SS, Mostafaie P, Ahmadi A … +1 more , Abbasi AR
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41619379 · Publisher ↗
Drought stress (DS) is a major factor limiting wheat grain filling. Polyamines (PAs) play crucial roles in plant responses to DS; however, the mechanisms underlying their effects on grain filling are not fully understood...
Drought stress (DS) is a major factor limiting wheat grain filling. Polyamines (PAs) play crucial roles in plant responses to DS; however, the mechanisms underlying their effects on grain filling are not fully understood. This study aimed to clarify the regulatory role of PAs in grain filling through source-sink dynamics in two wheat cultivars representing distinct drought tolerance under non-stress and DS conditions, with or without exogenous spermine and putrescine. Data indicated that DS significantly disrupted the grain-filling process (P < 0.01), accompanied by severe limitations in source-sink capacity. However, PA application improved chlorophyll content (9.45-23.39 %), Fv/Fm values (1.86-5.56 %), assimilate partitioning to non-structural carbohydrates (4.24-7.17 %), and stem reserves (6.42-24.44 %), thereby enhancing source capacity. PAs also reduced abscisic acid (ABA) levels during early grain-filling stages and increased auxin and cytokinin levels, which were associated with enhanced endosperm cell division and number (P < 0.05), thereby improving sink capacity. In later grain-filling stages, PAs caused a controlled increase in ABA levels, serving as physiological signals for reserve mobilization and significantly inducing the expression of 1-FEH-w3 and SPSI genes (P < 0.01). These changes were accompanied by improved stem reserve remobilization (RM) (6-16.70 %), grain-filling rate, and grain yield (P < 0.05). The cultivars' responses to spermine application were more evident than to putrescine, particularly in the sensitive cultivar. Overall, PAs could significantly enhance grain filling and sustain wheat yield under DS conditions, likely through a multifaceted mechanism involving hormonal regulation, maintaining source-sink capacity, and facilitating RM.
The transcription factor OsERF74 positively regulates drought resistance by modulating abscisic acid catabolism in rice.
Luo Z, Tang C, Wang L … +5 more , Sha X, Zhang Y, Liu W, Fu J, Wang Q
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41579628 · Publisher ↗
Against the backdrop of global climate change, water scarcity and food shortages, drought has emerged as a critical constraint on crop productivity, posing a severe threat to sustainable agricultural production. In this...
Against the backdrop of global climate change, water scarcity and food shortages, drought has emerged as a critical constraint on crop productivity, posing a severe threat to sustainable agricultural production. In this study, we identify the rice transcription factor OsERF74 as a key regulator of drought resistance. Overexpression of OsERF74 in Arabidopsis plants enhances drought tolerance, whereas rice knockout lines display increased drought sensitivity. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that OsERF74 modulates multiple pathways under drought stress. Mechanistically, OsERF74 directly binds to the promoters of ABA catabolic genes OsABA8ox1&2 to regulate their expression, thereby modulating ABA homeostasis and drought responses. Our findings demonstrate that OsERF74 positively regulates drought resistance by directly controlling ABA degradation, as well as regulating multiple signaling pathways. This study provides a critical scientific foundation for improving crop drought tolerance and ensuring food security.
Rapid genetic transformation of herbaceous peony without tissue culture via Agrobacterium rhizogenes: Optimization using rhizomes, stems, roots, and seedlings.
Chen X, Zhao J, Ji C … +5 more , Du T, Wang M, Shu J, Teixeira da Silva JA, Yu X
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41579627 · Publisher ↗
Herbaceous peony is a famous traditional flower worldwide. However, the lack of a robust transgenic system has severely restricted its genetic improvement efforts. In this study, we established a tissue culture-free Agro...
