Pub Date : 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154681
Yadi Chen, Lanxi Shi, Qingtao Xu, Chi Zhang, Li Wang, Weixing Li
Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), crucial for horticultural crop quality and value, are synthesized in an organ-specific manner and are highly regulated by light. Acting beyond a mere energy source for photosynthesis, light signals are detected by specialized photoreceptors (e.g., phytochromes, cryptochromes, UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8), triggering signaling cascades that converge on central regulators including the COP1-SPA complex and the transcription factor HY5. These regulators interact with a broad network of transcription factors, such as MYBs, bHLHs, BBXs, and PIFs, as well as epigenetic modifications, to precisely direct the transcriptional programs governing phenylpropanoid, terpenoid, and alkaloid metabolism. This review synthesizes these molecular mechanisms and discusses their implications for designing precise lighting strategies to enhance the quality and value of horticultural products in controlled-environment agriculture, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for light-quality regulation.
{"title":"Light signal transduction networks regulating phenylpropanoid, terpenoid and alkaloid biosynthesis in horticultural plants","authors":"Yadi Chen, Lanxi Shi, Qingtao Xu, Chi Zhang, Li Wang, Weixing Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154681","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154681","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), crucial for horticultural crop quality and value, are synthesized in an organ-specific manner and are highly regulated by light. Acting beyond a mere energy source for photosynthesis, light signals are detected by specialized photoreceptors (e.g., phytochromes, cryptochromes, UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8), triggering signaling cascades that converge on central regulators including the COP1-SPA complex and the transcription factor HY5. These regulators interact with a broad network of transcription factors, such as MYBs, bHLHs, BBXs, and PIFs, as well as epigenetic modifications, to precisely direct the transcriptional programs governing phenylpropanoid, terpenoid, and alkaloid metabolism. This review synthesizes these molecular mechanisms and discusses their implications for designing precise lighting strategies to enhance the quality and value of horticultural products in controlled-environment agriculture, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for light-quality regulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 154681"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145839092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-18DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154682
Huiqiang Li , Duheng Zhang , Xi Zhang , Furong Nai , Lulu Wang , Yihao Wei , Xiaochun Wang
Lateral roots are significant for capturing nutrients and water from the soil due to their capacity to expand the uptake area of the root system. Comprehending the molecular mechanisms that regulate lateral root development would be beneficial for optimizing the root system architecture (RSA) and improving crop yield. The enzyme GS (Glutamine synthetase) is a key enzyme that assimilates ammonium into glutamine. Previous study showed that TaGSr (Triticum aestivum L. ROOT GLUTAMINE SYNTHETASE) was mainly expressed in the root. However, little is known about the function of TaGSr in root system development in wheat. In this study, we showed that TaGSr-4D was expressed at all eight developmental stages of lateral root primordia and the heterologous expression of TaGSr-4D gene from wheat promoted the lateral root development in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of TaGSr-4D increased glutamine content and auxin content in root. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of IAA14, LBD18, ARF6, ARF8, YUC3, YUC5, YUC6, and YUC9 were up-regulated in TaGSr-4D-OE Arabidopsis plants compared with wild-type. The absence of lateral roots in the arf7 arf19 mutant was not complemented by TaGSr-4D overexpression. These findings suggested that TaGSr-4D-regulated lateral root development is dependent on auxin signaling pathway. Furthermore, the shoot fresh weight of overexpression of TaGSr-4D OE-1 in Arabidopsis was greatly increased (39.29 %) compared with wild-type under low nitrogen conditions. This study may provides important clues for improving RSA and yield in wheat.
