Xinya Du, Yijie Liu, Sai Yuan, Pengyue Li, Yingshuang Liu, Yang Lin, Meng Yuan, Jiatao Xie, Jiangsen Cheng, Yanping Fu, Daohong Jiang, Xiao Yu, Bo Li
Pathogenic bacteria deploy biofilm as a key virulence factor to cause plant vascular diseases, which are devastating to global agricultural practices. Extracellular DNA (eDNA) constitutes the backbone of bacterial biofilm and is key to biofilm stability, thereby represents an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we engineered the plant chloroplast-localized Holliday junction (HJ) resolvase MOC1 by replacing its native chloroplast transit peptide with a secretory signal, successfully relocating it to the apoplast. Transgenic tomato and rice expressing secreted MOC1 exhibited robust resistance to bacterial wilt and bacterial blight, respectively, without growth or yield penalties. Additionally, we implemented bacterial pathogen-inducible promoters to achieve precisely spatial and temporal control over the resistance trait. Secreted MOC1 degrades eDNA in situ, disrupts biofilm architecture, and markedly reduces bacterial colonization and systemic spread. Our work presents a novel strategy for controlling vascular diseases by engineering plant HJ resolvases to disrupt biofilms. This approach provides a new blueprint for molecular resistance breeding and disease resistance gene exploration.
{"title":"Chloroplast-to-Apoplast Relocalization of MOC1 Strengthens Plant Vascular Immunity","authors":"Xinya Du, Yijie Liu, Sai Yuan, Pengyue Li, Yingshuang Liu, Yang Lin, Meng Yuan, Jiatao Xie, Jiangsen Cheng, Yanping Fu, Daohong Jiang, Xiao Yu, Bo Li","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag046","url":null,"abstract":"Pathogenic bacteria deploy biofilm as a key virulence factor to cause plant vascular diseases, which are devastating to global agricultural practices. Extracellular DNA (eDNA) constitutes the backbone of bacterial biofilm and is key to biofilm stability, thereby represents an attractive therapeutic target. Here, we engineered the plant chloroplast-localized Holliday junction (HJ) resolvase MOC1 by replacing its native chloroplast transit peptide with a secretory signal, successfully relocating it to the apoplast. Transgenic tomato and rice expressing secreted MOC1 exhibited robust resistance to bacterial wilt and bacterial blight, respectively, without growth or yield penalties. Additionally, we implemented bacterial pathogen-inducible promoters to achieve precisely spatial and temporal control over the resistance trait. Secreted MOC1 degrades eDNA in situ, disrupts biofilm architecture, and markedly reduces bacterial colonization and systemic spread. Our work presents a novel strategy for controlling vascular diseases by engineering plant HJ resolvases to disrupt biofilms. This approach provides a new blueprint for molecular resistance breeding and disease resistance gene exploration.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146215619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As an evolutionarily conserved microRNA (miRNA), miR396 regulates plant growth by integrating developmental and environmental signals. In the present study, CsaWPRa4, a WEB1 (Weak Chloroplast Movement under Blue Light 1)/PMI2 (Plastid Movement Impaired 2)-related protein (WPR) family member, was predicted to be a novel target gene of CsamiR396 in cucumbers. WPRa4 is a highly conserved protein in plants. Interestingly, bioinformatic analysis showed that WPRa4 acts as a conserved target gene of miR396 in cucumber and its related species in cucurbits, but not in other plants. The miR396 binding site is located within the coding region of the AAK(K/R)AVE motif in WPRa4, and it evolved by synonymous substitutions in cucurbits. Negative regulation of CsaWPRa4 by CsamiR396 was confirmed by RT-qPCR, luciferase assay, gene overexpression, and TRSV-based gene silencing analysis. The subcellular localization assay showed that CsaWPRa4 was localized to both the cell periphery and nuclear periphery. Thereafter, Csawpra4 mutants were generated using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. Chloroplast- and flower morphogenesis-related genes were altered, resulting in altered photosynthetic traits and flower morphogenesis in Csawpra4 mutants. In summary, our results showed that WPRa4 evolved as a novel target of miR396 through synonymous substitutions in cucurbits, uncovering the role of synonymous substitutions in genome evolution and providing a new perspective on miRNA-target evolutionary processes in plants.
