Current Plant Biology最新文献

{"title":"Sodium nitroprusside as a priming agent induces drought stress tolerance in Citrus","authors":"Emanuele Scialò ,&nbsp;Angelo Sicilia ,&nbsp;Angela Roberta Lo Piero","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Priming is a process whereby exposure to a mild stress or specific chemical stimulus enhances plants' resilience to future biotic and abiotic stresses. Signalling molecules such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and nitric oxide (NO) function as priming agents. In this study, Bitters (C22) citrus rootstock was treated with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and subjected to drought stress. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and H₂O₂ levels were measured to assess oxidative stress. Primed plants showed significantly higher tolerance to water scarcity than non-primed ones. RNA-seq analysis revealed that priming, followed by drought stress, regulated a broad spectrum of stress responses, enhancing the expression of genes involved in photosynthetic efficiency and antioxidant activity, reallocating energy, and reinforcing external barriers and xylem vessels. As concerns phytohormones, analysis of gene expression clearly indicated that auxin biosynthesis and signalling were activated, whereas those involving ethylene were repressed. Moreover, the application of weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) enabled the identification of genes whose expression showed positive or negative correlations with the levels of MDA and/or H₂O₂. This study provides insights into the role of priming in improving <em>Citrus</em> adaptability to water scarcity and identifying molecular strategies and candidate genes to enhance drought tolerance. To our knowledge, this is the first study correlating transcriptomic data with priming-induced drought tolerance in <em>Citrus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100508"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144272489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intra- and inter-population variation in Spinacia turkestanica: Implications for spinach genetic resources sampling","authors":"Rob van Treuren ,&nbsp;Magdalena Krysiak ,&nbsp;Jan-Kees Goud ,&nbsp;Ryo Kimura ,&nbsp;Chris Kik","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100507","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Spinacia turkestanica</em> Iljin is closely related to cultivated spinach (<em>S. oleracea</em> L.) and therefore of interest to genebank curators and plant breeders. In 2008 an expedition was carried out in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to collect seed samples of <em>S. turkestanica</em>. Eighteen of these accessions and two additional accessions from Turkmenistan were characterized for 21 phenotypic traits and 50 SNP markers to study the distribution of variation within and between populations. Six varieties of cultivated spinach were included in the study as references. In general, <em>S. turkestanica</em> was clearly distinct from the reference varieties for phenotypic and molecular diversity. The main part of the observed diversity in <em>S. turkestanica</em> was distributed within rather than between populations. The populations from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan showed a positive correlation between phenotypic and genotypic distance (r = 0.458, p &lt; 0.001) and between geographic distance and genotypic distance (r = 0.515, p &lt; 0.001). Genetic differentiation was largest between populations from Tajikistan and populations from Uzbekistan, which are separated by the Zarafshan mountains. A resampling study showed that sampling 30–50 plants from each of 5–6 geographically widespread populations is sufficient to capture more than 98 % of the observed SNP alleles and more than 99 % of the observed phenotypic variation within the targeted area in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Whether this recommendation also holds for adaptive variation, such as resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, is subject of further study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100507"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144280375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drought mitigation in plants through root exudate-mediated rhizosphere interactions: Opportunities for future research","authors":"Salam Suresh Singh,&nbsp;Ngangbam Somen Singh,&nbsp;Emilynruwaka Lamare,&nbsp;Ningthoujam Ranjana Devi,&nbsp;Shadokpam Anjali Devi,&nbsp;Remei Kaguijenliu,&nbsp;Biki Takum,&nbsp;Keshav Kumar Upadhyay,&nbsp;Shri Kant Tripathi","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100504","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100504","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drought is among the most significant environmental factors that frequently limits the growth and productivity of terrestrial plants, making them susceptible to various diseases and resulting in the death of many species each year. Because the plants could not relocate to avoid environmental stresses (i.e., drought, cold temperatures, and high salinity), they developed specific adaptive mechanisms at the root-soil interface to cope with these stresses, especially drought. For instance, under drought conditions, plants change the composition of root exudates by increasing the concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA). This hormone is transported through the xylem transport system to plant leaves, signalling the leaf stomata to regulate stomatal activity. It reduces water loss in plants and enhances their resistance to drought conditions. This review examines the role of soil-root-microbe interactions under drought stress and highlights how this interaction influences nutrient cycling, osmotic pressure adjustment, signalling pathways, and microbial recruitment to enhance plant resilience under drought stress. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which root exudates enhance plant resilience through nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, detoxification of aluminium toxicity, and regulation of stomatal activity are discussed. Understanding these processes and mechanisms provides new insights into developing sustainable forest and agricultural management practices that enhance plant productivity under drought conditions by increasing their resilience in a changing environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100504"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144229910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbes and metabolites of a plant-parasite interaction: Deciphering the ecology of Tetrastigma host choice in the world’s largest parasitic flower, Rafflesia","authors":"Jeanmaire Molina ,&nbsp;Roche C. de Guzman ,&nbsp;Rinat Abzalimov ,&nbsp;Wenkai Huang ,&nbsp;Anusha Guruprasad ,&nbsp;Ronniel Pedales ,&nbsp;Adhityo Wicaksono ,&nbsp;Destiny Davis ,&nbsp;John Rey Callado ,&nbsp;Hans Bänziger ,&nbsp;Piyakaset Suksathan ,&nbsp;William Eaton ,&nbsp;Pride Yin ,&nbsp;Marco Bürger ,&nbsp;Mick Erickson ,&nbsp;Stephen Jones ,&nbsp;James Adams ,&nbsp;Susan Pell","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rafflesia,</em> known for producing the world’s largest flowers, is a holoparasite found only in Southeast Asia's rapidly diminishing tropical forests. Completely dependent on its <em>Tetrastigma</em> host plants, <em>Rafflesia</em> grows covertly within its host until flowering, but the ecological factors driving host susceptibility are unknown. With most <em>Rafflesia</em> species on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, understanding the complex ecological interactions between <em>Rafflesia</em> and its host is crucial for conservation. In this study, we integrated metagenomic data with metabolomic profiles to identify potential functional relationships between microbial communities and specific metabolites, shedding light on their ecological roles in <em>Rafflesia's</em> life cycle. Key findings reveal that microbial taxa such as Microbacteriaceae and Nocardioidaceae correlate with elevated levels of polyphenols, particularly gallic acid derivatives, which may shape the chemical environment conducive to <em>Rafflesia</em> development. Complex-carbon-degrading bacteria thrive in the chemically distinct environment of <em>Rafflesia</em> buds, while an unknown group of Saccharimonadales was enriched in <em>Tetrastigma</em> host species. Docosenamide production in <em>Rafflesia</em> buds and their hosts may facilitate parasitic infection, while coumarin compounds in non-host <em>Tetrastigma</em> species may exert allelopathic effects. The enrichment of gallic acid derivatives, the phytohormone adenine, and gall-associated bacteria suggests that <em>Rafflesia</em> buds may function similarly to plant galls, manipulating host tissues to support their reproductive development. This study highlights the dynamic microbial shifts during <em>Rafflesia’</em>s development, emphasizing its symbiotic relationship with microbial communities and hosts. In identifying essential microbial and chemical conditions that could improve propagation techniques, this research has practical applications in ex situ conservation efforts, aiding in the rescue of the world’s largest flowers from the brink of extinction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100456"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143348717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Two-year QTL dissecting of high harvest index and related traits in a novel rice variety Yuenongsimaio","authors":"Shiguang Wang ,&nbsp;Liting Zhang ,&nbsp;Wei Liu,&nbsp;Xiaofei Wang,&nbsp;Haoxiang Wu,&nbsp;Hao Chen,&nbsp;Tengkui Chen,&nbsp;Zhanhua Lu,&nbsp;Xiuying He","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High harvest index (HI), defined as the grain yield-to-biomass ratio (≥ 0.55), reflects a well-balanced source-sink relationship. It is a key trait in rice high-HI breeding programs, which has proven to be a successful strategy for developing super high-yield rice varieties. However, its genetic basis remains elusive. This study conducted QTL analysis for HI-related traits using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between a <em>geng</em>/<em>japonica</em> cultivar, Lijiangxintuanheigu (LTH), and a high HI <em>xian</em>/<em>indica</em> variety, Yuenongsimiao (YNSM). A high‑density genetic map with 6674 bin markers identified 97 QTLs across 12 HI-related traits, forming 13 QTL clusters that affect the source-sink related traits in rice. These bin markers were converted from 1,009,324 high-quality SNPs sourced from the sequenced RIL population. Notably, <em>qRSC1</em> (QTL cluster of <em>rice source capacity 1</em>), which included <em>qFLL1</em>, <em>qSTW1</em>, <em>qBM1.2</em>, and <em>qHI1</em>, was tightly linked to the semi-dwarf gene <em>sd1</em> and collectively shaped the high HI plant architecture of YNSM. In contrast, <em>qRSC3</em> (<em>qFLL3</em>/<em>qFLW3</em>/<em>qSTW3</em>/<em>qBM3.1</em>/<em>qHI3.1</em>) exhibited an opposite effect and positively regulated source-related traits. Among nine QTLs associated with yield per plant (YPP), only <em>qYPP2.2</em>, part of <em>qRSS2</em> (QTL cluster of <em>rice sink size 2</em>), was consistently detected over two consecutive