Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants最新文献

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is steadily gaining more attention in the field of molecular biology research as it has a crucial dual role in regulation and control of biological processes, including programmed cell death, development, growth, cell cycle, hormone signaling, biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, when kept at comparatively low concentrations, H₂O₂ acts as a signaling molecule and in many aspects, resembles phytohormones. We examined current developments in H₂O₂ signaling distinct to each cellular compartment and those that are cross-compartmental also. Toxicity due to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), plants have adaptive ameliorated complex antioxidative defense mechanism that includes both enzymatic and non-enzymatic components which either scavenge ROS or prevent their detrimental effects on biomolecules. We also summarize the indispensable roles of H₂O₂, transcription factor genes involved in plant defense, its crosstalk with phytohormones and other metabolites of plant defense such as jasmonic acid, ethylene and salicylic acid. In conclusion, we enlist the most challenging current issues in the study of plant ROS biology, w.r.t visualization/imaging, and the necessity of further clarifying the mechanisms that enable multiple signal coordination, sensing, and signaling specialization.

Fruit softening is an integral component of ripening and involves the disassembly of wall components by various enzymes. Excessive softening results in large scale post-harvest losses of commercial fruits. We had previously identified SlDREB3 as an activator that reduced ABA levels and responses, leading to early seed germination and delayed fruit ripening/softening when expressed constitutively. Surprisingly, constitutive expression of SlDREB3 also affected seedling establishment causing yellowing and death of almost 50% of the seedlings, besides reducing growth of the surviving plants and imparting drought susceptibility. To overcome this problem, SlDREB3 was expressed under the fruit-specific 2A11 promoter. Expression of pSl2A11::SlDREB3 in transgenic tomato plants eliminated the germination and vegetative growth defects of constitutive expression. All transgenic lines showed normal germination and normal vegetative growth. Reproductive stage effects of SlDREB3 action were enhanced with ripening being delayed by six days in pSl2A11::SlDREB3 fruits and associated with delayed/reduced expression of most genes governing ethylene biosynthesis, ripening regulation and softening. Importantly, post-harvest fruit deterioration, as seen by loss of structure, showed a delay of almost ten days in pSl2A11::SlDREB3 lines over the control. SlDREB3 directly binds the promoter of the ABA degradation gene SlCYP707A3 leading to higher transcript levels that delay ripening. The studies show that the ability of SlDREB3 to delay ripening and softening is enhanced when expressed under the tomato 2A11 promoter compared to the constitutive promoter but associated with none of the vegetative growth defects of constitutive expression.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01676-1.

Hybrid teas, celebrated for their elegance and vivid colors, stand as the most cherished class of roses. Their aromatic and diverse varieties have significantly influenced the development of today's beloved tea-scented roses. This study investigates the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and gene expression patterns associated with fragrance production in fragrant and non-fragrant rose cultivars. A total of 253 VOCs, including 29 major compounds, were identified, with significant contributions from terpenoids, aromatic hydrocarbons, and esters. Fragrant cultivars displayed high concentrations of phenylethyl alcohol, citronellol, and geranic acid, while non-fragrant cultivars exhibited elevated levels of benzyl alcohol and phenylethyl acetate. Chemometric analyses, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), revealed distinct volatile profiles between fragrant and non-fragrant cultivars. The presence of key compounds such as 3,5-dimethoxytoluene (DMT) and phenylethyl alcohol was strongly associated with fragrance. Gene expression analysis highlighted the role of several biosynthetic genes, including RhNUDX1, RhGGPPS, and RhHMGCR, in the production of monoterpenes and aromatic alcohols, with differential expression patterns observed between fragrant and non-fragrant cultivars. Notably, the expression of RhOOMT was positively correlated with the presence of DMT, a key scent compound. These findings underscore the complex genetic and metabolic pathways involved in rose fragrance and provide insights into the molecular basis of scent production, which could inform future rose breeding programs aimed at enhancing fragrance.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01664-5.

