Plant Physiology and Biochemistry最新文献

{"title":"Insights on the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on Avena sativa drought tolerance at the early flowering stage","authors":"Haoqi Tian ,&nbsp;Jin Li ,&nbsp;Wenhui Liu ,&nbsp;Hui Wang ,&nbsp;Jin Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Liang ,&nbsp;Yanan Liu ,&nbsp;Yuanbin Hu ,&nbsp;Jun Yi ,&nbsp;Yang Ji ,&nbsp;Qingping Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111092","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111092","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oats (<em>Avena sativa</em>) are a nutritious and versatile crop, but they are highly vulnerable to drought, especially during the heading and flowering stages, which can significantly reduce yield and quality. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve plant resilience to drought and other abiotic stresses. However, the genetic networks underlying oat responses to drought during the early flowering stage, influenced by AMF, remain unclear. In this study, we combined transcriptome sequencing with phenotypic and physiological analyses to investigate how AMF enhance drought tolerance in oats. Samples were collected on day 60 of oat-AMF symbiosis (corresponding to day 30 of drought stress), with the 30-day drought period covering the critical water-sensitive phase of panicle initiation to flowering in oats. We found that AMF inoculation enhanced multiple drought-related traits in oats, including growth parameters, root vitality, antioxidant enzyme activity, and levels of oxidized glutathione (GSSG), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA). Transcriptomic analysis further identified differentially expressed genes involved in drought response, membrane integrity, and transport activities, with a focus on genes associated with stress tolerance. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction were significantly affected under drought and AMF inoculation. Further analysis showed that genes such as <em>PAL</em>, <em>PYL5</em>, <em>CRE1</em>, and <em>B-ARR</em>s were differentially expressed in AMF-inoculated oat roots under drought stress. Additionally, weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified hub genes related to plant growth and defense (<em>BGLU16, CGS1</em>), oxidative stress (<em>CAT2, RBOH</em>), phosphate and nutrient transport (<em>PHF1, PHT1-11,</em> <em>YSL13</em>), and water transport (<em>PIPs</em>). Overall, these results provide valuable insights into the complex genetic networks underlying AMF-enhanced drought resilience in oats at early flowering stage, offering potential candidate genes for future studies aimed at improving drought tolerance through mycorrhizal-plant interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111092"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146181885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of combined drought and light stress on the structure and function of photosynthetic apparatus in Pisum sativum","authors":"Jayendra Pandey ,&nbsp;Anshita Mahajan ,&nbsp;Rajagopal Subramanyam","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study demonstrates the impact of combined (drought and high light) stress on thylakoid organization in Pea, <em>Pisum sativum</em>. The combined stress significantly reduced gas exchange parameters, indicating compromised photosynthetic activity. Chlorophyll <em>a</em> fluorescence analysis confirmed a decrease in the photochemical efficiency of photosystem (PS)II. This was accompanied by alterations in thylakoid macro-organization, specifically a reduction in PSII-light-harvesting complex (LHC)II supercomplexes and PSII dimers, coupled with an increase in LHCII monomers. This pattern indicates a redistribution of LHCII from tightly assembled PSII supercomplexes into monomeric forms, reflecting a stress-induced disassembly of the antenna system. In response to the combined stress, the plants exhibited photoprotective mechanisms, including increased carotenoid content, accompanied by decreased chlorophyll content. Additionally, elevated reactive oxygen species were observed, likely as a consequence of the stress combination, which contributed to the thylakoid membrane disorganization and a subsequent decline in membrane protein content. The plants also activated protective mechanisms such as increased non-photochemical quenching and elevated PSBS (PS II subunit S) protein levels to mitigate photoinhibition. Furthermore, the thylakoid stacks displayed a looser arrangement under combined stress, potentially due to the observed changes in thylakoid supercomplexes. Both PSI and PSII were equally affected, showing a reduced abundance of proteins under combined stress. Simultaneously, the abundance of antioxidant proteins increased, reflecting the plant's attempt to counteract the oxidative stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111130"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146213878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A base mutation of MiSGR2 alters peel color formation in Mangifera indica L.","authors":"Juan Xiong ,&nbsp;Ruixiong Luo ,&nbsp;Zhihui Ming ,&nbsp;Mark Owusu Adjei ,&nbsp;Kaili Yu ,&nbsp;Jun Ma ,&nbsp;Xiaopeng Fu ,&nbsp;Aiping Gao ,&nbsp;Zhichang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fruit color is an important