Functional Plant Biology最新文献

Sugarcane holds considerable commercial significance due to its role as the primary source of sugar and its potential as a global biofuel resource. Fungal pathogens and insect pests present significant challenges to the cultivation of this crop, leading to substantial reductions in crop yield and sugar recovery. In response to pathogen infection, plants initiate their defense mechanisms, which involve the upregulation of pathogenesis-related proteins such as chitinase, glucanase, and chitosanase. SUGARWINs refer to a group of PR-4 proteins that are associated with the defense mechanisms of sugarcane against phytopathogens. Their gene expression is induced in response to wounds caused by Diatraea saccharalis larvae and diseases caused by fungal pathogens such Colletothricum falcatum and Fusarium verticillioides . We report the finding of some other proteins that interact with SUGARWINs and may also have a role in the defense against fungal diseases. The sugarcane cDNA library was screened against SUGARWIN1 and SUGARWIN2 proteins to find possible interactors. A strong interaction of both SUGARWIN1 and SUGARWIN2 was observed with oxygen evolving enhancer protein 1 and synaptotagmin 1. These interactions were further validated by BiFC (biomolecular fluorescence complementation) assay. For further molecular characterization, subcellular localization studies of SUGARWINs and interactor proteins were conducted by translational fusion with green fluorescent protein.

Zanthoxylum armatum has edible and medicinal value but its prickles make harvesting difficult. The bHLH gene family is vital in regulating physiological and developmental processes. One hundred and ninety-five ZabHLH genes from its genome were grouped into 11 subgroups and 23 subfamilies. Members of the bHLH IIIf subfamily play an important role in trichome development, and ZabHLH22 , ZabHLH110 , ZabHLH161 , and ZabHLH194 , which belong to this subfamily, were selected as candidate genes. Chromosomal localization analysis showed that 165 of 195 ZabHLHs were unevenly distributed on 31 chromosomes, and 30 ZabHLHs were localized to unanchored scaffolds. The expansion of ZabHLHs mainly includes dispersed replication and whole-genome duplication or segmental replication. Fourty-seven cis -acting elements were predicted in the promoters of ZabHLHs , with hormone-responsive elements being the most abundant. Expression profiles of four candidate genes were analyzed in two Z. armatum cultivars. Trichome development is regulated by hormones such as methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, and auxin. The qRT-PCR results indicate that four candidate genes respond to the stress induced by these three hormones. We predict that ZabHLH110 , ZabHLH161 , and ZabHLH194 are most likely involved in prickle development. The results are helpful to further explore the potential roles and mechanisms of ZabHLHs in the development of Z. armatum prickles.

Trehalose is a naturally occurring and non-toxic disaccharide, and has been recognised for its role in mitigating abiotic stress in various plant species. However, its potential to enhance drought resistance in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ) remains unexplored. This study evaluated the effects of exogenous trehalose application on sugar beet seedlings subjected to drought stress. Trehalose solutions at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30mM were applied foliarly during the stress period. Drought stress markedly reduced key growth and physiological parameters, including dry and fresh biomass, leaf relative water content, root area, leaf area, plant height, chlorophyll content, and root activity, while increasing oxidative stress markers such as superoxide anion and malondialdehyde levels. Among the treatments, 20mM trehalose notably alleviated these adverse effects by improving physiological and biochemical traits. Specifically, it enhanced net photosynthetic rate (Pn), antioxidant enzyme activity, and regulated osmolyte accumulation. These findings suggest that trehalose application can effectively improve sugar beet resilience to drought, offering a promising approach for optimizing sugar beet cultivation in water-limited environments.

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa ) has gained renewed scientific and agricultural interest worldwide as a multi-use, high-value crop, with products spanning textile, clothing, medicinal, food, and construction industries. Cannabis exhibits broad genetic diversity and high phenotypic plasticity, with strong genotype × environment interactions, resulting in varied aboveground growth habits from tall and thin to short and bushy. Here, we compared the growth and response to water deficit over time in seedlings of two tall, thin French dual-purpose industrial hemp genotypes, Felina 32 and Ferimon 12, and one short, bushy Chinese dual-purpose genotype, Han NE, using state-of-the-art non-destructive phenotyping and automated gravimetric watering systems. Despite the different growth habits, growth patterns were remarkably similar. Water deficit consistently reduced shoot and root dry weight, plant height, number of leaf pairs, CO2 assimilation, and stomatal conductance in all three genotypes. Han NE showed potential for greater water use efficiency, possibly linked to the shorter bushy growth habit, but further research is needed to evaluate varying growth habits within different environments and over the entire plant lifecycle. This study provides valuable insights into diverse hemp genotypes to inform field-based agronomic decisions and targeted breeding programs.