侧根对从土壤中捕获养分和水分具有重要意义，因为它们具有扩大根系吸收面积的能力。了解侧根发育的分子机制有助于优化根系结构，提高作物产量。谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）是将氨同化为谷氨酰胺的关键酶。已有研究表明，Triticum aestivum L. ROOT GLUTAMINE SYNTHETASE （TaGSr）主要在根中表达。然而，对TaGSr在小麦根系发育中的作用知之甚少。在本研究中，我们发现TaGSr-4D基因在侧根原基的8个发育阶段均有表达，并且从小麦中外源表达TaGSr-4D基因促进了拟南芥侧根的发育。过表达TaGSr-4D增加了根中谷氨酰胺含量和生长素含量。qRT-PCR分析显示，与野生型相比，TaGSr-4D-OE拟南芥中IAA14、LBD18、ARF6、ARF8、YUC3、YUC5、YUC6和YUC9的表达上调。在arf7中，arf19突变体中侧根的缺失并没有被TaGSr-4D过表达所补充。这些发现表明，tagsr - 4d调控侧根发育依赖于生长素信号通路。低氮条件下，过表达TaGSr-4D OE-1的拟南芥茎鲜重较野生型显著增加（39.29%）。该研究可能为提高小麦的RSA和产量提供重要线索。
{"title":"TaGSr-4D orchestrates lateral root development and tolerance to low nitrogen stress in Arabidopsis","authors":"Huiqiang Li , Duheng Zhang , Xi Zhang , Furong Nai , Lulu Wang , Yihao Wei , Xiaochun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lateral roots are significant for capturing nutrients and water from the soil due to their capacity to expand the uptake area of the root system. Comprehending the molecular mechanisms that regulate lateral root development would be beneficial for optimizing the root system architecture (RSA) and improving crop yield. The enzyme GS (Glutamine synthetase) is a key enzyme that assimilates ammonium into glutamine. Previous study showed that <em>TaGSr</em> (<em>Triticum aestivum</em> L. <em>ROOT GLUTAMINE SYNTHETASE</em>) was mainly expressed in the root. However, little is known about the function of <em>TaGSr</em> in root system development in wheat. In this study, we showed that <em>TaGSr-4D</em> was expressed at all eight developmental stages of lateral root primordia and the heterologous expression of <em>TaGSr-4D</em> gene from wheat promoted the lateral root development in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of <em>TaGSr-4D</em> increased glutamine content and auxin content in root. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of <em>IAA14</em>, <em>LBD18</em>, <em>ARF6</em>, <em>ARF8</em>, <em>YUC3</em>, <em>YUC5</em>, <em>YUC6</em>, and <em>YUC9</em> were up-regulated in <em>TaGSr-4D-</em>OE Arabidopsis plants compared with wild-type. The absence of lateral roots in the <em>arf7 arf19</em> mutant was not complemented by <em>TaGSr-4D</em> overexpression. These findings suggested that <em>TaGSr-4D</em>-regulated lateral root development is dependent on auxin signaling pathway. Furthermore, the shoot fresh weight of overexpression of <em>TaGSr-4D</em> OE-1 in Arabidopsis was greatly increased (39.29 %) compared with wild-type under low nitrogen conditions. This study may provides important clues for improving RSA and yield in wheat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 154682"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145804739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154678
Fugang Huang , Chunlan Teng , Huayu Huang , Haiyan Cheng , Guihua Zhou , Ting Liu , Haojiang Zhu , Zhe Jiang , Shahzad Ahmad , Piqing Liu , Yongfu Qiu
The Asian rice gall midge (RGM, Orseolia oryzae Wood-Mason) is a major devastating insect pest of rice, causing continuous damage from seedling to tillering stage. Its larvae invade the basal meristematic tissues of rice shoots, secreting effectors that induce the formation of characteristic hollow, tube-like structures known as ‘silver-shoot’, which inhibits panicle development. Deploying resistant cultivars harboring RGM resistance genes remains the most effective, environment-friendly, and sustainable management strategy, yet the discovery of novel resistance loci remains critical. We found that rice variety NY74 employs a combination of antixenotic and antibiotic defenses against RGM, without a hypersensitive response during the first 16 days of infestation. Genetic segregation analysis revealed that resistance in NY74 is governed by a single recessive locus, designated as gm13. Initial mapping using bulked segregant analysis (BSA) localized gm13 to chromosome 8L. The identified quantitative trait locus (QTL) individually explained 41.7 % of the phenotypic variation, with likelihood of odd (LOD) score 14.3. Subsequently, high-resolution linkage analysis segregating progenies further refined the locus to an 82 kb interval between 18.33 Mb and 18.41 Mb. Functional annotation of the candidate region identified a resistance gene homolog, gene1, as the most promising candidate gene, characterized by a leucine-rich repeat domain. Both the gene location and recessive genetic mode distinguish gm13 from other RGM resistance locus. Our findings provide a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs and advance the molecular understanding of rice immunity against gall midge.