miR396是一种进化保守的microRNA (miRNA)，通过整合发育和环境信号调控植物生长。本研究预测黄瓜CsamiR396的新靶基因CsaWPRa4为WEB1 (Weak Chloroplast Movement under Blue Light 1)/PMI2 （Plastid Movement impairment 2）相关蛋白（WPR）家族成员。WPRa4是植物中高度保守的蛋白。有趣的是，生物信息学分析表明，WPRa4在黄瓜及其近缘种中是miR396的保守靶基因，而在其他植物中则不是。miR396结合位点位于WPRa4中AAK(K/R)AVE基序的编码区，在葫芦中通过同义替换进化而来。RT-qPCR、荧光素酶测定、基因过表达和基于trv的基因沉默分析证实了CsamiR396对CsaWPRa4的负调控作用。亚细胞定位实验表明，CsaWPRa4定位于细胞外周和核外周。随后，利用CRISPR/ cas9介导的基因编辑技术生成Csawpra4突变体。Csawpra4突变体叶绿体和花形态发生相关基因发生改变，导致光合性状和花形态发生改变。综上所述，我们的研究结果表明，WPRa4作为miR396的新靶点在葫芦中通过同义替换进化而来，揭示了同义替换在基因组进化中的作用，并为植物mirna靶点进化过程提供了新的视角。
{"title":"Synonymous substitutions confer the conserved WPRa4 as a novel target of miR396 in cucumber","authors":"Xu Wang, Longlong Zheng, Zhihui Sun, Jiaqi Pan, Ze Li, Chenhao Zhou, Yong He, Zhujun Zhu, Yunmin Xu","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag036","url":null,"abstract":"As an evolutionarily conserved microRNA (miRNA), miR396 regulates plant growth by integrating developmental and environmental signals. In the present study, CsaWPRa4, a WEB1 (Weak Chloroplast Movement under Blue Light 1)/PMI2 (Plastid Movement Impaired 2)-related protein (WPR) family member, was predicted to be a novel target gene of CsamiR396 in cucumbers. WPRa4 is a highly conserved protein in plants. Interestingly, bioinformatic analysis showed that WPRa4 acts as a conserved target gene of miR396 in cucumber and its related species in cucurbits, but not in other plants. The miR396 binding site is located within the coding region of the AAK(K/R)AVE motif in WPRa4, and it evolved by synonymous substitutions in cucurbits. Negative regulation of CsaWPRa4 by CsamiR396 was confirmed by RT-qPCR, luciferase assay, gene overexpression, and TRSV-based gene silencing analysis. The subcellular localization assay showed that CsaWPRa4 was localized to both the cell periphery and nuclear periphery. Thereafter, Csawpra4 mutants were generated using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. Chloroplast- and flower morphogenesis-related genes were altered, resulting in altered photosynthetic traits and flower morphogenesis in Csawpra4 mutants. In summary, our results showed that WPRa4 evolved as a novel target of miR396 through synonymous substitutions in cucurbits, uncovering the role of synonymous substitutions in genome evolution and providing a new perspective on miRNA-target evolutionary processes in plants.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146205031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan Meng, Ziwei Li, Haoning Wang, Zhiyi Yue, Zimo Li, Guijia Wang, Tangren Cheng, Qixiang Zhang, Lidan Sun
Prunus mume ‘Meiren,’ a member of the Meiren cultivar group, is a valuable ornamental woody plant prized for its purple flowers and leaves. However, its leaf color exhibits instability during the growth and development, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In our study, we conducted genome-wide methylation analysis on leaves at different developmental stages to investigate the role of methylation patterns and allele-specific methylation (ASM) in leaf color change. Results revealed a significant increase in CHH methylation during leaf development, suggesting its responsiveness to environmental factors and dynamic association with color changes. Notably, CG methylation was imbalanced between the ‘Meiren’ haplotype M (HM) and haplotype C (HC), with the HM subgenome showing higher methylation levels, particularly in promoter regions of key anthocyanin-related genes like PmMYB10.5, where ASM negatively correlated with allele-specific expression (ASE). Additionally, we identified two alternative splicing variants of PmMYB10.5b, named PmMYB10.5b1 (PmMYB10.5b△I24), and PmMYB10.5bP (PmMYB10.5b△D10), respectively. Both the InDel mutations altered the R2 domain structure of the MYB protein. Functional assays demonstrated that these variants lost transcriptional activation ability and failed to promote anthocyanin biosynthesis. Instead, they may compete with the PmMYB10.5b for binding to the PmbHLH3, disrupting regulatory complexes in the anthocyanin pathway and exerting inhibitory effects. These results augment our understanding of the epigenetic and genetic factors influencing leaf color change in ‘Meiren’ and provide novel insights into its regulatory mechanisms.