Climate change has imposed severe abiotic stresses, such as high temperatures, drought, salinity, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, on crops, posing a serious threat to global food security. In this context, anthocyanins, a class of water-soluble pigments from the flavonoid family, have emerged as multifunctional compounds critical for eco-friendly crop resilience. These pigments help plants mitigate oxidative damage, maintain photosynthetic efficiency, and adapt to harsh environmental cues. The biosynthesis of anthocyanins is regulated by complex genetic and biochemical pathways that respond dynamically to environmental stress signals, particularly those related to abiotic stress conditions. Recent advances in genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-Cas systems, along with metabolic engineering, have opened new avenues to modulate anthocyanin biosynthesis, thereby enhancing plant tolerance to climate-induced stresses. However, to fully harness their potential, targeted innovations in anthocyanin-based genetic engineering, metabolic optimization, and breeding strategies are essential for promoting crop improvement and ensuring sustainable agriculture. This review highlights the protective functions of anthocyanins, including their roles as antioxidants, metal chelators, and signalling molecules, while also emphasising the complex transcriptional, hormonal, and epigenetic controls of their biosynthesis. By integrating anthocyanin-focused biotechnology and breeding tools, this work offers a roadmap for developing stress-resilient, climate-smart crops, strengthening global food security amid environmental change.

This study investigated the molecular features and gene expression of tomato sucrose transporters (SUTs) in response to water deficit and the effects of ripening mutations rin and Nr. In silico analyses were carried out to characterize the amino acid sequences, conserved domains and gene structure of the SlSUTs. Wild-type (WT) and two near isogenic lines (NILs) of Micro-Tom harbouring the rin and Nr mutations were subjected to control and water deficit treatments and physiological and molecular analyses were carried out, including leaf gas exchange, antioxidant enzyme activity, soluble sugars concentration, and SUT gene expression in different source-sink organs. The results showed that the SlSUT genes are structurally conserved but variable in sequences, suggesting functional specialization within this gene family. Plant phenotyping revealed a metabolic adjustment of tomato plants grown under water deficit, including an increase in the concentration of soluble sugars in fruits and leaves. SlSUT1 and SlSUT4 were responsive to water deficit mainly in leaves and fruits, with such responses being annulled in leaves by the rin mutation. In addition, SlSUT4 was down-regulated by water deficit in roots, irrespective of the genotype, and showed a co-regulated expression with SlETR2. SlSUT2 was also induced by water-deficit in leaves and fruits, with the Nr mutation making it responsive also in roots. Collectively, these data indicate that SlSUT genes are structurally conserved but functionally distinct, exhibiting a differentially regulated expression in response to water deficit and RIN and Nr signaling in different source-sink organs.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01668-1.

Higher plants commonly exhibit the adaptive characteristic of seed physical dormancy (PY). The resolution of breaking seed PY is thus of considerable significance for bottle gourd breeding and seed quality improvement. However, the molecular mechanism of PY remains indistinct. Here, by bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq), we used an F₂ population derived from a cross between two bottle gourd inbred lines, PY-D (dormant) and PY-ND (non-dormant), to explore the molecular mechanism of PY. A QTL for seed dormancy designated Qsd2.1 was identified on chromosome 2. A total of 3250 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two bulks were analyzed, and 15 DEGs were involved in the biosynthesis and degradation of pectin. Through the measurement of pectin contents and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) analyses, we finally identified HG_GLEAN_10014054 as a strong candidate gene for seed PY, which shows the sequence polymorphisms between the parents and encodes the exocyst complex component SEC3A. Furthermore, a core collection of 193 bottle gourd accessions was screened using a kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) marker developed from HG_GLEAN_10014054. Based on the examination of core samples, natural variation in the HG_GLEAN_10014054 allele was also noted. Our findings open up new genetic insights for breaking PY in the further application of bottle gourd breeding and help clarify the genetic underpinnings of seed PY in bottle gourd.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01667-2.