{"title":"Detection and mapping of gm13, a QTL governing recessive resistance to rice gall midge","authors":"Fugang Huang , Chunlan Teng , Huayu Huang , Haiyan Cheng , Guihua Zhou , Ting Liu , Haojiang Zhu , Zhe Jiang , Shahzad Ahmad , Piqing Liu , Yongfu Qiu","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Asian rice gall midge (RGM, <em>Orseolia oryzae</em> Wood-Mason) is a major devastating insect pest of rice, causing continuous damage from seedling to tillering stage. Its larvae invade the basal meristematic tissues of rice shoots, secreting effectors that induce the formation of characteristic hollow, tube-like structures known as ‘silver-shoot’, which inhibits panicle development. Deploying resistant cultivars harboring RGM resistance genes remains the most effective, environment-friendly, and sustainable management strategy, yet the discovery of novel resistance loci remains critical. We found that rice variety NY74 employs a combination of antixenotic and antibiotic defenses against RGM, without a hypersensitive response during the first 16 days of infestation. Genetic segregation analysis revealed that resistance in NY74 is governed by a single recessive locus, designated as <em>gm13</em>. Initial mapping using bulked segregant analysis (BSA) localized <em>gm13</em> to chromosome 8L. The identified quantitative trait locus (QTL) individually explained 41.7 % of the phenotypic variation, with likelihood of odd (LOD) score 14.3. Subsequently, high-resolution linkage analysis segregating progenies further refined the locus to an 82 kb interval between 18.33 Mb and 18.41 Mb. Functional annotation of the candidate region identified a resistance gene homolog, <em>gene1</em>, as the most promising candidate gene, characterized by a leucine-rich repeat domain. Both the gene location and recessive genetic mode distinguish <em>gm13</em> from other RGM resistance locus. Our findings provide a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs and advance the molecular understanding of rice immunity against gall midge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 154678"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145771900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154677
Shu Wang , Lijun Jiang , Tingting Zhai , Ke Qu , Xingyu Liu , Zhaomeng Di , Yingshan Chen , Xiaoduo Lu , Xiang Li , Jiedao Zhang , Shuxin Zhang , Wei Yang
The JmjC domain-containing protein family (JMJs) represents a family of key demethylases critical for epigenetic regulation and orchestrating plant growth and developmental processes. Despite their established roles, functional investigations into JMJ proteins under abiotic stress conditions remain limited in maize. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized ZmJMJ703, a JmjC domain-containing gene exhibiting salt stress-responsive expression patterns in maize. Physiological and phenotypic analysis revealed that ZmJMJ703 mutation significantly impairs salt stress tolerance in maize seedlings. Transcriptomic profiling uncovered differential expression patterns between zmjmj703 mutants and wild-type plants, with affected genes predominantly associated with intracellular protein trafficking, amino acid metabolism, and small molecule reprogramming. Parallel proteomic analysis through mass spectrometry further demonstrated that differential protein accumulation in mutants primarily enriched pathways related to secondary metabolite biosynthesis. These integrated omics analyses collectively suggest that ZmJMJ703 may modulate metabolic pathways critical for abiotic stress responses. Functional validation was reinforced by phenotypic evaluation of Arabidopsis lines heterologous overexpressing ZmJMJ703, which exhibited enhanced salt stress tolerance compared to control plants. Collectively, these findings significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of JMJ proteins' contributions to plant abiotic stress resilience, particularly in the context of salt stress adaptation.