{"title":"Allele-specific methylation, and InDels of PmMYB10.5b induced by alternative splicing, participate in regulating the leaf color change in Prunus mume ‘Meiren’","authors":"Juan Meng, Ziwei Li, Haoning Wang, Zhiyi Yue, Zimo Li, Guijia Wang, Tangren Cheng, Qixiang Zhang, Lidan Sun","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag039","url":null,"abstract":"Prunus mume ‘Meiren,’ a member of the Meiren cultivar group, is a valuable ornamental woody plant prized for its purple flowers and leaves. However, its leaf color exhibits instability during the growth and development, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In our study, we conducted genome-wide methylation analysis on leaves at different developmental stages to investigate the role of methylation patterns and allele-specific methylation (ASM) in leaf color change. Results revealed a significant increase in CHH methylation during leaf development, suggesting its responsiveness to environmental factors and dynamic association with color changes. Notably, CG methylation was imbalanced between the ‘Meiren’ haplotype M (HM) and haplotype C (HC), with the HM subgenome showing higher methylation levels, particularly in promoter regions of key anthocyanin-related genes like PmMYB10.5, where ASM negatively correlated with allele-specific expression (ASE). Additionally, we identified two alternative splicing variants of PmMYB10.5b, named PmMYB10.5b1 (PmMYB10.5b△I24), and PmMYB10.5bP (PmMYB10.5b△D10), respectively. Both the InDel mutations altered the R2 domain structure of the MYB protein. Functional assays demonstrated that these variants lost transcriptional activation ability and failed to promote anthocyanin biosynthesis. Instead, they may compete with the PmMYB10.5b for binding to the PmbHLH3, disrupting regulatory complexes in the anthocyanin pathway and exerting inhibitory effects. These results augment our understanding of the epigenetic and genetic factors influencing leaf color change in ‘Meiren’ and provide novel insights into its regulatory mechanisms.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"87 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146210322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Polyploidization is a major driver of plant evolution and stress adaptation, yet its role in modulating biotic stress resistance through epigenetic mechanisms remains poorly understood. This study demonstrates that autotetraploidization in Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium significantly enhances resistance to Alternaria alternata, the cause of black spot disease. Whole-genome methylome and transcriptome analyses reveal that polyploidization induces locus-specific CHH hypomethylation in the promoters of a subset of WRKY transcription factors, leading to their transcriptional activation upon fungal infection. Functional characterization of CIWRKY103, a key hypo-methylated WRKY gene, confirms its critical role in conferring disease resistance. Chemical inhibition of DNA methylation (5-azacytidine treatment) in diploid plants mimics the tetraploid phenotype by activating WRKY103 expression and enhancing resistance. This epigenetic regulatory mechanism is conserved across diverse chrysanthemum species, highlighting the potential of targeting DNA methylation to modulate fungal disease resistance in polyploid crops. Our findings unveil a novel link between polyploidy, epigenetic reprogramming, and pathogen defense, offering strategic insights for sustainable crop protection.