According to estimates from United Nations environmental program, salinity affects about 20% of agricultural land and 50% of farmland worldwide. Plants react to salinity stress by undergoing distinctive physiochemical, morphological, and molecular adaptations. Nonetheless, a number of mitigating techniques are also employed to address the severe consequences of salinity. Microbiological solutions are extremely sought in sustainable agriculture since they offer an organic, economical, and environmentally secure substitute for boosting plant development and output. These microbes greatly increase plant resilience towards salinity stress by improving nutrient absorption and water uptake, which is frequently hindered by high salinity. They strengthen plant's defense system by boosting the synthesis of antioxidants and osmoprotectants, which lessen the damage caused by salt stress. Furthermore, plant growth promoting (PGP) microorganisms promote healthier plant growth by lowering levels of stress hormone ethylene and providing growth-promoting compounds including auxins and gibberellins. The PGP microbes uses different strategies to stimulate the genes that keep ion balance stable, mainly by maintaining the expression of transporters and osmoregulation related genes, which is essential for plants to survive under stressed conditions. Thus, defining and interpreting plant-microbe interaction in term of protection against salinity stress has become increasingly important due to the ongoing impact of growing climate changes on plants. Concurrently, it becomes imperative to produce more profound understanding of plant stress-reduction processes in order to translate them into increased productivity. Several cutting-edge omic technologies have allowed us to learn more about the composition and capabilities of microorganisms linked with plants.

Gynoecy is a crucial trait for enhancing yield in cucumber. Phenotypic evaluation of F₂ and backcross populations derived from the Gy-14 × CMVR-1 cross over two growing seasons revealed that gynoecy is governed by an incomplete dominant gene influenced by modifiers or minor gene(s). To map the genomic region associated with this trait, whole genome resequencing based BSA-seq was performed on two extreme bulks (gynoecious and monoecious) along with parental lines derived from 250 F_2:3 individuals of the Gy-14 × CMVR-1 cross. Downstream analysis via QTLseqr and QTLseq identified a major QTL, qCu_gy6.1 spanning 24-28 Mb on chromosome 6 using the Cucumber_9930_V3 reference genome. Within this region, 27 SNPs were converted into high-throughput KASP markers, nine of which exhibited polymorphism. A linkage map was created using phenotypic and genotypic data from F_2:3 individuals using QTL IciMapping, that validated and fine mapped the qCu_gy6.1 region to 192 kb interval flanked by markers Cgy26200616 (0.4 cM) and Cgy26392478 (11.75 cM). The QTL qCu_gy6.1 demonstrated a LOD score of 13.27, accounting for 80.85% of the phenotypic variance, with additive effects of 0.5 and dominant effects of 0.02. This study represents the first report on developing KASP markers for the gynoecious trait in cucumber. Notably, closely linked marker Cgy26200616 (0.4 cM from qCu_gy6.1) showed non-synonym substitution resulting in asparagine to serine conversion in the coding exonic region of AP2-like ethylene transcription factor gene. This finding highlights significant potential for marker assisted selection (MAS) to introgress gynoecy trait into desirable cucumber genotypes.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01658-3.

Nitrate transporters play important roles in nitrogen (N) uptake and utilization in plants. The function of nitrate transporter 2 (NRT2) in model plants under low-N (LN) conditions has been studied, but there are few studies on non-model plants, including Tartary buckwheat (an important medicinal and edible crop). In this study, seven NRT2 genes were identified in Tartary buckwheat genome. All the FtNRT2 proteins were localized to the cell membrane with 10-12 transmembrane domains, and have the common structural characteristics of NRT2. Expression analysis showed FtNRT2.1 was expressed in all tissues, FtNRT2.3/2.4 were specifically expressed in roots, and FtNRT2.6/2.7 were specifically expressed in seeds. Under LN, the expression of FtNRT2.1/2.4 was induced, while FtNRT2.3 was suppressed. The root-specific expressed gene FtNRT2.4 may be the key NRT2 member for regulating LN response by sequence, molecular docking, and expression analysis. Overexpression of FtNRT2.4 in tobacco improved plant growth and N uptake under 0 and 5 mM N conditions. An ancillary protein of FtNRT2.4, FtNRT3.2, was characterized by yeast two-hybrid and firefly luciferase complementation assays. In addition, 14 transcription factors (TFs) may involve in the regulation of FtNRT2.4 expression by co-expression analysis. FtNF-YB8, a TF localized in cytoplasm and nucleus, can bind to the promoter of FtNRT2.4 by yeast one-hybrid analysis. Dual-luciferase reporter analysis showed that FtNF-YB8 improved the expression of FtNRT2.4. These findings indicated the important role of FtNRT2.4 in LN response and provide new insights into the regulatory function of NRT2.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01670-7.