years. <em>qRSS2</em> governed sink size by integrating multiple yield-related QTLs, including <em>qYPP2.2</em>. Overall, <em>qRSC1</em>, <em>qRSC3</em>, and <em>qRSS2</em> collectively optimized source-sink balance, enabling YNSM’s high HI and high yields. These findings provide insights into the genetic basis of high HI in YNSM and may facilitate breeding high-yielding rice with superior HI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100475"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal developmental changes in one-year-old and two-year-old Polygonatum cyrtonema hua","authors":"Liang Wu ,&nbsp;Yuqin Qiu ,&nbsp;Yuting Fang ,&nbsp;Can Huang ,&nbsp;Dawei Song ,&nbsp;Duohui Li ,&nbsp;Li Zhao ,&nbsp;Haiyang Zhao ,&nbsp;Lamei Qi ,&nbsp;Lishang Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Polygonatum cyrtonema</em> Hua is traditional Chinese herbal medicine rich in active ingredients, such as polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and others that contribute to human health. As a perennial plant, its culture duration may influence the accumulation of these functional active ingredients in its tissues. To investigate how secondary metabolites and gene expression levels change with plant growth age, we carried out metabolomic analysis on root tissues of 1-year-old and 2-year-old plants, alongside transcriptome analysis was of leaf tissues. Using LC-MS, we identified identified 81 and 80 differentially expressed metabolites（DEMs）in positive and negative ion modes, respectively. Of these, 80 differential metabolites showed higher accumulation in 2-year-old plants. The relative contents of nucleotides and analogues, lipids, organic acids, phenylpropanoids, alkaloids, and organic oxygen molecules increased with increasing growth age. Transcriptome analysis further revealed 2068 differentially expressed genes, including 1026 up-regulated and 1042 down-regulated genes. A total of 102 metabolic pathways were enriched, with glucose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis, being among the most enriched metabolic pathways. These results show that longer culture duration enhances the active of metabolic pathways components. Overall, this study study integrates multi-omics techniques to demonstrate age-related changes in metabolites and genes profiles in <em>P. cyrtonema,</em> providing valuable insights for the identification of candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of active substances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100495"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144089590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brassinosteroids in maize: Biosynthesis, signaling pathways, and impacts on agronomic traits","authors":"Jingjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Shiyi Wu ,&nbsp;Miao Wang ,&nbsp;Jinke Chang ,&nbsp;Xiaopeng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maize is one of the most widely cultivated crops for producing human food, animal feed, and ethanol biofuel. Recent studies have indicated that brassinosteroids (BRs), essential phytohormones for plant growth, development and stress adaptation across plant species, significantly regulate several maize agronomic traits, such as plant height, leaf angle, reproductive development and kernel size. So far, most previous reviews have mainly focused on discussing molecular functions of BRs in model plants like Arabidopsis and rice. A detailed summary of BRs in maize, however, has not yet been presented. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the biosynthesis and signaling transduction pathways of BRs, and summarize the roles of BRs in regulating some agronomic traits such as plant architecture and kernel yield in maize. We also discuss potential opportunities and challenges associated with leveraging BR-centered molecular design strategies for maize improvement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100465"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143620378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating microplastic research in sustainable agriculture: Challenges and future directions for food production","authors":"Marcelo Illanes ,&nbsp;María-Trinidad Toro ,&nbsp;Mauricio Schoebitz ,&nbsp;Nelson Zapata ,&nbsp;Diego A. Moreno ,&nbsp;María Dolores López-Belchí","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100458","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100458","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In agroecosystems, plants are frequently subjected to a wide range of environmental stressors that have a substantial influence on plant physiology, crop performance, and food security. Abiotic stress responses to plant crop physiology and performance have been widely studied, but the co-occurrence of stressors, such as emerging contaminants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, plastic particles, or pesticides), combined with environmental conditions, remains understudied. Microplastics (MPs) have been identified as modifiers of plant physiology; therefore, these particles present a risk to the quality and safety of plant food production systems. One relevant question is how these emerging pollutants interact with the increasingly extreme environmental conditions of today. For example, evidence indicates that the interaction of MPs particles with elevated levels of ambient CO₂ can modify stomatal conductance. In addition, their interaction with high temperatures may induce increased oxidative stress, whereas drought conditions can adversely affect vegetative growth. Salinity has been shown to alter root development, and MP particles can enhance the adsorption of trace metals onto plant tissues, thereby compromising food safety and increasing health risks. Currently, the application of omics technologies, including genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, offers novel insights into molecular mechanisms that enable the identification of specific biomarkers associated with MP exposure. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms can be employed to analyze complex datasets, enhancing our ability to predict the impacts of MPs on plant health and crop performance under different environmental conditions. These results are significant for agricultural practices and policy formulation. As the prevalence of MPs in the environment continues to escalate, policymakers should address the potential risks these contaminants constitute to food safety and agricultural sustainability. This review compiles and synthesizes the most recent evidence regarding the impact of various stressors on crop quality and performance, with a particular emphasis on the interactions involving different plastic particles present in the environment and evaluates their potential risks to food safety and environmental resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100458"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143350246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals transcriptional regulation and metabolic pathways of terpenoid biosynthesis in developing Cinnamomum camphora leaf cells","authors":"Zheng Qin ,&nbsp;Caihui Chen ,&nbsp;Ting Zhang ,&nbsp;Yanfang Wu ,&nbsp;Yongjie Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cinnamomum camphora</em> (Camphor tree) is an economically significant species known for its terpenoid-rich essential oils. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its leaf development remain poorly understood, especially at the cellular level. In this study, we applied high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile the transcriptomic landscape of developing <em>C. camphora</em> leaves, identifying eight distinct cell populations, including mesophyll, epidermal, guard, vascular, and proliferating cells. Pseudotime trajectory analysis revealed the dynamic progression of mesophyll cell differentiation, with three distinct developmental states observed as cells transitioned from proliferating to differentiated stages. We identified key metabolic pathways involved in terpenoid biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, and photosynthesis. Notably, genes such as <em>4CLL9</em>, <em>CHLP</em> or <em>GPPS1</em> showed cell-type-specific expression in mesophyll or epidermal cells. Additionally, transcription factors from the MYB and bHLH families were enriched in specific cell types, regulating secondary metabolism and hormone signaling. This study not only provides a detailed transcriptomic atlas of <em>C. camphora</em> leaf development but also uncovers novel cell-type-specific marker genes, key regulatory networks, and metabolic pathways, offering valuable resources for future investigations into terpenoid metabolism and cellular differentiation in woody species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100467"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drug target screening for Rheumatoid Arthritis by Curcuma caesia through computational approach","authors":"Ankita Pati ,&nbsp;Mahendra Gaur ,&nbsp;Atmaja Sahu ,&nbsp;Bharat Bhusan Subudhi ,&nbsp;Dattatreya Kar ,&nbsp;Jyoti Ranjan Parida ,&nbsp;Ananya Kuanar","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2025.100468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Curcuma caesia</em> has been a subject of inflammatory and autoimmune disease research, showing promising anti-inflammatory properties. The present research aims to investigate the anti-rheumatic potential of the rhizome through network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations approaches. Phytocompounds were retrieved from PubChem, and their targets were predicted using Swiss target prediction, SEA, SuperPred, and BindingDB. The 13 phytocompounds overlapping with its 41 predicted proteins and its related pathways generated a Cytoscape interaction network revealing that <em>C. caesia</em> may inhibit rheumatoid arthritis through different metabolic pathways. NFKB1, PRKCA, RAC1, STAT3, and TLR4 were identified as potential core targets while 13 compounds α-Terpineol, Ar-tumerone, 3,3,8,8-tetramethyl-tricyclo[5.1.0.0(2,4)] oct-5-ene-5-propanoic acid (TPA), Rosifoliol, 2-Nonanone, Terpinen-4-ol, Dihydrocarveol, 5-Nonanone, Camphene, Linalool, Bornyl acetate, Camphor were identified as potential core compounds. Molecular docking and Induced Fit Docking (IFD) analysis revealed that NFKB1, PRKCA, and RAC1, along with the newly discovered TPA compound, are the most significant targets and bioactive compounds, respectively. Furthermore, in interactions such as TPA-RAC1, TPA might be a potential \"chelating ligand\" and may play a role in lowering concentrations of metal in blood. In addition, the molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) studies for 200 ns elucidated the binding mechanism of TPA with NFKB1, PRKCA and RAC1. In conclusion, TPA has a promising inhibiting potential against Rheumatoid Arthritis and thus necessitates further validation through <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> experiments.Therefore, the present study revealed the main mechanisms behind the anti-rheumatic effects of <em>C. caesia</em>, paving the path for further research on these compounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"42 ","pages":"Article 100468"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}