{"title":"Polyploidization enhances plant resistance to Alternaria alternata via DNA hypomethylation activated WRKYs","authors":"Zhongyu Yu, Huiting Ci, Ruyue Jing, Qi Yu, Jun He, Ye Liu, Jiafu Jiang, Haibing Wang, Weimin Fang, Zhenxing Wang, Fadi Chen","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag050","url":null,"abstract":"Polyploidization is a major driver of plant evolution and stress adaptation, yet its role in modulating biotic stress resistance through epigenetic mechanisms remains poorly understood. This study demonstrates that autotetraploidization in Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium significantly enhances resistance to Alternaria alternata, the cause of black spot disease. Whole-genome methylome and transcriptome analyses reveal that polyploidization induces locus-specific CHH hypomethylation in the promoters of a subset of WRKY transcription factors, leading to their transcriptional activation upon fungal infection. Functional characterization of CIWRKY103, a key hypo-methylated WRKY gene, confirms its critical role in conferring disease resistance. Chemical inhibition of DNA methylation (5-azacytidine treatment) in diploid plants mimics the tetraploid phenotype by activating WRKY103 expression and enhancing resistance. This epigenetic regulatory mechanism is conserved across diverse chrysanthemum species, highlighting the potential of targeting DNA methylation to modulate fungal disease resistance in polyploid crops. Our findings unveil a novel link between polyploidy, epigenetic reprogramming, and pathogen defense, offering strategic insights for sustainable crop protection.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"102 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146215623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wei Huang, Liujing Yang, Nan Hu, Qiu Jiang, Ping Zhou, Jing He, Li Lu, Zhong-hua Chen, Cong Tan
Plant etiolation, a critical process for seedling emergence, is regulated by ethylene and Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathways. However, the cell-type-specific regulation of these pathways remains poorly understood. To address this, we generated a comprehensive single-nucleus RNA (snRNA) transcriptome atlas of etiolated apical hooks and hypocotyls in tomato seedlings treated with either the ethylene precursor ACC, the TOR inhibitor Torin2, or a mock treatment. In total, we obtained high-quality gene expression profiles for 117,929 nuclei across these tissues and treatments. Our analysis identified seven major cell types within each tissue, revealing distinct cellular compositions and transcriptional programs. ACC treatment increased the proportion of epidermal cells in apical hooks, while Torin2 had limited impact on cellular composition. Differential gene expression analysis demonstrated tissue-specific sensitivity to these treatments: apical hooks exhibited extensive ACC-responsive differentially expressed genes (DEGs), whereas hypocotyls were highly responsive to Torin2. Cellular responsiveness analysis uncovered divergent ethylene/auxin pathway activities, such as ACC-repressed auxin transport in hook endodermis. Dynamic trajectory analysis indicated both treatments altered cell differentiation, authenticating epidermis as the key cell type for ethylene-mediated etiolated growth. Crucially, we identified JA1 (HD-ZIP I TF) as a negative ethylene regulator enriched in epidermis, and CRISPR knockout ja1 mutants exhibited hypersensitive to ACC. This study deciphers cell-type-specific ethylene-TOR crosstalk, providing a robust single-cell RNA sequencing framework to dissect signaling networks in crops.