Herbaceous peony is a famous traditional flower worldwide. However, the lack of a robust transgenic system has severely restricted its genetic improvement efforts. In this study, we established a tissue culture-free Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation system using the rhizomes, stems, root segments, and seedlings of herbaceous peony. Soaking rhizomes and root segments in a resuspension solution containing acetosyringone and 2-morpholinoethanesulfonic acid induced more GFP-positive hairy roots than that in other tissues. Our study also revealed that colony smear was the optimal infection method for stems and seedlings, that one-year-old seedlings were most susceptible to infection, and that Agrobacterium strain K599 was more effective than MSU440 and C58C1. Among the 11 cultivars, even though all formed hairy roots, 'Dafugui' of the Lactiflora group showed the highest transgenic efficiency. This study provides a rapid and efficient tissue culture-free strategy for the genetic transformation of herbaceous peony, providing an important basis for its molecular breeding.
A calmodulin-like protein from Kentucky bluegrass PpCML29 confers drought tolerance through activating antioxidant defense to maintain ROS homeostasis.
Su Y, Li Y, Luo W … +3 more , Liu Y, Guo Z, Lu S
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Mar · PMID 41564472 · Publisher ↗
Calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs) are one of the Ca sensors involving plant growth, development and adaptation to environmental stresses. The role of PpCML29 from a native Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) in regulatin...
Calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs) are one of the Ca sensors involving plant growth, development and adaptation to environmental stresses. The role of PpCML29 from a native Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) in regulating drought tolerance was investigated in the present study. PpCML29 is most similar to OsCML29 among all CML members in rice. PpCML29 protein locates in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. PpCML29 was expressed in roots, stems, leaves and spikes, with the highest level in leaves. PpCML29 expression was induced by 6-24 h of treatment with 23 % polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000. Overexpression of PpCML29 led to increased drought tolerance, with higher levels of survival rate and relative water content (RWC) and lower levels of ion leakage in transgenic rice than in the wild type (WT) after drought and osmotic stress. In addition, lower water loss rate was observed in PpCML29-overexpressing lines compared with WT. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities and proline concentrations increased after osmotic stress, and higher levels were observed in PpCML29-overexpressing lines than in WT. Consistently, relative expressions of SOD1, SOD2, CAT1, CAT2, APX1, APX2, P5CS1 and P5CS2 as well as drought responsive marker genes including OsDREB1A, OsDREB2A, OsDREB2B, OsNCED3, OsLEA3 and OsRAB16A were induced by osmotic stress, with higher levels in PpCML29-overexpressing lines than in WT under osmotic stress. The results suggest that PpCML29 confers drought tolerance through upregulating drought responsive genes and activating proline biosynthesis and antioxidant defense system to maintain reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis.
Biofilm formation by Pseudomonas putida KT2440 contributes to improve tomato drought stress resilience and priming for enhanced gene regulation.
Mekureyaw MF, Pandey C, Sorty AM … +5 more , Hennessy RC, Nicolaisen MH, Liu F, Nybroe O, Roitsch T
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41554215 · Publisher ↗
Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), known to enhance tolerance to pathogen infection, but its role in drought stress mitigation remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to ass...
Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), known to enhance tolerance to pathogen infection, but its role in drought stress mitigation remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to assess whether inoculation with KT2440 improves tomato tolerance to drought. Inoculation with the KT2440 wild type (WT) significantly improved ecophysiological drought stress responses by increasing leaf water potential and photosynthetic rate. It also resulted in an impact on the holobiont cell physiology through modulation of the activity signature of key enzymes of carbohydrate (e.g., PGM and vacInv) and antioxidant (e.g., GR, MDHAR, and cwPOX) metabolism under drought conditions. To functionally assess the role of biofilm formation in drought response, biofilm-deficient mutants KT2440 Alg, with only one gene cluster for the exopolysaccharide alginate deleted, and KT2440 Q, with four exopolysaccharide gene clusters (alg, bcs, pea and peb) deleted, were used. Inoculation with these two mutants led to reduced drought resilience, with partial or complete loss of protective effects in the Alg and Q mutants, respectively. This was reflected in lowered leaf water potential, photosynthetic rate, and reduced antioxidant and carbohydrate metabolism enzyme activities compared to inoculation with the corresponding wild type. Global RNA sequencing revealed that under drought conditions 360 % more genes were differentially regulated in the presence of KT2440 WT compared to the mock inoculated control, whereas this value decreased again to only 140 % more differentially regulated genes after recovery from the drought stress. Thus, KT2440 specifically primes the plant for a much more pronounced transcriptional response only during the impact of drought, thus providing resilience protection on demand. This priming for enhanced abiotic stress responsiveness was partially dependent on the ability to form biofilm. Both under well-watered and drought stress the number of differentially regulated genes was strongly reduced in plants inoculated with KT2440 Q compared to WT. Gene ontology and expression analyses showed significant upregulation of pathways involved in photosynthesis, phytohormone signaling, antioxidant metabolism, and drought resilience in KT2440-inoculated plants. Although KT2440 WT showed higher biofilm formation compared to the Alg and Q mutants, the strains did not differ in their ability for root colonization. These findings provide novel insights into the contribution of biofilm formation to PGPR-mediated drought tolerance and protection on demand via priming for enhanced transcriptional regulation under stress, supporting the potential of KT2440 for environmentally friendly mitigating of drought stress responses in crops.