{"title":"The JmjC domain-containing histone demethylase ZmJMJ703 orchestrates salt stress adaptation in maize","authors":"Shu Wang , Lijun Jiang , Tingting Zhai , Ke Qu , Xingyu Liu , Zhaomeng Di , Yingshan Chen , Xiaoduo Lu , Xiang Li , Jiedao Zhang , Shuxin Zhang , Wei Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The JmjC domain-containing protein family (JMJs) represents a family of key demethylases critical for epigenetic regulation and orchestrating plant growth and developmental processes. Despite their established roles, functional investigations into JMJ proteins under abiotic stress conditions remain limited in maize. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized <em>ZmJMJ703</em>, a JmjC domain-containing gene exhibiting salt stress-responsive expression patterns in maize. Physiological and phenotypic analysis revealed that <em>ZmJMJ703</em> mutation significantly impairs salt stress tolerance in maize seedlings. Transcriptomic profiling uncovered differential expression patterns between <em>zmjmj703</em> mutants and wild-type plants, with affected genes predominantly associated with intracellular protein trafficking, amino acid metabolism, and small molecule reprogramming. Parallel proteomic analysis through mass spectrometry further demonstrated that differential protein accumulation in mutants primarily enriched pathways related to secondary metabolite biosynthesis. These integrated omics analyses collectively suggest that <em>ZmJMJ703</em> may modulate metabolic pathways critical for abiotic stress responses. Functional validation was reinforced by phenotypic evaluation of <em>Arabidopsis</em> lines heterologous overexpressing <em>ZmJMJ703</em>, which exhibited enhanced salt stress tolerance compared to control plants. Collectively, these findings significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of JMJ proteins' contributions to plant abiotic stress resilience, particularly in the context of salt stress adaptation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 154677"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145771899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154675
Yibin Lu , Guolin Wang , Dong Yang , Cuiping Zhang , Guo He , Xiao Zhou , Yu Liu , Weiqi Li , Chunxiang Fu , Mengzhu Lu , Gongke Zhou , Jie Meng
The ginkgo leaf, with its unique fan-shaped structure, golden color, and rich content of bioactive metabolites, serves as an important medium for both cultural appreciation and medicinal use. However, the high-resolution metabolic profile of pigments and bioactive compounds has yet to be systematically investigated during the leaf color change process. In this study, we investigated a yellow-leaf mutant (YLm) and a naturally yellowing leaf type (YLn), comparing them with green leaves (GL) in terms of cellular structure, metabolic profile of gene expression and metabolite contents, and hormone levels. First, only the light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) involved in the photosystems were severely damaged in YLm while the whole chloroplast severely damaged in YLn. Second, extensive reduction in chlorophyll content was only caused by the differential expression of POR, CAO and CLH in YLm without the degradation which also occurred in the YLn. The overall gene expression patterns as well as the proportion of specific metabolites in the carotenoid and flavonoid metabolic pathways varied significantly between YLm and YLn, suggesting distinct regulatory mechanisms between the two types of YL. The contents of hormones such as indole-3-acetic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene levels, and gibberellin were significantly different between YLm and YLn. The expression levels of several transcription factors involved in chloroplast development and pigment biosynthesis such as GLK, FtsZ, ELIP, ORANGE, TCP14 were not changed significantly in YLm. In conclusion, golden coloration of Ginkgo biloba is directly caused by the sharp decrease in chlorophyll, which can be driven by the precise regulation of certain genes and does not necessitate the initiation of senescence.
{"title":"Golden coloration of Ginkgo biloba can be driven by fine-tuning of pigment, flavonoid, and terpene metabolism","authors":"Yibin Lu , Guolin Wang , Dong Yang , Cuiping Zhang , Guo He , Xiao Zhou , Yu Liu , Weiqi Li , Chunxiang Fu , Mengzhu Lu , Gongke Zhou , Jie Meng","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ginkgo leaf, with its unique fan-shaped structure, golden color, and rich content of bioactive metabolites, serves as an important medium for both cultural appreciation and medicinal use. However, the high-resolution metabolic profile of pigments and bioactive compounds has yet to be systematically investigated during the leaf color change process. In this study, we investigated a yellow-leaf mutant (YL<sup>m</sup>) and a naturally yellowing leaf type (YL<sup>n</sup>), comparing them with green leaves (GL) in terms of cellular structure, metabolic profile of gene expression and metabolite contents, and hormone levels. First, only the light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) involved in the photosystems were severely damaged in YL<sup>m</sup> while the whole chloroplast severely damaged in YL<sup>n</sup>. Second, extensive reduction in chlorophyll content was only caused by the differential expression of <em>POR, CAO</em> and <em>CLH</em> in YL<sup>m</sup> without the degradation which also occurred in the YL<sup>n</sup>. The overall gene expression patterns as well as the proportion of specific metabolites in the carotenoid and flavonoid metabolic pathways varied significantly between YL<sup>m</sup> and YL<sup>n</sup>, suggesting distinct regulatory mechanisms between the two types of YL. The contents of hormones such as indole-3-acetic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene levels, and gibberellin were significantly different between YL<sup>m</sup> and YL<sup>n</sup>. The expression levels of several transcription factors involved in chloroplast development and pigment biosynthesis such as <em>GLK</em>, <em>FtsZ</em>, <em>ELIP</em>, <em>ORANGE</em>, <em>TCP14</em> were not changed significantly in YL<sup>m</sup>. In conclusion, golden coloration of <em>Ginkgo biloba</em> is directly caused by the sharp decrease in chlorophyll, which can be driven by the precise regulation of certain genes and does not necessitate the initiation of senescence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 154675"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145819860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anthocyanins significantly influence both the visual quality and nutritional value of eggplants. Exogenous application of jasmonic acid enhanced anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant peel under low-light conditions and induced the expression of several MYB genes. In this paper, these MYB proteins were investigated by yeast one-hybrid experiments, and it was found that SmMYB6.2 could directly bind to the promoter sequence of the anthocyanin synthesis structural gene SmANS. SmMYB6.2 was a nuclear-localized protein whose expression could be induced by various stimuli, including UV-B radiation, blue light, ABA treatment, PEG stress, and low-temperature exposure at 4 °C. Next, overexpression of SmMYB6.2 in Arabidopsis promoted anthocyanin accumulation and enhanced the gene expression of AtANS. Further, Dual-LUC assays demonstrated that SmMYB6.2 enhanced its transcriptional activation of the SmANS promoter through protein-protein interactions with the bHLH proteins SmTT8, SmbHLH79, and SmGLABRA3. These findings deepen our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant peel and provide candidate genes for breeding anthocyanin-enriched eggplant varieties.