植物黄化是植物幼苗出苗的关键过程，受乙烯和雷帕霉素靶蛋白（TOR）信号通路的调控。然而，对这些途径的细胞类型特异性调控仍然知之甚少。为了解决这个问题，我们在乙烯前体ACC、TOR抑制剂Torin2或模拟处理的番茄幼苗中生成了黄化顶端钩和下胚轴的综合单核RNA （snRNA）转录组图谱。总的来说，我们在这些组织和治疗中获得了117,929个细胞核的高质量基因表达谱。我们的分析确定了每个组织中的七种主要细胞类型，揭示了不同的细胞组成和转录程序。ACC处理增加了顶钩表皮细胞的比例，而Torin2对细胞组成的影响有限。差异基因表达分析显示了对这些处理的组织特异性敏感性：顶端钩表现出广泛的acc响应差异表达基因（DEGs），而下胚轴对Torin2高度响应。细胞响应性分析揭示了不同的乙烯/生长素途径活动，如acc抑制钩内胚层中的生长素运输。动态轨迹分析表明，两种处理都改变了细胞分化，证实表皮是乙烯介导的黄化生长的关键细胞类型。至关重要的是，我们发现JA1 （HD-ZIP I TF）是一种富集于表皮的负乙烯调节剂，CRISPR敲除的JA1突变体对ACC过敏。这项研究破译了细胞类型特异性乙烯- tor串扰，为剖析作物信号网络提供了一个强大的单细胞RNA测序框架。
{"title":"Single-Nucleus Transcriptome Profiling Unveils Cell-Type Specific Ethylene and TOR Signaling in Tomato","authors":"Wei Huang, Liujing Yang, Nan Hu, Qiu Jiang, Ping Zhou, Jing He, Li Lu, Zhong-hua Chen, Cong Tan","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag044","url":null,"abstract":"Plant etiolation, a critical process for seedling emergence, is regulated by ethylene and Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathways. However, the cell-type-specific regulation of these pathways remains poorly understood. To address this, we generated a comprehensive single-nucleus RNA (snRNA) transcriptome atlas of etiolated apical hooks and hypocotyls in tomato seedlings treated with either the ethylene precursor ACC, the TOR inhibitor Torin2, or a mock treatment. In total, we obtained high-quality gene expression profiles for 117,929 nuclei across these tissues and treatments. Our analysis identified seven major cell types within each tissue, revealing distinct cellular compositions and transcriptional programs. ACC treatment increased the proportion of epidermal cells in apical hooks, while Torin2 had limited impact on cellular composition. Differential gene expression analysis demonstrated tissue-specific sensitivity to these treatments: apical hooks exhibited extensive ACC-responsive differentially expressed genes (DEGs), whereas hypocotyls were highly responsive to Torin2. Cellular responsiveness analysis uncovered divergent ethylene/auxin pathway activities, such as ACC-repressed auxin transport in hook endodermis. Dynamic trajectory analysis indicated both treatments altered cell differentiation, authenticating epidermis as the key cell type for ethylene-mediated etiolated growth. Crucially, we identified JA1 (HD-ZIP I TF) as a negative ethylene regulator enriched in epidermis, and CRISPR knockout ja1 mutants exhibited hypersensitive to ACC. This study deciphers cell-type-specific ethylene-TOR crosstalk, providing a robust single-cell RNA sequencing framework to dissect signaling networks in crops.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146210321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Boyang Liu, Jiajia Li, Min Zhou, Ziqing Yu, Zishu Wu, Lei Wang, Shiping Wang, Songtao Jiu
Phytohormones play a crucial role in regulating fruit ripening and quality, particularly in soluble sugar accumulation. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms behind hormone-induced sugar accumulation in grapes are not well understood. Our study shows that abscisic acid (ABA) enhances grape fruit ripening and soluble sugar levels. We generated a transcriptome dataset from grape berries subjected to hormone treatment and constructed a potential regulatory network related to sugar accumulation using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Furthermore, we identified five structural genes and 44 transcription factors (TFs) responsive to ABA that potentially regulate sugar accumulation in grape berries. Notably, VvMYB44 TF was emphasized due to its highest expression in ABA-treated mature fruits among the aforementioned 44 TFs. It binds to the promoter of VvSPS4 and activates its expression, thereby influencing sucrose metabolism. Additionally, VvERF045 interacts with VvMYB44, further amplifying its transcriptional activation of VvSPS4. Overexpressing VvERF045 also boosted the soluble sugar levels in tomato fruits. These findings underscore the role of VvMYB44-VvERF045 complex in sugar accumulation and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sugar accumulation in grapes.
