Journal of Integrative Plant Biology最新文献

This Commentary highlights a recent study discovering Systemic Stomatal Immunity, a rapid, targeted immune program, filling a research gap by showing local challenge triggers distal stomatal closure within hours.

Rapid softening of fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit during ripening leads to extremely short shelf life; the regulatory mechanisms underlying this process remain largely unknown. Fig softening during ripening is largely attributed to pectin degradation, and we identified FcPG12 as the crucial polygalacturonase gene involved in the process. We then identified a NAM (ATAF1/2-CUC2) transcription factor, termed FcNOR and sharing 53.09% amino acid identity with Solanum lycopersicum NOR, which binds directly to the promoter of FcPG12 to activate its transcription. The activity of FcNOR increased robustly following FcMAPK4 phosphorylation of Ser-78 and Ser-343, which are essential for FcNOR DNA binding and transcriptional activity, respectively. Ethylene also enhanced FcMAPK4 kinase activity and promoted FcNOR phosphorylation, leading to the latter's elevated activity. APETALA2/Ethylene Response Factor 5 (FcERF5) functioned as a transcriptional activator of FcPG12 expression, which was synergistically enhanced by interaction between FcNOR and FcERF5. Moreover, FcNOR binds to the promoter of FcERF5, increasing the latter's transcription and forming a FcNOR-FcERF5 positive-feedback loop. Collectively, integration of ethylene signaling with MAPK-mediated phosphorylation by the FcMAPK4-FcNOR-FcERF5 regulatory module, leading to transcriptional regulation of FcPG12 expression to drive pectin degradation, reveals new insights into the mechanism of fruit softening.

Canker disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is a severe bacterial infection threatening global kiwifruit production. Psa causes lignin degradation, cell wall rupture, leaf wilting, and canker formation on branches and trunks, often leading to plant death. The plant cell wall serves as a structural barrier against pathogens, with its thickness, composition, and cell density influencing disease resistance. Comparative studies between resistant germplasms Actinidia eriantha "Maohuaxiong" (A. eriantha 'MHX') and Actinidia latifolia "Kuoye" (A. latifolia 'KY') and susceptible cultivars Actinidia chinensis "Hongyang" (A. chinensis 'HY') and "Donghong" (DH) indicate that the resistant lines developed smaller lesions and slower disease progression after Psa infection, compared with susceptible cultivars. Histological and biochemical analyses revealed that "MHX" and "KY" had denser mesophyll cells and higher lignin deposition. Transcriptomic analysis and transient overexpression screening identified AcLFYL1 as a positive regulator of Psa resistance. AcLFYL1 overexpression increased cell density, lignin content, and disease resistance, while RNAi silencing produced the opposite phenotypes. Yeast one-hybrid, dual-luciferase reporter, and ChIP-qPCR assays confirmed that AcLFYL1 directly activates AcCSE, a key gene in lignin biosynthesis. Consistent with this, overexpression of AcCSE similarly increased cell density and lignin content and improved Psa resistance, whereas knockdown of AcCSE in both wild-type (WT) and AcLFYL1 overexpression lines significantly reduced lignin accumulation and compromised disease resistance. These findings demonstrate that AcLFYL1 enhances resistance by promoting lignin biosynthesis and increasing mesophyll cell density through direct regulation of AcCSE, offering valuable genetic targets for breeding Psa-resistant kiwifruit varieties.

Since its discovery in 1922, vitamin E research has evolved from the search for a mysterious "reproductive factor" to the exploration of a diverse family of bioactive molecules central to plant physiology and human health. This review traces a century of progress, highlighting advances in our understanding of vitamin E's chemical composition, antioxidant and non-antioxidant functions, biosynthetic pathways, and intricate regulatory networks in plants. Recent breakthroughs, such as the discovery of the seed-specific esterase, VTE7, revealed a direct phytol-recycling route linking chlorophyll degradation to tocopherol synthesis. This discovery has opened new possibilities for metabolic engineering. To overcome the persistent bottlenecks of low natural abundance and costly extraction, we also examine two production strategies: chemical synthesis and biotechnological synthesis. While chemical routes remain dominant, they yield racemic mixtures with reduced bioactivity. Emerging synthetic biology approaches, including microbial platforms capable of producing natural vitamin E configurations from key precursors, such as farnesene, mark a new paradigm for green and efficient manufacturing. Looking ahead, future directions include the intelligent evolution of catalytic enzymes, elucidation of transmembrane precursor transport, and exploration of rare homologs such as tocomonoenols. Together, these innovations promise to redefine the molecular and industrial landscape of vitamin E research for the next century.