breeding trait of mango (<em>Mangifera indica</em> L.), that directly affects it's appearance quality and commodity value. The mango cultivars, ‘Jinhuang’ (‘JH’) and ‘Guifei’ (‘GF’), exhibit a peel color transition from green to yellow or red during ripening. In contrast, the cultivar ‘Guiqi’ (‘GQ’) retains its green peel and sweet fragrance even at full ripeness, exhibiting a stay-green phenotype. Here, we identified two <em>Mangifera indica</em> Stay-Green genes (<em>MiSGR1</em> and <em>MiSGR2</em>) from these cultivars and investigate their roles in peel color development. The expression level of <em>MiSGR1</em> was markedly lower in ‘GQ’ than in ‘JH’ and ‘GF’, whereas <em>MiSGR2</em> showed no significant expression difference. Sequencing analysis identified a single-base substitution (G→A) at position 641 in the open reading frame of <em>MiSGR2</em> from ‘GQ’, which introduced a premature stop codon (designated <em>MiSGR2</em>^{<em>STOP</em>}) and truncated 43 amino acids relative to <em>MiSGR2</em> from ‘GF’ and ‘JH’. Over-expression assay in heterologous system demonstrated that both <em>MiSGR1</em> and <em>MiSGR2</em> catalyzed chlorophyll degradation, whereas <em>MiSGR2</em>^{<em>STOP</em>} lacked this activity. Yeast two-hybrid and BiFC analyses further confirmed that MiSGR1 and MiSGR2 interacted with protein MiPPH1, while MiSGR2^{<em>STOP</em>} failed to do so. These results suggest that the single-nucleotide mutation in <em>MiSGR2</em> disrupts its activity in chlorophyll degradation and interaction with MiPPH1, leading to the stay-green phenotype of ‘GQ’. Our findings provide new insight into the molecular regulation of peel color in mango and a genetic basis for breeding cultivars with improved visual and nutritional quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111140"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146220806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulated deficit irrigation was associated with altered stem hormones and carbon metabolism that improved yield and lodging-related traits in drip-irrigated spring wheat","authors":"Yaoyuan Zhang,&nbsp;Rongrong Wang,&nbsp;Fangfang He,&nbsp;Guiying Jiang,&nbsp;Jianguo Liu,&nbsp;Jianwei Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111152","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111152","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Water scarcity is becoming increasingly severe, while the demand for stable and high-yield wheat production continues to rise. Under these circumstances, achieving the dual objectives of water conservation and yield enhancement through precise water management represents a critical challenge for sustainable agriculture, particularly in arid oasis regions.In this study, we investigated the dynamics of endogenous hormones and carbon metabolism in the basal first and second internodes (I1 and I2) of wheat stems under drip irrigation conditions. Special attention was given to the roles of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and structural carbohydrates (SC) in regulating stem development. The objective was to elucidate how variations in hormonal regulation and carbon allocation contribute to improvements in wheat grain yield as well as stem lodging-related traits. Two wheat cultivars differing in water sensitivity (XC6 and XC22) were assigned to the main plots. Subplots were subjected to regulated deficit irrigation at two stages (tillering, T and jointing, J) with two levels of water: mild deficit (60–65% FC, FC is field water holding capacity, T1, J1) and moderate deficit (45–50% FC, T2, J2). Following the completion of deficit irrigation, we rehydrated to 75–80% FC. A fully irrigated treatment (75–80% FC, CK) served as the control. Relationships among these physiological indicators, yield components, and stem lodging-related traits were analyzed. The results showed that the T1 treatment significantly enhanced endogenous hormone concentrations and hormonal ratios (gibberellins, GA; zeatin + zeatin riboside, Z + ZR; gibberellin/indole-3-acetic acid, GA/IAA, and zeatin + zeatin riboside/abscisic acid, (Z + ZR)/ABA). Moreover, T1 markedly stimulated the activities of key enzymes involved in sucrose and fructan metabolism, thereby promoting the accumulation of NSC in wheat stems. Consequently, T1 promoted greater grain yield (1.79%–14.01%). In addition, T1 achieved the highest productivity while maintaining superior water-saving efficiency. The endogenous hormones of I1 and the promotion of NSC metabolism were more effective. In contrast, the J1 treatment predominantly activated enzymes associated with lignin biosynthesis and cellulose synthesis, thereby promoting the deposition of SC in the stems. This process significantly enhanced stems filling degree and breaking strength (28.12%–164.86%). And the strengthening effect was more pronounced in I1 than in I2. XC6 exhibited superior hormonal balance, carbon metabolic capacity, and lodging-related stem properties compared with XC22. Correlation and variable importance in projection (VIP) analyzed further revealed that grain number per spike, thousand-kernel weight, gibberellin (GA) in both basal internodes (I1 and I2) and sucrose fructosyltransferase (SST) activity, the hormonal ratio (Z + ZR)/ABA of I1 were the major contributors to yield formation. In contrast, sucrose content (Suc) in both I1","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111152"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146259078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal hormone-mediated crosstalk during potato virus Y and potato spindle tuber viroid co-infection","authors":"Wajahat Hussain ,&nbsp;Meijia Wu ,&nbsp;Yicong Wu ,&nbsp;Guangyan Li ,&nbsp;Dianqiu Lv ,&nbsp;Yonghong Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111117","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants often face multiple pathogen attacks at once, but how they handle these complex infections at the molecular level is not well understood. This study uses transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to explore the interaction between potato virus Y (PVY), a protein-coding RNA virus, and potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd), a non-coding RNA pathogen, which could infect potato plants together. Samples from different potato fields showed a strong prevalence of PVY, whereas PSTVd exhibited low occurrence compared to PVY but frequently co-occurred with it, indicating potential interactions between these pathogens. Observations of plant symptoms confirmed a PVY dominant role, causing severe stunting and yellowing, while PSTVd milder effects were hidden in co-infected plants. Transcriptomic data revealed PVY broadly alters plant processes like photosynthesis, carbon use, and immune responses, while PSTVd targets specific pathways, such as protein modification and plant-pathogen interactions. Co-infection boosted these effects, triggering strong increases in defense-related TF, e.g., WRKYs, NACs, MYCs, and hormone signaling. Metabolite analysis showed major changes in hormones, especially cytokinins and jasmonates, with zeatin production as a key shared pathway. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified unique gene groups for each infection, with co-infection showing enhanced immune and metabolic activity. Integrated gene-metabolite networks confirmed PVY leading role, linking key genes, e.g., AHP1/4, PYL1/8, COI1, to hormones like cytokinin, jasmonoyl-isoleucine and abscisic acid. These findings suggest PVY drives strong immune responses, while PSTVd may rely on PVY suppression of plant defenses to survive, offering new insights into managing complex plant diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111117"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146776480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomic analyses in castor identify signatures of selection and loci associated with hypocotyl elongation differentiation over millennia","authors":"Jianjun Lu ,&nbsp;Lianlian Hu ,&nbsp;Wenbin Zhang ,&nbsp;Cheng Pan ,&nbsp;Donghai Li ,&nbsp;Wei Fan ,&nbsp;Jinbin Lin ,&nbsp;Songbiao Chen ,&nbsp;Peng Cui ,&nbsp;Shiyou Lü","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The castor, a specific source of ricinoleate oil with extensive industrial applications, has undergone millennia of global dispersal, introduction, domestication through human activities. This process has led to abundant advantageous genetic variations or phenotypic differentiations, as exemplified by the trait of hypocotyl length, which governs seedling survival and lodging resistance, thereby determining final yield. However, research on the influence of domestication on the genomic architecture of castor bean is limited, and the fundamental mechanisms underlying hypocotyl length variation in non-model crops including castor, remain largely elusive. Here, we conducted an in-depth analysis of 221 castor individuals, comprising 26 wild accessions with shorter hypocotyls from their ancestral habitats in Africa and 195 domesticated accessions with longer hypocotyls from China. Phenotypic characterization revealed that long-hypocotyl castor exhibited significantly higher elongation rates and larger epidermal cell dimensions compared to short-hypocotyl accessions. Subsequent transcriptome differential expression profiling identified a suite of candidate genes implicated in hypocotyl elongation, which were significantly enriched in hormone-mediated signaling, xyloglucan endotransglucosylase synthesis, and cellular expansion pathways. Intriguingly, selection-signature analyses revealed that, beyond the differentially expressed genes identified by transcriptome profiling, an expanded set of genomic intervals bearing selection signatures is enriched for loci regulating hypocotyl elongation, indicating their concurrent recruitment during castor domestication. Moreover, GWAS identified fifty candidate genes, including <em>CESA</em> and <em>HY5</em>, that are significantly associated with hypocotyl development. Subsequent yeast one-hybrid and mutational assays confirmed a GWAS-identified TGACT-motif variant in the <em>HY5</em> promoter as a potential functional causative site that affects hypocotyl elongation through a presumed <em>TGA-HY5</em> module. Taken together, our findings elucidate the mechanisms driving the hypocotyl length differential during domestication, provide a theoretical framework for understanding how crop traits originate and adapt to environmental change, and deliver genomic resources to accelerate castor improvement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111149"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146776509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exogenous