{"title":"VvMYB44-VvERF045 complex is involved in abscisic acid-induced sugar accumulation by activating VvSPS4 expression in grapes","authors":"Boyang Liu, Jiajia Li, Min Zhou, Ziqing Yu, Zishu Wu, Lei Wang, Shiping Wang, Songtao Jiu","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhaf318","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhaf318","url":null,"abstract":"Phytohormones play a crucial role in regulating fruit ripening and quality, particularly in soluble sugar accumulation. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms behind hormone-induced sugar accumulation in grapes are not well understood. Our study shows that abscisic acid (ABA) enhances grape fruit ripening and soluble sugar levels. We generated a transcriptome dataset from grape berries subjected to hormone treatment and constructed a potential regulatory network related to sugar accumulation using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Furthermore, we identified five structural genes and 44 transcription factors (TFs) responsive to ABA that potentially regulate sugar accumulation in grape berries. Notably, VvMYB44 TF was emphasized due to its highest expression in ABA-treated mature fruits among the aforementioned 44 TFs. It binds to the promoter of VvSPS4 and activates its expression, thereby influencing sucrose metabolism. Additionally, VvERF045 interacts with VvMYB44, further amplifying its transcriptional activation of VvSPS4. Overexpressing VvERF045 also boosted the soluble sugar levels in tomato fruits. These findings underscore the role of VvMYB44-VvERF045 complex in sugar accumulation and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sugar accumulation in grapes.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"325 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146210324","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rui Xia, Lin Chen, Pengfei Wang, Baoying Huang, Baoling Liang, Shengzhe Lin, Guangsheng Yang, Dengfeng Hong
Flower color is a key trait influencing insect pollination and ornamental value, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying heterozygous flower color remain unclear. In this study, we identified the creation of a yellow-white chimeric flower (cf) mutation in Brassica napus, characterized as the coexistence of yellow and white colors on petals of the same flower. Genetic analysis revealed that chimeric flower formation is controlled by a completely dominant gene. Map-based cloning, transgenic complementation, and CRISPR/Cas9 experiments consistently confirmed that BnaC05G0385300ZS on chromosome C05 is the causal gene of CF, which encodes a plastid DNA polymerase IB (BnaC05.POLIB). A G-to-A mutation in the seventh exon results in a D742N substitution, which disrupts Mg2+ binding and impairs polymerase activity. This leads to a reduced plastid genome copy number, decreased chromoplast formation, and aberrant carotenoid accumulation, ultimately resulting in the chimeric phenotype in a dosage-dependent manner. These findings reveal a novel role for BnaC05.POLIB in petal color patterning and provide a strategy for breeding ornamental plants with heterozygous flowers.
{"title":"A single nucleotide mutation of BnaC05.POLIB creates yellow-white chimeric flower in Brassica napus","authors":"Rui Xia, Lin Chen, Pengfei Wang, Baoying Huang, Baoling Liang, Shengzhe Lin, Guangsheng Yang, Dengfeng Hong","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhaf276","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhaf276","url":null,"abstract":"Flower color is a key trait influencing insect pollination and ornamental value, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying heterozygous flower color remain unclear. In this study, we identified the creation of a yellow-white chimeric flower (cf) mutation in Brassica napus, characterized as the coexistence of yellow and white colors on petals of the same flower. Genetic analysis revealed that chimeric flower formation is controlled by a completely dominant gene. Map-based cloning, transgenic complementation, and CRISPR/Cas9 experiments consistently confirmed that BnaC05G0385300ZS on chromosome C05 is the causal gene of CF, which encodes a plastid DNA polymerase IB (BnaC05.POLIB). A G-to-A mutation in the seventh exon results in a D742N substitution, which disrupts Mg2+ binding and impairs polymerase activity. This leads to a reduced plastid genome copy number, decreased chromoplast formation, and aberrant carotenoid accumulation, ultimately resulting in the chimeric phenotype in a dosage-dependent manner. These findings reveal a novel role for BnaC05.POLIB in petal color patterning and provide a strategy for breeding ornamental plants with heterozygous flowers.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"48 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146169510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In the context of global warming, elevated temperatures present serious challenges to the growth, quality, and productivity of nonheading Chinese cabbage (NHCC). Understanding the mechanisms underlying thermotolerance in NHCCs is therefore critically important. In this study, we investigated the influence of heat stress (HS) duration and circadian rhythm on gene expression using time-resolved transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that during the early stages of HS, NHCC primarily engaged in physiological processes such as stimulus perception and signal transduction. In contrast, prolonged HS exposure activated antioxidant metabolism, reduced photosynthetic capacity, and accelerated leaf senescence. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further revealed a strong link between circadian regulation and HS responses. Notably, our findings demonstrate that the core circadian clock component CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 (BcCCA1) negatively regulated heat tolerance by repressing the transcription of BcHSFA2. Collectively, these results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying HS responses in NHCCs and highlight the regulatory role of circadian rhythms in plant thermotolerance.
{"title":"CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 represses thermotolerance by inhibiting HEAT SHOCK FACTOR A2 expression in nonheading Chinese cabbage","authors":"Ying He, Dong Xiao, Xlin Hou, Yiran Li, Hongfang Zhu","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag033","url":null,"abstract":"In the context of global warming, elevated temperatures present serious challenges to the growth, quality, and productivity of nonheading Chinese cabbage (NHCC). Understanding the mechanisms underlying thermotolerance in NHCCs is therefore critically important. In this study, we investigated the influence of heat stress (HS) duration and circadian rhythm on gene expression using time-resolved transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that during the early stages of HS, NHCC primarily engaged in physiological processes such as stimulus perception and signal transduction. In contrast, prolonged HS exposure activated antioxidant metabolism, reduced photosynthetic capacity, and accelerated leaf senescence. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further revealed a strong link between circadian regulation and HS responses. Notably, our findings demonstrate that the core circadian clock component CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 (BcCCA1) negatively regulated heat tolerance by repressing the transcription of BcHSFA2. Collectively, these results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying HS responses in NHCCs and highlight the regulatory role of circadian rhythms in plant thermotolerance.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146161077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Meiqi Zhou, Yilin Wang, Kim Lien Phan Thi, Yao Chi, Xu Li, Yang Li, Chao Wang
This research examines how the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor (TF) influences drought stress responses in tree species, emphasizing its related regulatory pathways, and thus offering a theoretical framework for understanding drought response mechanisms regulated by the bZIP TF family. Specifically, we characterized the functional role of the S subfamily bZIP gene, PtrbZIP12, from Populus trichocarpa, by developing transgenic poplars that either overexpressed or knocked down of PtrbZIP12. The findings indicated that PtrbZIP12 markedly improved drought tolerance in transgenic plants by facilitating reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, enhancing proline biosynthesis, and reducing plasma membrane peroxidation and cell death. To pinpoint PtrbZIP12’s downstream targets, RNA sequencing was performed, followed by chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR (ChIP-PCR), yeast one-hybrid, and dual-luciferase assays. These analyses confirmed that PtrbZIP12 binds directly to the promoters of PtrDHN (Dehydrin) and PtrPOD (peroxidase), leading to the activation of their expression. Transgenic poplars overexpressing (OE) PtrDHN or PtrPOD were subsequently generated, and similar to PtrbZIP12, their OE conferred enhanced drought tolerance. Moreover, co-expression of PtrbZIP12 with PtrbZIP3 further elevated PtrDHN transcript levels, resulting in improved drought resilience in the PtrbZIP12 transgenic lines. Moreover, phosphorylation was identified as a key factor in boosting PtrbZIP12-mediated transcriptional regulation of PtrPOD and PtrDHN, underscoring the significance of post-translational modification in plant drought stress responses.
{"title":"PtrbZIP12 improves drought resistance in Populus trichocarpa by directly targeting PtrDHN and PtrPOD","authors":"Meiqi Zhou, Yilin Wang, Kim Lien Phan Thi, Yao Chi, Xu Li, Yang Li, Chao Wang","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag034","url":null,"abstract":"This research examines how the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor (TF) influences drought stress responses in tree species, emphasizing its related regulatory pathways, and thus offering a theoretical framework for understanding drought response mechanisms regulated by the bZIP TF family. Specifically, we characterized the functional role of the S subfamily bZIP gene, PtrbZIP12, from Populus trichocarpa, by developing transgenic poplars that either overexpressed or knocked down of PtrbZIP12. The findings indicated that PtrbZIP12 markedly improved drought tolerance in transgenic plants by facilitating reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, enhancing proline biosynthesis, and reducing plasma membrane peroxidation and cell death. To pinpoint PtrbZIP12’s downstream targets, RNA sequencing was performed, followed by chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR (ChIP-PCR), yeast