Convergence and parallelism are contentious terms in evolutionary biology, but both denote essentially a ubiquitous phenomenon: The occurrence of similar phenotypes, in different evolutionary lineages, in a way that cannot be easily reconducted to descent from a shared ancestor. In this article, we trace the historical definitions of the two terms and the current conceptual frameworks to classify instances of repeated evolution, presenting the limits of these approaches in considering convergence and parallelism as a strict dichotomy rather than as part of a continuum along the spectrum of phenotypic similarity. We then present cases of convergence-broadly defined-from plant domestication and specialized metabolism, with the objective of understanding the intricacies between natural selection, constraints and drift underlying the recurrent appearance of complex traits.

Transcriptome deep sequencing (RNA-seq) data analysis is often affected by reference bias introduced by the use of a single linear reference (SLR) genome. Graph-based pangenomes can mitigate this bias by integrating the SLR genome with complex genetic variations within a species; however, their application remains limited owing to a lack of dedicated analytical tools. Here, we present PanGraphRNA, an integrated bioinformatics platform for RNA-seq data analysis using a graph pangenome as reference. Built on the Galaxy web-based framework, PanGraphRNA provides functional modules for constructing, evaluating, and applying graph pangenomes across different population scales, thus enabling accessibility, traceability, and reproducibility throughout the analysis. Applied to both real and simulated RNA-seq data sets from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), PanGraphRNA outperformed the SLR approach, achieving higher read alignment accuracy and more precise gene expression quantification. PanGraphRNA enabled the identification of drought stress-induced genes and flowering time-related quantitative trait loci that were previously missed with the conventional SLR approach. Furthermore, we successfully applied PanGraphRNA to process RNA-seq data sets from rice (Oryza sativa) and maize (Zea mays). By providing standardized, containerized workflows, PanGraphRNA will facilitate transcriptomic research in key plant species, including Arabidopsis, rice, and maize.

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins constitute a large superfamily of nuclear-encoded proteins characterized by tandem helical repeats. They function as critical coordinators of nucleus-organelle communication by modulating RNA metabolism within chloroplasts and mitochondria. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the functional mechanisms of PPR proteins in major cereal and oilseed crops, with a focus on their roles in regulating seedling growth, stress responses, seed development, and cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) restoration. We highlight how chloroplast-localized PPR proteins mediate RNA metabolism to ensure proper chloroplast biogenesis and seedling photosynthesis, while mitochondrial-targeted PPR proteins are crucial for RNA processing events that support respiration, embryo and endosperm development, and fertility restoration in CMS systems. We also describe how certain PPR proteins mediate biotic and abiotic stress responses through their functions in cold, drought, salt, and disease resistance, with specific members localized in chloroplasts or mitochondria. Finally, we outline unresolved questions regarding PPR protein complex assembly and environmental modulation, and highlight the emerging potential of engineered designer PPR (dPPR) proteins as programmable tools for precise RNA targeting and manipulation in organelles.

This commentary summarizes hybrid sterility models in plants, with an emphasis on a recent study that addresses the genetic basis of the RIS/RIA-RID-RIR system underlying S44-mediated hybrid sterility between Oryza longistaminata and indica rice, revealing a novel killer-protector-target model integrated with modifiers that regulate reproductive isolation.

A transformation system exploits lily bulb scale propagation and de novo formation of bulblets, integrating tissue culture with non-tissue culture approaches. Through optimized scale propagation and disinfection treatments, it achieves efficient stable gene overexpression and editing in lily.