phenylalanine enhances lignin biosynthesis, reduces neck bending, and extends vase life in gerbera cut flowers","authors":"Meisam Mohammadi ,&nbsp;Ghasem Eghlima ,&nbsp;Mehdi Saidi ,&nbsp;Sunny Sharma ,&nbsp;Poonam Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111157","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111157","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Gerbera jamesonii</em> is a popular cut flower, yet its postharvest quality is often compromised by neck bending (NB) and short vase life. This study evaluated the effects of phenylalanine (Phe) at concentrations of 0, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg L⁻¹ on the postharvest performance of ‘Ravel’ gerbera flowers during storage at 21 °C and 65–70% relative humidity over seven days. The results showed that Phe at 40 mg L⁻¹ was the most effective treatment, significantly (p &lt; 0.05) reducing NB severity by 81.7% and increasing vase life by 42.9% compared to the control (10 vs. 7 days). This concentration also enhanced vase solution uptake (4.3 vs. 2.66 mL) and maintained membrane integrity, as indicated by lower electrolyte leakage (36.3% vs. 62.8%). Phe treatment significantly reduced levels of hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and proline, while preserving higher total protein content (0.69 vs. 0.43 g kg⁻¹). It also enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, including catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Furthermore, Phe-treated flowers retained higher total phenol and flavonoid levels, increased Pheammonia-lyase activity, and exhibited reduced polyphenol oxidase activity. Lignin content in stems was significantly higher in treated flowers (353.23 vs. 240.86 mg kg⁻¹), accompanied by elevated activity of key lignin biosynthesis enzymes cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase and cinnamoyl-CoA reductase. In conclusion, Phe at 40 mg L⁻¹ effectively enhances the postharvest quality of cut gerbera by reducing oxidative stress, strengthening antioxidant defense, and promoting lignin biosynthesis. These findings offer a practical approach to extend vase life and minimize structural failure in commercial floriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111157"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147309418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SlBBX20 is a regulator of plant development in response to shade in tomato","authors":"M.A. Mejía ,&nbsp;G. Gómez-Ocampo ,&nbsp;C.E. Barraza ,&nbsp;A.L. Medina-Fraga ,&nbsp;E.L. Ploschuk ,&nbsp;S.D. Reposi ,&nbsp;Marina Gotelli ,&nbsp;I. Petrik ,&nbsp;J. Oklestkova ,&nbsp;G. Ponciano ,&nbsp;Bruno Silvestre Lira ,&nbsp;M. Rossi ,&nbsp;J.F. Botto","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111177","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111177","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An early light signal detected by plants is the reduction of red/far-red ratio (R/FR), triggering the shade avoidance syndrome (SAS), a set of developmental, growth, and biochemical responses that improve plant competition for light. B-box (BBX) transcription factors are key regulators of light-mediated responses in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>; however, their roles in crop species remain elusive. Here, we investigated the function of SlBBX20 (Solyc12g089240) in the SAS of tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum,</em> cv. Micro-Tom) by a deep physiological and photosynthesis characterization with biochemical, phytohormone and gene expression analysis in leaves and stems. We conducted simulated shade experiments by reducing the R/FR with the addition of FR light horizontally, using green filters, and increasing plant density. Wild-type (WT) plants exhibited significant shade-avoidance responses in plant height and internode length, whereas <em>Slbbx20</em> mutant plants showed reduced SAS. In WT plants, the expression of <em>SlBBX20</em> was inhibited by low R/FR, and shade-induced genes were significantly promoted in the stems but not in the leaves. The expression of <em>SlPAR1</em> and auxin-related (<em>SlIAA7, SlIAA14</em> and <em>SlIAA19)</em> genes was significantly reduced in the <em>Slbbx20</em> mutant under low R/FR. These results correlated with the lower levels of IAA auxin phytohormone in the <em>Slbbx20</em> leaves. Further, <em>Slbbx20</em> plants produced lower levels of anthocyanins than WT under high R/FR with constitutive low expression of <em>SlCHS1, SlCHS2</em> and <em>SlFLS</em> genes in leaves. In greenhouse experiments with natural radiation, <em>Slbbx20</em> plants showed lower photosynthesis and stomatal conductance than WT under sunlight, correlated with a lower number of stomata and fruit production. These findings suggest that SlBBX20 is a regulator of light responses, improving the fine-tuning of plant growth in different light environments with high and low R/FR ratios.