one-hybrid, and dual-luciferase assays. These analyses confirmed that PtrbZIP12 binds directly to the promoters of PtrDHN (Dehydrin) and PtrPOD (peroxidase), leading to the activation of their expression. Transgenic poplars overexpressing (OE) PtrDHN or PtrPOD were subsequently generated, and similar to PtrbZIP12, their OE conferred enhanced drought tolerance. Moreover, co-expression of PtrbZIP12 with PtrbZIP3 further elevated PtrDHN transcript levels, resulting in improved drought resilience in the PtrbZIP12 transgenic lines. Moreover, phosphorylation was identified as a key factor in boosting PtrbZIP12-mediated transcriptional regulation of PtrPOD and PtrDHN, underscoring the significance of post-translational modification in plant drought stress responses.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elevated atmospheric [CO2] and nitrogen (N) availability are critical determinants of plants growth. This study investigated the underlying mechanisms of hormone in mediating elevated [CO2]-promoted shoot growth and leaf elongation under different N conditions in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Plants were grown under low N (LN, 0.25 mM) and moderate N (MN, 4 mM) conditions. Subsequently, the plants from each N treatment were divided and immediately transferred to ambient (400 μmol·mol−1) or elevated [CO2] (800 μmol·mol−1), respectively. Elevated [CO2] promoted plant growth under both LN and MN conditions through affecting cell division and cell elongation, with a more pronounced effect under MN supply levels. Elevated [CO2]-induced shoot growth and leaf elongation were associated with increased cytokinin level under LN and with enhanced both cytokinin and auxin under MN conditions. Exogenous cytokinin inhibitor (lovastatin) and auxin inhibitor (2,3,5-triiodobenzoic) altered elevated [CO2]-enhanced growth on tall fescue regardless of N conditions. Elevated [CO2]-enhanced growth by modulating cell growth-related genes OsCycD2, OsPCNA, and OsEXPA10 was counteracted and reduced in FaCKX11-OE lines under LN and MN conditions, respectively. However, this enhancement was counteracted in FaDAO-OE lines under MN but not under LN conditions. These results demonstrated that elevated [CO2]-enhanced shoot growth in perennial grass species could be primarily mediated by cytokinin under LN conditions, while both cytokinin and auxin were involved in regulating elevated [CO2]-enhanced growth under MN conditions.
{"title":"Cytokinin and Auxin Metabolism Mediation of Elevated [CO2]-Enhanced Shoot Growth under Different Nitrogen Conditions in Perennial Grass","authors":"Ningli Fan, Qiuguo Li, Tian Hao, Danyi Wang, Peishuang Yang, Jingjin Yu, Zhimin Yang","doi":"10.1093/hr/uhag025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhag025","url":null,"abstract":"Elevated atmospheric [CO2] and nitrogen (N) availability are critical determinants of plants growth. This study investigated the underlying mechanisms of hormone in mediating elevated [CO2]-promoted shoot growth and leaf elongation under different N conditions in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Plants were grown under low N (LN, 0.25 mM) and moderate N (MN, 4 mM) conditions. Subsequently, the plants from each N treatment were divided and immediately transferred to ambient (400 μmol·mol−1) or elevated [CO2] (800 μmol·mol−1), respectively. Elevated [CO2] promoted plant growth under both LN and MN conditions through affecting cell division and cell elongation, with a more pronounced effect under MN supply levels. Elevated [CO2]-induced shoot growth and leaf elongation were associated with increased cytokinin level under LN and with enhanced both cytokinin and auxin under MN conditions. Exogenous cytokinin inhibitor (lovastatin) and auxin inhibitor (2,3,5-triiodobenzoic) altered elevated [CO2]-enhanced growth on tall fescue regardless of N conditions. Elevated [CO2]-enhanced growth by modulating cell growth-related genes OsCycD2, OsPCNA, and OsEXPA10 was counteracted and reduced in FaCKX11-OE lines under LN and MN conditions, respectively. However, this enhancement was counteracted in FaDAO-OE lines under MN but not under LN conditions. These results demonstrated that elevated [CO2]-enhanced shoot growth in perennial grass species could be primarily mediated by cytokinin under LN conditions, while both cytokinin and auxin were involved in regulating elevated [CO2]-enhanced growth under MN conditions.","PeriodicalId":13179,"journal":{"name":"Horticulture Research","volume":"99 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146101325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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