The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor SlKRP3 negatively regulates plant height and fruit shape in tomato via inhibiting cell elongation.
Liu G, Liu X, Fan J … +4 more , Li C, Zheng W, Ma F, Bao Z
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41548481 · Publisher ↗
Plant height and fruit shape are significant traits affecting plant yield and appearance quality. Kip-related protein (KRP) is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that plays a critical role in the inhibition of cell cycl...
Plant height and fruit shape are significant traits affecting plant yield and appearance quality. Kip-related protein (KRP) is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that plays a critical role in the inhibition of cell cycle progression during plant development. However, the mechanism by which SlKRP3 regulates tomato plant height and fruit shape through cell cycle progression remains unclear. Here, we unveil functional characterization of SlKRP3, which is responsible for plant height and fruit shape in tomato. As expected, overexpression of SlKRP3 resulted in shorter cell elongation and decreased endoreduplication in the tomato stem. VIGS assay was performed to obtain SlKRP3-silenced plants and demonstrated that silencing of SlKRP3 increased plant height. Transcriptome analysis showed that the xyloglucosyl transferase genes are also dysregulated in SlKRP3 overexpression lines, as are cell elongation and cell cycle-related genes. This argues that SlKRP3 negatively regulates cell expansion via inhibiting endoreduplication in tomato. Notably, we uncover that SlKRP3 physically interacted with cyclin D3.1 by AlphaFold3, yeast two-hybrid, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays. These findings shed light on the functional regulation of SlKRP3 and offer potential strategies for the genetic improvement of plant architecture and fruit shape in tomato.
The assimilation of inorganic nitrogen by cluster and proteoid roots of Aspalathus linearis (Burm. f.) R. Dahlgren and Protea cynaroides (L.) L. in nutrient-poor ecosystems.
Griebenow S, Groenewald LM, Makunga N … +4 more , Veste M, Hills P, Kleinert A, Valentine A
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41546905 · Publisher ↗
Certain plant families have evolved cluster (or proteoid) roots, which facilitate their survival in nutrient-poor ecosystems, specifically related to phosphorus impoverished environments, such as in South Africa, South W...
Certain plant families have evolved cluster (or proteoid) roots, which facilitate their survival in nutrient-poor ecosystems, specifically related to phosphorus impoverished environments, such as in South Africa, South Western Australia and Chile. Most cluster (or proteoid) rooted studies have focused on their capacity for phosphate acquisition, while in nutrient-poor ecosystems along with phosphate, nitrogen is the most limiting for plant growth. The role of cluster (or proteoid) roots in nitrogen nutrition is poorly understood. Therefore, in a field based experiments two cluster/proteoid rooted species, Protea cynaroides (L.) L. and Aspalathus linearis (Burm. f.) R. Dahlgren, the cluster/proteoid root capacity for inorganic nitrogen assimilation and organic nitrogen recycling utilising was assessed utilising an enzymatic approach. It was shown that cluster/proteoid roots are able to assimilate both NH and NO through the enzyme activities of Glutamine synthase (GS) (EC 6.3.1.2) and Nitrate reductase (NR) (EC 1.7.1.1). Additionally, cluster/proteoid roots were also able to recycle amino acids into other useable forms. The assimilation and recycling of inorganic - and organic nitrogen by cluster/proteoid roots along with their capacity for phosphorus mobilisation, provides insight into how cluster/proteoid roots form part of a larger system in which belowground organs are integrated to acquire scarce resources.