Bletilla striata is a ground cover plant that thrives in cool, humid environments. It has potential horticultural and ecological applications that can benefit from optimising outdoor cultivation techniques by understanding its light requirements and adaptive mechanisms. This study examined the impact of different shading levels on the growth and photosynthetic responses of B. striata . The results showed moderate shading improved growth, increased chlorophyll content, and reduced oxidative stress. Seasonal variation in water availability also influenced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activity, particularly during periods of reduced water supply. Moreover, moderate shading enhanced photosynthetic performance by increasing the electron transport rate (ETR), photochemical quenching (qP), and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), effectively mitigating photoinhibition. In summary, moderate shading enhances the growth and stress tolerance of B. striata , establishing a scientific foundation for improving cultivation practices in horticultural and ecological contexts.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes form the first line of plant protection against reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in cells. In this study, we recognised 14 AvSOD genes in the hexaploid oat (Avena sativa) genome, including nine AvCSDs, three AvFSDs, and two AvMSDs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AvSOD genes from oat and different other monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plant species were clustered into two different groups based on the metallic binding domain. The predicted 3D protein structures revealed comparable conserved AvSOD protein configuration within groups. Interestingly, different hormonal and light-responsive cis-elements were identified in the promoters of AvSOD genes. Gene ontology annotation results validate the AvSODs role such as response to contrasting stress stimuli (ozone, light intensity, UV-B, metallic stress…), metal-ion binding activities, cellular oxidant detoxification activity, and different other cellular components. Expression profiling by real time quantitative PCR showed that 12 genes (AvCSD1, AvCSD2, AvCSD3, AvCSD4, AvCSD5, AvCSD6, AvCSD7, AvFSD1, AvFSD2, AvFSD3, AvMSD1, and AvMSD2) were strongly upregulated in response to different hormones (abscisic acid and salicylic acid) and/or abiotic stress (salinity, cold, and drought) treatments. Our data provides more knowledge of SOD genes in plants and information for advanced functional analyses of this antioxidant gene family in oat.

Our previous experiments confirmed that two mulberry spermidine synthase (SPDS) genes (MnSPDS1 and MnSPDS2) that encode functional proteins are highly expressed under drought stress. In this study, the functions of MnSPDS1/MnSPDS2 in the drought stress response were further explored by silencing and overexpressing these genes in mulberry and tobacco, respectively. Compared with the wild-type (WT) plants, the MnSPDS1/MnSPDS2-overexpression tobacco plants were more tolerant to drought stress and showed a higher spermidine content (P < 0.05). Moreover, overexpression of MnSPDS1/MnSPDS2 at the physiological level alleviated membrane damage caused by drought and improved osmotic regulation and antioxidant capacity. In addition, correlation analysis showed that the content of spermidine was positively correlated with the expression levels of MnSPDS1 and MnSPDS2, with correlation coefficients of 0.762 and 0.715, respectively. Moreover, drought injury was more serious in the MnSPDS-silenced seedlings than in the WT seedlings after drought treatment. These results suggest that MnSPDS genes play important roles in the drought stress response and are valuable for molecular breeding to enhance the drought tolerance of mulberry.

GmbHLHm1 is a basic Helix-Loop-Helix membrane (bHLHm1) DNA binding transcription factor localized to the symbiosome membrane and nucleus in soybean (Glycine max ) nodules. Overexpression of GmbHLHm1 significantly increased nodule number and size, nitrogen fixation activity,and nitrogen delivery to the shoots. This contrasts with reduced nodule numbers per plant, nitrogen fixation activity and poor plant growth when silenced using RNAi. The promoter of GmbHLHm1 was found to be sensitive to exogenous GA supply, decreasing the level of GUS expression in transformed hairy roots in both nodules and roots and reducing native GmbHLHm1 expression in wild-type nodules. In summary, our study suggests that GmbHLHm1 positively regulates soybean nodulation and nitrogen fixation, and that GA can negatively regulate GmbHLHm1 expression in soybean nodules.

Conventional breeding of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera ) is inherently challenging due to its long generation time, dioecious nature, and high genetic heterogeneity. However, current developments in genomics and molecular biology offer promising avenues for accelerating breeding programs, particularly through high-throughput technologies including functional genomics. This article reviews genomic tools such as like CRISPR-Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-CRISPR-associated protein 9) that may bring significant changes in date palm breeding. The CRISPR-Cas9 system enables scientists to accurately target genomic regions, which helps enhance breeding accuracy by adding advantageous traits and eliminating unfavorable genes through precision editing. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses have also explained the regulation of thousands of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and metabolic pathways under environmental stress. These studies contribute to enhance the knowledge of stress tolerance mechanisms, which include the secondary metabolic process of flavonoids. Genomic studies illustrating single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based diversity between cultivars from north African and the Arabian Gulf provide new genetic resources for selective breeding. The work relates genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and miRNA profiling to elucidate key regulatory networks involved in fruit development and stress resilience. The integration of such advanced technologies, especially the CRISPR-Cas9 system, is revolutionizing the landscape of date palm breeding, opening new avenues for accelerated development of superior cultivars that meet the needs of modern agriculture.