{"title":"Eggplant SmMYB6.2 positively regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis by activating SmANS gene expression","authors":"Jiangnan Hao, Ziyi Hua, Jinwei Zhang, Sufen Liu, Dalu Li, Shaohang Li, Yang Liu, Huoying Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154676","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154676","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anthocyanins significantly influence both the visual quality and nutritional value of eggplants. Exogenous application of jasmonic acid enhanced anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant peel under low-light conditions and induced the expression of several <em>MYB</em> genes. In this paper, these MYB proteins were investigated by yeast one-hybrid experiments, and it was found that SmMYB6.2 could directly bind to the promoter sequence of the anthocyanin synthesis structural gene <em>SmANS</em>. SmMYB6.2 was a nuclear-localized protein whose expression could be induced by various stimuli, including UV-B radiation, blue light, ABA treatment, PEG stress, and low-temperature exposure at 4 °C. Next, overexpression of <em>SmMYB6.2</em> in Arabidopsis promoted anthocyanin accumulation and enhanced the gene expression of <em>AtANS.</em> Further, Dual-LUC assays demonstrated that SmMYB6.2 enhanced its transcriptional activation of the <em>SmANS</em> promoter through protein-protein interactions with the bHLH proteins SmTT8, SmbHLH79, and SmGLABRA3. These findings deepen our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant peel and provide candidate genes for breeding anthocyanin-enriched eggplant varieties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 154676"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145839093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154672
Yajing Tian , Xiang Ji , Mingyue Lv , Lili Lu , Tengfei Yu , Jingya Wang , Jingyu Xu , Guanzhi Wang , Fuqiang Li , Yiyang Song , Yang Li , Xinyue Pang , Xin Li
Fruit senescence is a complex physiological process. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed the differentiation trajectories of 13 cell clusters during the senescence of Hylocereus undatus (H. undatus). The mesocarp of the fruit contained four cell clusters, but their precise localization and functional division remained unclear. This work documented mesocarp phenotypic alterations and elucidated the time courses of mesocarp flavonoid biosynthesis and superoxide anion generation. Additionally, overall ROS changes were observed using fluorescence microscopy. By combining the single-cell atlas with spatial transcriptomics data at resolutions of 0.2 and 0.8, and applying four computational algorithms (SingleR, SciBet, CARD, and RCTD), we accurately mapped the spatial distribution of the four cell populations in the two layers of the mesocarp from outer to inner regions. Furthermore, we identified highly correlated cells with cell-specific functions, which allowed us to perform a detailed analysis of the differentiation trajectories of these four cell clusters. We proposed a hypothesis that these four clusters in the mesocarp participate in the senescence process. Finally, using SCODE, we uncovered the gene regulatory networks of the pericarp's highly correlated cell clusters during fruit senescence. Through single-cell technology, the functional division of the four cell clusters in the mesocarp—responsible for stress responses, signal transduction, material preparation, and cell differentiation trajectories—has been revealed. These findings provide insights from a single-cell dimension and a spatiotemporal perspective, enhancing the understanding of the dynamic process of plant senescence.