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111177"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147348998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SgPAP10b-mediated phospholipid degradation under acidic soil conditions: a mechanism for high phosphorus utilization efficiency in the green manure crop Stylosanthes guianensis","authors":"Ranran Xu ,&nbsp;Jinhui Lv ,&nbsp;Chun Liu ,&nbsp;Guodao Liu ,&nbsp;Yuanhang Wu ,&nbsp;Rui Huang ,&nbsp;Pandao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111185","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111185","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Stylosanthes guianensis</em> (stylo), an important tropical and subtropical green manure crop, shows remarkable adaptation to acidic soils with low phosphate (Pi) availability. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms underlying its high phosphorus (P) utilization efficiency (PUE) in acidic soils are not fully understood. This study combined a field experiment conducted in low-Pi acidic soils with multifaceted analyses to compare the physiological and molecular responses of two stylo genotypes differing in PUE. The high-PUE genotype P457 was superior to the low-PUE genotype Reyan No.2 in acidic soils, exhibiting significantly greater biomass, P content, and PUE. Notably, P457 displayed higher leaf acid phosphatase (APase) activity than Reyan No.2. Untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic analyses further revealed significantly lower phospholipid levels in P457 leaves than in Reyan No.2. Transcriptomic analysis identified significantly elevated expression of a purple APase gene (<em>SgPAP10b</em>) in P457 leaves than in those of Reyan No.2. Functional characterization of <em>SgPAP10b</em> via heterologous overexpression in Arabidopsis demonstrated that it not only enhanced shoot biomass, PUE, and APase activity but also reduced shoot phospholipid levels relative to wild-type plants. Recombinant SgPAP10b exhibited phosphatase activity and high hydrolytic activity toward phospholipids, including phosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylcholine. Taken together, our results suggest that <em>SgPAP10b</em>-mediated lipid remodeling and P recycling are associated with the superior low-Pi adaptability of P457, thereby contributing to improved PUE. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized role of <em>SgPAP10b</em> in stylo adaptation to low-Pi conditions and highlight it as a promising target for enhancing PUE in crops grown on acidic soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111185"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147349064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exogenous melatonin decreased Cd2+ accumulation inside cells through the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and reduced cell damage in rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings under CdCl2 stress","authors":"Qi Wang ,&nbsp;Shenglong Nie ,&nbsp;Runzhe Zhang ,&nbsp;Yitong Yin ,&nbsp;Qiulai Song ,&nbsp;Zihao Shen ,&nbsp;Xiannan Zeng ,&nbsp;Shaokun Zhang ,&nbsp;Boyuan Chen ,&nbsp;Sun Yu ,&nbsp;Tianning Zhuang ,&nbsp;Conghe Liu ,&nbsp;Di Cao ,&nbsp;Xu Gao ,&nbsp;Quanxi Liang ,&nbsp;Yanjiang Feng ,&nbsp;Qi Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111171","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111171","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metal-induced stress is an abiotic form of stress that significantly restricts crop yield and quality. This stress affects plants at all stages, but they are particularly vulnerable as seedlings, when it can directly influence later growth and development. Cd²⁺ is an important heavy metal stressor and negatively influences plant growth. However, the regulation mechanism underlying Cd²⁺ stress resistance has not been adequately elucidated, especially in major cultivars, which restricts the application of Cd²⁺ resistance. Here, exogenously applied melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) was tested on rice seedlings as a practical solution to enhance the plants' stress tolerance. The modern variety Longjing 203 was used for the experiments due to its extensive cultivation in Heilongjiang Province, China. Seedlings were treated with 50μMol/L CdCl₂ and 100μMol/L exogenous melatonin to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying exogenous melatonin's ability to enhance Cd²⁺ tolerance. The results revealed that Cd²⁺-induced stress limited growth, while melatonin alleviated the stress-induced damage on seedlings. Specifically, differentially expressed gene (DEGs) analysis showed that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was enriched in plants treated with melatonin, which was also verified by qRT-PCR, enriched enzyme activity assays, and molecular docking. Also, the results of lignin content and Cd²⁺ distribution in subcellular compartments indicated that melatonin promoted lignin accumulation and intercepted Cd²⁺ into the cell wall, limiting influx into organelles and the cytoplasm. Then, the group of applied melatonin had shown to enhance stress tolerance by reducing DNA damage, as evidenced by the DNA cross-linking, 8-hydroxy-20-deoxyguanine levels, relative density of apurinic sites, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. These findings also revealed that exogenous melatonin relieved cellular damage caused by Cd²⁺ by reinforcing the cell wall lignin barrier to regulate cellular homeostasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111171"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147355915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}