Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants最新文献

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.

Insect pests are responsible for significant yield losses across various crops. To mitigate the adverse effects of insect pressures on crop yields, it is essential to implement sustainable insect resistance strategies. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), a prominent leafy vegetable, produces 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), which offers protection against insect attacks and also have beneficial effects on human health. The detailed structure of 20E is known, however, the complete biosynthetic pathway is still elusive. This study showed a comprehensive genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis and functional characterization of cycloartenol synthase involved in the biosynthesis of 20E in spinach. Phylogenetic analysis of the four newly identified oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) from S. oleracea indicates that these OSCs have undergone lineage-specific duplication events and exhibit a clear orthologous relationship. Artificial microRNA (amiRNA)-mediated silencing showed down regulation of S. oleracea cycloartenol synthase (SoCAS) in the silenced plants. Liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) analysis revealed a corresponding decrease in related metabolites, including cycloartenol (7.93 fold), lathosterol (9.45-fold) and 20E (7.77-fold) as compared to non-infiltrated control plants. Furthermore, the overexpression of a codon-optimized full-length SoCAS gene resulted in a marked increase in the accumulation of cycloartenol (30.37-fold), cycloartenol acetate (6.49-fold), and campesterol (8.11-fold) in N. benthamiana, as well as cycloartenol (31.05-fold), lathosterol (20.08-fold) and 20E (21.09-fold) in S. oleracea as compared with non-infiltrated control plants. This study provides a new insight on the role of OSC in the production of cycloartenol and the 20E biosynthesis pathway intermediates in spinach, which could be utilized for the genetic improvement of plants that are resistant to herbivorous insects.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01656-5.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity exhibits a challenge for growing strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch), impacting their growth and nutritional value. Considerably in this study, we explored how melatonin, an endogenous plant hormone, can help alleviate Al stress in strawberry plants. The current research examined the effects of foliar spraying melatonin (0,50, and 100 ppm) on growth indicators, photosynthetic pigment levels, carbon and nitrogen assimilation, oxidative stress markers, and fruit quality attributes under Al stress (100 µM) in a controlled pot experiment conducted in a greenhouse. The results revealed that exposure to Al stress significantly reduced the adequate growth, as well as the yield and quality of fruits. Melatonin application improved plant growth parameters, especially at a concentration of 100 ppm, enhancing the levels of photosynthetic pigments and boosting carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism. Moreover, melatonin played a role in reducing stress markers while increasing enzymatic antioxidant activities (catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxide, glutathione-S-transferase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) and secondary metabolites (proline, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, reduced glutathione, and phytochelatins), while decreasing polyphenol oxidase activity as well as phenolics content, implying a role in ROS scavenging. The results underscore the promise of melatonin as a method to enhance the ability of strawberries to withstand Al toxicity and promote friendly agricultural practices in polluted soils.

Among abiotic stresses faced by plants, submergence or flooding is a significant factor that limits plant growth and yield. The partial or complete submergence leads to hypoxic conditions that severely restrict the growth of the plants. To survive under the stress, plants employ adaptive strategies like the escape mechanism, where they grow rapidly to rise above the water, or the quiescent strategy, conserving resources until stress conditions improve. The plant undergoes numerous biochemical, molecular, and morphological changes under submergence stress, including alterations in photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, ionic balance, and gene expression, particularly in the group of hypoxia-responsive genes. The plant responds to this stress by modulating a variety of biochemical pathways, including the N-degron pathway, trehalose synthesis pathways, and carbohydrate sensing. The state-of-the-art genetic engineering techniques (GE) can be the way out from this stress, but due to the multigenic reaction from the plant towards the stress, the direct pathway that makes plant submergence tolerant is still unknown and needs to be explored. Moreover, the review considers the known molecular changes that can enhance submergence tolerance in economically important crops, which could help improve agricultural resilience in flood-prone regions.

Drought stress impacts rice growth and development by altering the morphological, physiological and biochemical traits. The current study investigates the effect of melatonin (100 µM) mediated alteration on drought response in three varieties, viz., Pooja, Swarna and N22, in the seedling stage. The indicators of drought tolerance, such as leaf rolling score (LRS), leaf drying score (LDS), drought recovery score (DRS), root-shoot length, fresh and dry biomass, relative water content, photosynthesis-related parameter, osmolyte and antioxidant defence metabolites and enzymes, were studied. The results suggested that melatonin application reduced LRS, LDS and DRS and enhanced the drought recovery, with N22 having the highest tolerance. Melatonin also improved root and shoot growth, fresh and dry biomass, thereby ameliorating the detrimental effects of drought stress. Melatonin application also significantly improved root architecture, which ultimately leads to improvement of biomass accumulation in all three cultivars. Photosynthetic parameters, which include photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (Tr), and chlorophyll content, were suggested to decline under drought stress, but were significantly increased due to melatonin treatment, promoting photosynthetic efficiency. Further, drought stress increased proline and sugar content, which was reported to be modulated by the application of melatonin, thereby helping it for osmotic adjustment. The current study highlights melatonin's beneficial role, thereby providing drought tolerance by improving root morphology, photosynthesis and antioxidant machinery. These findings revealed that melatonin application could be an effective strategy for improving drought tolerance in rice.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01663-6.