ABA receptors: function and post-translational modifications in plants.
Qin S, Qin Q, Hou S
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41546904 · Publisher ↗
The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in plant growth, development and abiotic stresses. ABA perception is mediated by its receptors, PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE 1 (PYR1)/PYR1-like (PYL) proteins (colle...
The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in plant growth, development and abiotic stresses. ABA perception is mediated by its receptors, PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE 1 (PYR1)/PYR1-like (PYL) proteins (collectively referred to as PYLs), which initiate downstream ABA signaling. The functional regulation of PYLs, particularly through post-translational modifications (PTMs) is gradually attracting extensive attention. Here, we have summarized recent advances in research on PTMs of PYL family, highlighting how mechanisms such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination and nitration fine-tune their activity, stability and subcellular localization. We also briefly review the biological function and genetic phenotypes of PYL family, underscoring their central role in ABA signaling and stress adaptive responses in plants. Future studies should address key questions regarding the additional PTMs, specific sites and crosstalk of these PTMs.
Auxin-mediated regulation and functional adaptation of leaf veins under heat stress.
Naznin A, Wang Y, He J … +5 more , Islam MM, Abbas A, Bose J, Ghannoum O, Chen ZH
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41546903 · Publisher ↗
Elevated global temperatures threaten crop yield and quality by impairing plant hydraulic efficiency and photosynthetic stability, hence highlighting the significance of vascular architectural plasticity in heat stress t...
Elevated global temperatures threaten crop yield and quality by impairing plant hydraulic efficiency and photosynthetic stability, hence highlighting the significance of vascular architectural plasticity in heat stress tolerance. Leaf vein architecture, the principal conduit for water, nutrients, and photosynthates, provides structural support and controls gas exchange, which are critical for sustaining growth and productivity under heat stress. Increasing evidence shows that vascular plasticity, including adjustments in vein density and patterning, underpins plant resilience by maintaining physiological homeostasis. This review summarizes the current knowledge of how heat stress influences leaf and vein structure, with an emphasis on the molecular regulatory networks that drive vascular structural adaptation. We highlight the central role of auxin in coordinating vascular differentiation through its regulation of biosynthesis, polar transport, and signalling transduction, and discuss how auxin integrates with other hormonal pathways to fine-tune vascular traits in response to environmental cues. Particularly, we focus on the unique vein patterning strategies and physiological function in the grass family, including species of many major food and cash crops with agricultural and ecological significance. By integrating these insights, we propose a framework that links vascular plasticity with plant development and yield, offering research insights and practical guidance for breeding heat-resilient crop varieties.
Screening frost-tolerant kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) genotypes through cold-responsive metabolic changes in open field conditions.
Sinkovič L, Pipan B, Neji M … +5 more , Ben Ammar H, Meglič V, Veberič R, Slatnar A, Jakopič J
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41544577 · Publisher ↗
Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) is a cold-tolerant leafy vegetable whose metabolic plasticity under frost stress remains underexplored. In this study, leaf tissues from 26 kale accessions grown under open-field...
Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) is a cold-tolerant leafy vegetable whose metabolic plasticity under frost stress remains underexplored. In this study, leaf tissues from 26 kale accessions grown under open-field conditions were metabolically profiled, focusing on soluble sugars, glucosinolates, and photosynthetic pigments before and after exposure to short-term frost. Frost stress induced significant quantitative and compositional shifts in sugar profiles, notably an accumulation of sucrose, suggesting its role as a key osmoprotectant. Among the twelve glucosinolates identified, indolic compounds dominated the unfrosted profile (67.4 %) but declined post-frost (51.6 %), coinciding with a marked increase in aliphatic glucosinolates (from 20.7 % to 38.6 %). Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents declined in most accessions following frost exposure. Notably, the metabolic profile of Accession_4 indicates a potentially resilient phenotype, characterised by limited pigment degradation and a shift toward aliphatic glucosinolates. This may reflect a stress-adaptation strategy and could be explored as a candidate for breeding or metabolotype selection approaches.