{"title":"Spatiotemporal trajectory of senescence in mesocarp cell clusters of Hylocereus undatus based on single-cell and spatial transcriptomics","authors":"Yajing Tian , Xiang Ji , Mingyue Lv , Lili Lu , Tengfei Yu , Jingya Wang , Jingyu Xu , Guanzhi Wang , Fuqiang Li , Yiyang Song , Yang Li , Xinyue Pang , Xin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154672","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154672","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fruit senescence is a complex physiological process. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed the differentiation trajectories of 13 cell clusters during the senescence of <em>Hylocereus undatus</em> (<em>H. undatus</em>). The mesocarp of the fruit contained four cell clusters, but their precise localization and functional division remained unclear. This work documented mesocarp phenotypic alterations and elucidated the time courses of mesocarp flavonoid biosynthesis and superoxide anion generation. Additionally, overall ROS changes were observed using fluorescence microscopy. By combining the single-cell atlas with spatial transcriptomics data at resolutions of 0.2 and 0.8, and applying four computational algorithms (SingleR, SciBet, CARD, and RCTD), we accurately mapped the spatial distribution of the four cell populations in the two layers of the mesocarp from outer to inner regions. Furthermore, we identified highly correlated cells with cell-specific functions, which allowed us to perform a detailed analysis of the differentiation trajectories of these four cell clusters. We proposed a hypothesis that these four clusters in the mesocarp participate in the senescence process. Finally, using SCODE, we uncovered the gene regulatory networks of the pericarp's highly correlated cell clusters during fruit senescence. Through single-cell technology, the functional division of the four cell clusters in the mesocarp—responsible for stress responses, signal transduction, material preparation, and cell differentiation trajectories—has been revealed. These findings provide insights from a single-cell dimension and a spatiotemporal perspective, enhancing the understanding of the dynamic process of plant senescence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"317 ","pages":"Article 154672"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145819872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154674
Woo Joo Jung , Keun-ha Kim , Jin Seok Yoon , Yong Weon Seo
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play critical roles in plant responses to abiotic stress, yet their functional characterization in wheat remains limited. In this study, we investigated the function of a cold-responsive wheat MAPK gene, TaMAPK20-2, and its associated cascade components. Expression analysis revealed that TaMAPK20-2, TaMKK5, and TaMPKKK1 were significantly upregulated under cold stress. Subcellular localization and BiFC assays confirmed physical interactions among MPKKK1–MKK5–MAPK20-2 and MPKKK5–MKK6–MAPK20-2 modules, suggesting distinct signaling pathways. To assess its physiological role, we generated transgenic Brachypodium distachyon lines overexpressing TaMAPK20-2. Compared to wild-type (WT) plants, overexpression lines exhibited enhanced tolerance to both freezing and drought stress, as evidenced by higher survival rates, lower water loss, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Notably, OE plants showed increased soluble sugar, starch, sucrose, and glucose contents under non-stress conditions, but not fructose. These changes were supported by elevated expression of key carbohydrate metabolism genes (Susy, GolS3, SPS, Invertase) in the absence of stress. Additionally, OE lines showed pre-activation of the ICE–CBF–COR cold tolerance pathway, suggesting a priming effect. These findings demonstrate that TaMAPK20-2 positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance by modulating both signaling and metabolic pathways. This study provides new insights into MAPK-mediated stress responses and highlights TaMAPK20-2 as a promising target for improving wheat resilience to environmental stress.
{"title":"Overexpression of TaMAPK20-2 in Brachypodium reveals freezing and drought tolerance via modulation of sugar synthesis pathway","authors":"Woo Joo Jung , Keun-ha Kim , Jin Seok Yoon , Yong Weon Seo","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154674","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154674","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play critical roles in plant responses to abiotic stress, yet their functional characterization in wheat remains limited. In this study, we investigated the function of a cold-responsive wheat MAPK gene, <em>TaMAPK20-2</em>, and its associated cascade components. Expression analysis revealed that <em>TaMAPK20-2</em>, <em>TaMKK5</em>, and <em>TaMPKKK1</em> were significantly upregulated under cold stress. Subcellular localization and BiFC assays confirmed physical