The adaptation strategy of Astragalus mongholicus shoots to the root Fe deficiency and its strong stimulating effect on glucoliquiritin apioside accumulation.
Dong Y, Nan Y, Qi Z
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41529608 · Publisher ↗
Iron is an essential micronutrient. However, nearly 40 % of arable land worldwide suffers from iron deficiency. In this study, the adaptation of shoots to root Fe deficiency was investigated using hydroponically grown As...
Iron is an essential micronutrient. However, nearly 40 % of arable land worldwide suffers from iron deficiency. In this study, the adaptation of shoots to root Fe deficiency was investigated using hydroponically grown Astragalus mongholicus, a widely cultivated medicinal plant. The root Fe deficiency significantly inhibited the plants' growth and the contents of Fe, Mo, as well as 10 metabolites, including -isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and nepitrin, which have reported anti-inflammatory activities. The root Fe deficiency promoted the contents of Ca, Mg, K, Zn, Mn, and 12 metabolites, among which the glucoliquiritin apioside, an anti-infection flavonoid, strikingly increased by 2480.6 times. Transcriptome analysis revealed that Fe deficiency could impair cellular energy metabolism by inhibiting the expression of ATPase and other essential enzymes for the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The plants adapted to the stress by enhancing the expression of transcripts encoding V-type H-ATPases, Ca and Mg transporting ATPases, Fe storage protein ferritins, as well as receptor like kinase and phytohormone-related transcription factors. In the transcriptome, a transcript encoding a functional Fe passive transporter was identified by complementing Fe/Zn uptake defective yeast mutants. The adaptation strategy of Astragalus mongholicus to the Fe deficiency and the potential for increasing glucoliquiritin apioside contents in the shoots by occasionally applying Fe chelators to the cultivating soils were discussed.
Coordinated systemic regulation maintains plant nutrient homeostasis.
Li QQ, Gao YQ
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41520523 · Publisher ↗
Plant survival in fluctuating environments depends on the precise maintenance of nutrient homeostasis, which requires the integration of local nutrient availability with whole-plant demand. While the molecular components...
Plant survival in fluctuating environments depends on the precise maintenance of nutrient homeostasis, which requires the integration of local nutrient availability with whole-plant demand. While the molecular components of local nutrient sensing and uptake are well-characterized, the systemic signaling networks that coordinate acquisition, allocation, and utilization across distant organs are less understood. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the systemic regulation of plant nutrient homeostasis. We highlight how plants coordinate photosynthetic activity in shoots with mineral nutrient absorption in roots to optimize growth. Furthermore, we examine the long-distance communication systems through which diverse mobile signals are translocated via the vasculature to synchronize root nutrient uptake with shoot photosynthetic status and developmental demands. Collectively, this synthesis illuminates the complex and finely tuned regulatory mechanisms that balance growth with environmental adaptation.
Functional analysis of SlCDPK12 and its interacting protein SlACS11 in the regulation of tomato resistance to Phytophthora infestans.
Li Y, Zhu J, Lv R … +4 more , Wang Z, Li H, Yang R, Luan Y
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41505982 · Publisher ↗
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important economic vegetable crop, but its growth and yield are often limited by biotic stresses. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), as key components of the Ca signali...
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important economic vegetable crop, but its growth and yield are often limited by biotic stresses. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), as key components of the Ca signaling pathway, play crucial roles in plant stress responses and have been extensively studied in relation to biotic stress adaptation. However, the specific role of CDPKs in tomato resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans) remains largely unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that SlCDPK12 functions as a positive regulator of tomato resistance to P. infestans. Overexpression of SlCDPK12 in the P. infestans-susceptible cultivar ZaoFen No.2 significantly enhanced resistance. This enhanced resistance was accompanied by elevated expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Using yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified SlACS11, a member of the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) family, as a candidate interacting protein of SlCDPK12. Intriguingly, transient silencing of SlACS11 enhanced tomato resistance to P. infestans. Overall, this research provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying tomato resistance to P. infestans and contributes to our understanding of the biological functions of the CDPK gene family in plant-pathogen interactions.