interactions among <em>MPKKK1–MKK5–MAPK20-2</em> and <em>MPKKK5–MKK6–MAPK20-2</em> modules, suggesting distinct signaling pathways. To assess its physiological role, we generated transgenic <em>Brachypodium distachyon</em> lines overexpressing <em>TaMAPK20-2</em>. Compared to wild-type (WT) plants, overexpression lines exhibited enhanced tolerance to both freezing and drought stress, as evidenced by higher survival rates, lower water loss, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Notably, OE plants showed increased soluble sugar, starch, sucrose, and glucose contents under non-stress conditions, but not fructose. These changes were supported by elevated expression of key carbohydrate metabolism genes (<em>Susy</em>, <em>GolS3</em>, <em>SPS</em>, <em>Invertase</em>) in the absence of stress. Additionally, OE lines showed pre-activation of the ICE–CBF–COR cold tolerance pathway, suggesting a priming effect. These findings demonstrate that <em>TaMAPK20-2</em> positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance by modulating both signaling and metabolic pathways. This study provides new insights into MAPK-mediated stress responses and highlights <em>TaMAPK20-2</em> as a promising target for improving wheat resilience to environmental stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"316 ","pages":"Article 154674"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145756797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154673
Ruiyuan Liu , Yan Zhan , Aiming Cui , Ying Qu , Wenjie Jin , Yan Du , Lixia Yu , Libin Zhou
Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv) is an important crop for both basic research and sustainable dryland agriculture, due to its rapid growth, high seed yield, strong stress tolerance, and rich nutritional qualities. Multiple mutagenesis approaches have been used to broaden foxtail millet germplasm resources, among which heavy ion beam (HIB) irradiation has emerged as a powerful tool for inducing genetic variations in plant breeding. However, compared with other model species, genetic resources in foxtail millet remain limited, and the specific effects of HIB radiation on this crop are not yet fully understood. In this study, seeds of foxtail millet (Yugu 24) were irradiated using six different carbon-ion beams (CIB, 100 Gy–500 Gy), a commonly used HIB mutagen. Then, the mutagenic effects were evaluated in the M1 generation, conducted large-scale phenotype screening in the M2 generation, and analyzed the anatomical, physiological, and molecular mechanisms of stable leaf mutants. M1 plants exhibited dose-dependent responses, with the optimum CIB dose for Yugu 24 ranging from 110 Gy to 140 Gy. From 3100 M2 plants, we identified 56 individuals exhibiting obvious phenotypic variations, resulting in an overall mutation frequency of 1.81 % under CIB irradiation. High frequencies of leaf morphological mutations was observed in the M2 population. Stable leaf mutants were identified and further characterized in the M4 generation, which displayed distinct phenotypic variations, including changes in chloroplast structure, stomatal characteristics, and photosynthetic pigment content. Collectively, these findings establish a theoretical foundation for applying CIB irradiation in foxtail millet mutation breeding. Furthermore, the CIB-induced mutant library of Yugu 24provides a valuable resource for future functional genomics research on foxtail millet.
{"title":"Dose-dependent mutagenic effects of carbon-ion beams in foxtail millet: from phenotypic screening to physiological and molecular mechanisms","authors":"Ruiyuan Liu , Yan Zhan , Aiming Cui , Ying Qu , Wenjie Jin , Yan Du , Lixia Yu , Libin Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foxtail millet (<em>Setaria italica</em> (L.) Beauv) is an important crop for both basic research and sustainable dryland agriculture, due to its rapid growth, high seed yield, strong stress tolerance, and rich nutritional qualities. Multiple mutagenesis approaches have been used to broaden foxtail millet germplasm resources, among which heavy ion beam (HIB) irradiation has emerged as a powerful tool for inducing genetic variations in plant breeding. However, compared with other model species, genetic resources in foxtail millet remain limited, and the specific effects of HIB radiation on this crop are not yet fully understood. In this study, seeds of foxtail millet (<em>Yugu 24</em>) were irradiated using six different carbon-ion beams (CIB, 100 Gy–500 Gy), a commonly used HIB mutagen. Then, the mutagenic effects were evaluated in the M<sub>1</sub> generation, conducted large-scale phenotype screening in the M<sub>2</sub> generation, and analyzed the anatomical, physiological, and molecular mechanisms of stable leaf mutants. M<sub>1</sub> plants exhibited dose-dependent responses, with the optimum CIB dose for <em>Yugu 24</em> ranging from 110 Gy to 140 Gy. From 3100 M2 plants, we identified 56 individuals exhibiting obvious phenotypic variations, resulting in an overall mutation frequency of 1.81 % under CIB irradiation. High frequencies of leaf morphological mutations was observed in the M<sub>2</sub> population. Stable leaf mutants were identified and further characterized in the M<sub>4</sub> generation, which displayed distinct phenotypic variations, including changes in chloroplast structure, stomatal characteristics, and photosynthetic pigment content. Collectively, these findings establish a theoretical foundation for applying CIB irradiation in foxtail millet mutation breeding. Furthermore, the CIB-induced mutant library of <em>Yugu 24</em>provides a valuable resource for future functional genomics research on foxtail millet.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"316 ","pages":"Article 154673"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154670
Meixiang Yang , Xinlei Wang , Xiaoqian Zhang , Xin Wei , Jianrong Guo
Rubisco activase (RCA) is the key regulatory enzyme in photosynthetic carbon assimilation that governs the activation state of Rubisco, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in CO2 fixation. While salinity generally inhibits photosynthesis and yield in glycophytic crops, it paradoxically enhances photosynthetic efficiency in halophytes, such as Suaeda salsa. However, the potential mechanism still remains unknown. We cloned and characterized the SsRCA gene from S. salsa, and generated SsRCA-overexpressing Arabidopsis lines. We then examined the salt tolerance and photosynthetic traits of the transgenic plants. Results showed that RCA activity in the transgenic lines was 64 % higher, and that the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was 41 % higher, as was the Fv/Fm, in SsRCA-overexpressing Arabidopsis under a 100 mM NaCl stress condition than in the wide type (WT). Meanwhile, under NaCl stress, the transgenic plants displayed increased growth and seed yield, lower Na+ and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, enhanced K+ and proline accumulation, and reduced oxidative damage compared to WT. These results suggested that SsRCA overexpression enhanced plant salt tolerance by optimizing Rubisco activation efficiency. Our findings will provide a novel halophyte-derived genetic resource for engineering crops with improved photosynthetic resilience in saline environments.
Rubisco激活酶（Rubisco activase， RCA）是光合碳同化的关键调控酶，控制着二氧化碳固定的限速酶Rubisco的激活状态。虽然盐度通常会抑制糖生植物的光合作用和产量，但它却矛盾地提高了盐生植物的光合效率，如沙特阿拉伯。然而，潜在的机制仍然未知。从salsa中克隆并鉴定了SsRCA基因，获得了过表达SsRCA的拟南芥品系。然后我们检测了转基因植株的耐盐性和光合特性。结果表明，在100 mM NaCl胁迫条件下，过表达ssrca的转基因拟南芥植株的RCA活性比普通品种高64%，净光合速率（Pn）和Fv/Fm比高41%。同时，在NaCl胁迫下，与WT相比，转基因植株的生长和种子产量增加，Na+和丙二醛（MDA）含量降低，K+和脯氨酸积累增加，氧化损伤减少。这些结果表明，SsRCA过表达通过优化Rubisco激活效率提高了植株的耐盐性。我们的研究结果将为盐生植物衍生的工程作物提供一种新的遗传资源，使其在盐环境中具有更好的光合恢复能力。
{"title":"Overexpression of the halophyte Suaeda salsa Rubisco activase gene SsRCA in Arabidopsis improves plant photosynthesis under salt-stressed conditions","authors":"Meixiang Yang , Xinlei Wang , Xiaoqian Zhang , Xin Wei , Jianrong Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154670","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jplph.2025.154670","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rubisco activase (RCA) is the key regulatory enzyme in photosynthetic carbon assimilation that governs the activation state of Rubisco, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in CO<sub>2</sub> fixation. While salinity generally inhibits photosynthesis and yield in glycophytic crops, it paradoxically enhances photosynthetic efficiency in halophytes, such as <em>Suaeda salsa</em>. However, the potential mechanism still remains unknown. We cloned and characterized the <em>SsRCA</em> gene from <em>S. salsa</em>, and generated <em>SsRCA</em>-overexpressing <em>Arabidopsis</em> lines. We then examined the salt tolerance and photosynthetic traits of the transgenic plants. Results showed that RCA activity in the transgenic lines was 64 % higher, and that the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was 41 % higher, as was the Fv/Fm, in <em>SsRCA</em>-overexpressing <em>Arabidopsis</em> under a 100 mM NaCl stress condition than in the wide type (WT). Meanwhile, under NaCl stress, the transgenic plants displayed increased growth and seed yield, lower Na<sup>+</sup> and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, enhanced K<sup>+</sup> and proline accumulation, and reduced oxidative damage compared to WT. These results suggested that <em>SsRCA</em> overexpression enhanced plant salt tolerance by optimizing Rubisco activation efficiency. Our findings will provide a novel halophyte-derived genetic resource for engineering crops with improved photosynthetic resilience in saline environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16808,"journal":{"name":"Journal of plant physiology","volume":"316 ","pages":"Article 154670"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145701141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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