Localization of heterosis loci for quality traits and identification of candidate genes in Brassica napus.
Zheng G, Wang Y, Wei J … +10 more , Wu Z, Wang J, Yang Q, Cui J, Fang Y, Dong X, Zhang X, Luo Q, Yang J, Liu Z
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41500143 · Publisher ↗
The quality traits of rapeseed are critical genetic characteristics that determine seed value and its applications. Heterosis manifests not only in yield traits but also in quality traits. In this study, multiple intersp...
The quality traits of rapeseed are critical genetic characteristics that determine seed value and its applications. Heterosis manifests not only in yield traits but also in quality traits. In this study, multiple interspecific and intraspecific hybrid crosses were generated to evaluate their heterosis effects. Our results demonstrated that the heterosis of oil content, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid was higher in the winter × spring crosses than in the winter × winter crosses, whereas the opposite was true for erucic acid and glucosinolate. Furthermore, we identified a substantial numerous SNP markers through targeted sequencing and mapped the heterosis-related loci for the corresponding traits in the F population. A lot of 233, 46, 247, 192, 203, and 64 QTLs were identified as being associated with the seed traits of erucic acid, glucosinolates, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, oil content and their heterosis. These were consolidated into 425 consensus QTLs (cq-QTLs). By integrating RNA-seq data, we identified 10 pathways involved in lipid and pyruvate metabolism, among which 28 candidate genes were annotated. These conclusions showed that these cq-QTLs can serve as hotspots for mining regulatory genes related to the heterosis of rapeseed quality traits, laying a foundation for research on the heterosis of rapeseed quality traits.
Overexpression of mango GF14I1 and GF14I2 promotes early flowering and enhances abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.
Wei J, Xia L, Guo T … +9 more , Meng Y, Li K, Lan M, Nai Y, Wu W, Chen S, He W, He X, Luo C
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41500142 · Publisher ↗
14-3-3 proteins, also called G-box factor 14-3-3 homologs (GF14) or G-box regulatory factors (GRFs), are highly abundant and involved in a variety of physiological regulatory processes, especially in flowering and stress...
14-3-3 proteins, also called G-box factor 14-3-3 homologs (GF14) or G-box regulatory factors (GRFs), are highly abundant and involved in a variety of physiological regulatory processes, especially in flowering and stress regulation. This study selected a pair of GF14 genes, MiGF14I1 and MiGF14I2, which exhibit distinct intron and exon numbers, for functional characterization. MiGF14I1 and MiGF14I2 are expressed in various mango tissues, with particularly high expression levels detected in flowers. In addition, MiGF14I1 and MiGF14I2 were significantly upregulated under low-temperature, salt, and drought treatments. The overexpression of MiGF14I1 and MiGF14I2 in Arabidopsis resulted in early flowering and upregulated the expression of the bZIP transcription factors FD (AtFD), SQUAMOSA-promoter binding protein-like (AtSPL) and APETALA1 (AtAP1) in Arabidopsis. The MiGF14I1 and MiGF14I2 overexpression lines presented significantly increased germination rates, root lengths and survival rates under stress. Compared with those in the control plants, the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and HO were significantly lower, whereas the content of proline was significantly greater in the transgenic plants. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analyses revealed that MiGF14I interacted with the flowering-related proteins MiFD and FLOWERING LOCUS T (MiFT) and with several stress-related proteins, namely, NAM/ATAF1/2/CUC2 (MiNAC7), MYB30-INTERACTING E3 LIGASE 1 (MiMIEL1) and zinc finger protein 4 (MiZFP4). Moreover, yeast three-hybrid and luciferase complementation assay (LCA) analyses revealed that MiGF14I acts as a bridge to increase the interaction of MiFT with MiFD, which may lead to the formation of the flowering activation complex (FAC) of mango. These findings suggest that the MiGF14I1 and MiGF14I2 genes may play important roles in flowering and stress response in mango.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe