Annu Rev Plant Biol , IF:26.379 , 2023 Feb doi: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-102820-102235
Temperature Sensing in Plants.
Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), Groẞbeeren, Germany; email: kerbler@igzev.de, wigge@igzev.de.; Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
Temperature is a key environmental cue that influences the distribution and behavior of plants globally. Understanding how plants sense temperature and integrate this information into their development is important to determine how plants adapt to climate change and to apply this knowledge to the breeding of climate-resilient crops. The mechanisms of temperature perception in eukaryotes are only just beginning to be understood, with multiple molecular phenomena with inherent temperature dependencies, such as RNA melting, phytochrome dark reversion, and protein phase change, being exploited by nature to create thermosensory signaling networks. Here, we review recent progress in understanding how temperature sensing in four major pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana occurs: vernalization, cold stress, thermomorphogenesis, and heat stress. We discuss outstanding questions in the field and the importance of these mechanisms in the context of breeding climate-resilient crops. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Plant Biology, Volume 74 is May 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
PMID: 36854477
Nucleic Acids Res , IF:16.971 , 2023 Feb , V51 (4) : P1823-1842 doi: 10.1093/nar/gkac1275
Cold-induced inhibition of photosynthesis-related genes integrated by a TOP6 complex in rice mesophyll cells.
Guangzhou City Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biology, Genetics and Breeding, Pazhou Dadao Rd 17-19, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510000, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of Ministry of Education/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.; Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China.; Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environment, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya 572025, China.
Photosynthesis is the most temperature-sensitive process in the plant kingdom, but how the photosynthetic pathway responds during low-temperature exposure remains unclear. Herein, cold stress (4 degrees C) induced widespread damage in the form DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in the mesophyll cells of rice (Oryza sativa), subsequently causing a global inhibition of photosynthetic carbon metabolism (PCM) gene expression. Topoisomerase genes TOP6A3 and TOP6B were induced at 4 degrees C and their encoded proteins formed a complex in the nucleus. TOP6A3 directly interacted with KU70 to inhibit its binding to cold-induced DSBs, which was facilitated by TOP6B, finally blocking the loading of LIG4, a component of the classic non-homologous end joining (c-NHEJ) pathway. The repression of c-NHEJ repair imposed by cold extended DSB damage signaling, thus prolonging the inhibition of photosynthesis in leaves. Furthermore, the TOP6 complex negatively regulated 13 crucial PCM genes by directly binding to their proximal promoter regions. Phenotypically, TOP6A3 overexpression exacerbated the gamma-irradiation-triggered suppression of PCM genes and led to the hypersensitivity of photosynthesis parameters to cold stress, dependent on the DSB signal transducer ATM. Globally, the TOP6 complex acts as a signal integrator to control PCM gene expression and synchronize cold-induced photosynthesis inhibition, which modulates carbon assimilation rates immediately in response to changes in ambient temperature.
PMID: 36660855
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1111/nph.18882
The transcription factor MYB43 antagonizes with ICE1 to regulate freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis.
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, China.; School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, Anhui, 230009, China.; School of Horticulture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.
Previous discovering meticulously illustrate the post-translational modifications and protein stability regulation of ICE1 and their role in cold stress. However, the studies on the interaction of ICE1 with other transcription factors, and their function in modulation cold stress tolerance, as well as in the transition between cold stress and growth are largely insufficient. In this work, we found that MYB43 directly binds to the promoters of CBF genes to repress their expression, thereby negatively regulating freezing tolerance. Biochemical and genetic analyses showed that MYB43 interact and antagonize with ICE1 to regulate the expression of CBF genes and plant freezing stress tolerance. PRL1 accumulates under cold stress and promotes MYB43 protein degradation, however when cold stress disappears PRL1 restores normal protein levels, causing MYB43 protein to re-accumulate to normal levels. Furthermore, PRL1 positively regulates freezing tolerance by promoting degradation of MYB43 to attenuate its repression of CBF genes and antagonism with ICE1. Thus, our study reveals that MYB43 inhibits CBF genes expression under normal growth condition, while PRL1 promotes MYB43 protein degradation to attenuate its repression of CBF genes and antagonism with ICE1 thereby to the precise modulation of plant cold stress responses.
PMID: 36922399
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2023 Mar , V237 (6) : P2268-2283 doi: 10.1111/nph.18699
Cold stress induces malformed tomato fruits by breaking the feedback loops of stem cell regulation in floral meristem.
College of Horticulture, Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.; United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8550, Japan.; Department of Biological Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8550, Japan.; Department of Plant Bio Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8550, Japan.
Fruit malformation is a major constrain in fruit production worldwide resulting in substantial economic losses. The farmers for decades noticed that the chilling temperature before blooming often caused malformed fruits. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unclear. Here we examined the fruit development in response to cold stress in tomato, and demonstrated that short-term cold stress increased the callose accumulation in both shoot apical and floral meristems, resulting in the symplastic isolation and altered intercellular movement of WUS. In contrast to the rapidly restored SlWUS transcription during the recovery from cold stress, the callose removal was delayed due to obstructed plasmodesmata. The delayed reinstatement of cell-to-cell transport of SlWUS prevented the activation of SlCLV3 and TAG1, causing the interrupted feedback inhibition of SlWUS expression, leading to the expanded stem cell population and malformed fruits. We further showed that the callose dynamics in response to short-term cold stress presumably exploits the mechanism of bud dormancy during the seasonal growth, involving two antagonistic hormones, abscisic acid and gibberellin. Our results provide a novel insight into the cold stress regulated malformation of fruit.
PMID: 36564973
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2023 Feb , V237 (3) : P870-884 doi: 10.1111/nph.18568
SEC1-C3H39 module fine-tunes cold tolerance by mediating its target mRNA degradation in tomato.
Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China.; Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572025, China.; Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plants Growth and Development, Agricultural Ministry of China, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
Plants adapt to cold stress at the physiological and biochemical levels, thus enabling them to maintain growth and development. However, the molecular mechanism of fine-tuning cold signals remains largely unknown. We addressed the function of SlSEC1-SlC3H39 module in cold tolerance by using SlSEC1 and SlC3H39 knockout and overexpression tomato lines. A tandem CCCH zinc-finger protein SlC3H39 negatively modulates cold tolerance in tomato. SlC3H39 binds to AU-rich elements in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) to induce mRNA degradation and regulates gene expression post-transcriptionally. We further validate that SlC3H39 participates in post-transcriptional regulation of a variety of cold-responsive genes. An O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase SlSEC1 physically interacts with SlC3H39 proteins and negatively regulates cold tolerance in tomato. Further study shows that SlSEC1 is essential for SlC3H39 protein stability and maintains SlC3H39 function in cold tolerance. Genetic analysis shows that SlC3H39 is epistatic to SlSEC1 in cold tolerance. The findings indicate that SlC3H39 negatively modulates plant cold tolerance through post-transcriptional regulation by binding to cold-responding mRNA 3'-UTR and reducing those transcripts. SlSEC1 promotes the O-GlcNAclation status of SlC3H39 and maintains SlC3H39 function in cold tolerance. Taken together, we propose a SlSEC1-SlC3H39 module, which allows plants to balance defense responses and growth processes.
PMID: 36285381
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad187
The RNA binding protein MdHYL1 modulates cold tolerance and disease resistance in apple.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
Apple (Malus domestica) trees often experience various abiotic and biotic stresses. However, due to the long juvenile period of apple and its high degree of genetic heterozygosity, only limited progress has been made in developing cold-hardy and disease-resistant cultivars through traditional approaches. Numerous studies reveal that biotechnology is a feasible approach to improve stress tolerance in woody perennial plants. HYPONASTIC LEAVES1 (HYL1), a double-stranded RNA binding protein, is a key regulator involved in apple drought stress response. However, whether HYL1 participates in apple cold response and pathogen resistance remains unknown. In this study, we revealed that MdHYL1 plays a positive role in cold tolerance and pathogen resistance in apple. MdHYL1 acted upstream to positively regulate freezing tolerance and Alternaria alternata resistance by positively modulating transcripts of MdMYB88 and MdMYB124 in response to cold stress or A. alternata infection. In addition, MdHYL1 regulated the biogenesis of several miRNAs responsive to cold and A. alternata infection in apple. Furthermore, we identified Mdm-miRNA156 (Mdm-miR156) as a negative regulator of cold tolerance, Mdm-miRNA172 (Mdm-miR172) as a positive regulator of cold tolerance, and that Mdm-miRNA160 (Mdm-miR160) decreased plant resistance to infection by A. alternata. In summary, we highlight the molecular role of MdHYL1 regarding cold tolerance and A. alternata infection resistance, thereby providing candidate genes for breeding apple with freezing tolerance and A. alternata resistance using biotechnology.
PMID: 36970784
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad147
Transcription factors MhDREB2A/MhZAT10 Play a Role in Drought and Cold Stress Response Crosstalk in Apple.
Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China), Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100093, P.R.China.
Drought and cold stresses seriously affect tree growth and fruit yield during apple (Malus domestica) production, with combined stress causing injury such as shoot shriveling. However, the molecular mechanism underlying crosstalk between responses to drought and cold stress remains to be clarified. In this study, we characterized the zinc finger transcription factor ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 10 (ZAT10) through comparative analysis of shoot-shriveling tolerance between tolerant and sensitive apple rootstocks. MhZAT10 responded to both drought and cold stress. Heterologous expression of MhZAT10 in the sensitive rootstock 'G935' from domesticated apple (Malus domestica) promoted shoot-shriveling tolerance, while silencing of MhZAT10 expression in the tolerant rootstock 'SH6' of Malus honanensis reduced stress tolerance. We determined that the apple transcription factor DEHYDRATION RESPONSE ELEMENT-BINDING PROTEIN 2A (DREB2A) is a direct regulator activating the expression of MhZAT10 in response to drought stress. Apple plants overexpressing both MhDREB2A and MhZAT10 genes exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought and cold stress, while plants overexpressing MhDREB2A but with silenced expression of MhZAT10 showed reduced tolerance, suggesting a critical role of MhDREB2A-MhZAT10 in the crosstalk between drought and cold stress responses. We further identified drought-tolerant MhWRKY31 and cold-tolerant MhMYB88 and MhMYB124 as downstream regulatory target genes of MhZAT10. Our findings reveal a MhDREB2A-MhZAT10 module involved in crosstalk between drought and cold stress responses, which may have applications in apple rootstock breeding programs aimed at developing shoot-shriveling tolerance.
PMID: 36880407
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Feb doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad121
Kiwifruit bZIP transcription factor AcePosF21 elicits ascorbic acid biosynthesis during cold stress.
Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jiufeng 1 Road, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China.; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.; The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, 120 Mt Albert Road, Mt Albert, Auckland 1025, New Zealand.; The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, 412 No 1 Rd, RD2, Te Puke 3182, New Zealand.
Cold stress seriously affects plant development, resulting in heavy agricultural losses. L-ascorbic acid (AsA, vitamin C) is an antioxidant implicated in abiotic stress tolerance and metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Understanding whether and how cold stress elicits AsA biosynthesis to reduce oxidative damage is important for developing cold-resistant plants. Here, we show that the accumulation of AsA in response to cold stress is a common mechanism conserved across the plant kingdom, from single-cell algae to angiosperms. We identified a basic leucine zipper domain (bZIP) transcription factor (TF) of kiwifruit (Actinidia eriantha Benth.), AcePosF21, which was triggered by cold and is involved in the regulation of kiwifruit AsA biosynthesis and defense responses against cold stress. AcePosF21 interacted with the R2R3-MYB TF AceMYB102 and directly bound to the promoter of the gene encoding GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase 3 (AceGGP3), a key conduit for regulating AsA biosynthesis, to upregulate AceGGP3 expression and produce more AsA, which neutralized the excess ROS induced by cold stress. On the contrary, VIGS or CRISPR-Cas9-mediated editing of AcePosF21 decreased AsA content and increased the generation of ROS in kiwifruit under cold stress. Taken together, we illustrated a model for the regulatory mechanism of AcePosF21-mediated regulation of AceGGP3 expression and AsA biosynthesis to reduce oxidative damage by cold stress, which provides valuable clues for manipulating the cold resistance of kiwifruit.
PMID: 36823691
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Feb doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad112
m6A mRNA modification promotes chilling tolerance and modulates gene translation efficiency in Arabidopsis.
State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, China.; Jiangbei New Area Biopharmaceutical Public Service Platform Co., Ltd., Nanjing 210000, Jiangsu, China.; Plant Biology Section, School of Integrated Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca 14850, NY, USA.
N 6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent mRNA modification in eukaryotes, is an emerging player of gene regulation at transcriptional and translational levels. Here we explored the role of m6A modification in response to low temperature in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Knocking down mRNA adenosine methylase A (MTA), a key component of the modification complex, by RNA interference (RNAi) led to drastically reduced growth at low temperature, indicating a critical role of m6A modification in the chilling response. Cold treatment reduced the overall m6A modification level of mRNAs especially at the 3' untranslated region. Joint analysis of the m6A methylome, transcriptome and translatome of the wild type and the MTA RNAi line revealed that m6A-containing mRNAs generally had higher abundance and translation efficiency than non-m6A-containing mRNAs under normal and low temperatures. In addition, reduction of m6A modification by MTA RNAi only moderately altered the gene expression response to low temperature but led to dysregulation of translation efficiencies of one third of the genes of the genome in response to cold. We tested the function of the m6A-modified cold-responsive gene ACYL-COA:DIACYLGLYCEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE 1 (DGAT1) whose translation efficiency but not transcript level was reduced in the chilling-susceptible MTA RNAi plant. The dgat1 loss-of-function mutant exhibited reduced growth under cold stress. These results reveal a critical role of m6A modification in regulating growth under low temperature and suggest an involvement of translational control in chilling responses in Arabidopsis.
PMID: 36810961
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Feb doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad092
Advances in understanding cold tolerance in grapevine.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Grape Sciences and Enology, Key Laboratory of Plant Resource, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, PR China.; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, PR China.
Grapevine (Vitis ssp.) is a deciduous perennial fruit crop, and the canes and buds of grapevine should withstand low temperatures annually during winter. However, the widely cultivated Vitis vinifera is cold-sensitive and cannot survive the severe winter in regions with extremely low temperatures, such as viticulture regions in northern China. By contrast, a few wild Vitis species like V. amurensis and V. riparia exhibit excellent freezing tolerance. However, the mechanisms underlying grapevine cold tolerance remain largely unknown. In recent years, much progress has been made in elucidating the mechanisms, owing to the advances in sequencing and molecular biotechnology. Assembly of grapevine genomes together with resequencing and transcriptome data enable researchers to conduct genomic and transcriptomic analyses in various grapevine genotypes and populations to explore genetic variations involved in cold tolerance. In addition, a number of pivotal genes have been identified and functionally characterized. In this review, we summarize recent major advances in physiological and molecular analyses of cold tolerance in grapevine and put forward questions in this field. We also discuss the strategies for improving the tolerance of grapevine to cold stress. Understanding grapevine cold tolerance will facilitate the development of grapevines for adaption to global climate change.
PMID: 36789447
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Feb doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiad085
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein SlREC2 positively regulates cold tolerance in tomato.
College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.; College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.; College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China.; Henan International Joint Laboratory of Stress Resistance Regulation and Safe Production of Protected Vegetables, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China.; National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology (Liaoning), Shenyang 110866, China.; Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture, Ministry of Education, Shenyang 110866, China.
Cold stress is a key environmental constraint that dramatically affects the growth, productivity, and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum); however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified REDUCED CHLOROPLAST COVERAGE 2 (SlREC2) encoding a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) protein that positively regulates tomato cold tolerance. Disruption of SlREC2 largely reduced abscisic acid (ABA) levels, photoprotection and the expression of C-REPEAT BINDING FACTOR (CBF) pathway genes in tomato plants under cold stress. ABA deficiency in the notabilis (not) mutant, which carries a mutation in 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 1 (SlNCED1), strongly inhibited the cold tolerance of SlREC2-silenced plants and empty vector control plants and resulted in a similar phenotype. In addition, foliar application of ABA rescued the cold tolerance of SlREC2-silenced plants, which confirms that SlNCED1-mediated ABA accumulation is required for SlREC2-regulated cold tolerance. Strikingly, SlREC2 physically interacted with beta-RING CAROTENE HYDROXYLASE 1b (SlBCH1b), a key regulatory enzyme in the xanthophyll cycle. Disruption of SlBCH1b severely impaired photoprotection, ABA accumulation and CBF-pathway gene expression in tomato plants under cold stress. Taken together, this study reveals that SlREC2 interacts with SlBCH1b to enhance cold tolerance in tomato via integration of SlNCED1-mediated ABA accumulation, photoprotection, and the CBF-pathway, thus providing further genetic knowledge for breeding cold-resistant tomato varieties.
PMID: 36760172
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Feb , V191 (2) : P974-985 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac540
Physiological mechanisms underlying extreme longevity in mountain pine trees.
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain.; Research Institute in Biodiversity (IRBio), University of Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Ancient trees are life history longevity winners that mostly persist in remote and environmentally harsh mountainous areas. Here, we performed a multifeature analysis in a protected mature mountain pine (Pinus uncinata) forest to identify the morphological and physiological traits that make these trees unique. We compared the physiology of meristematic and somatic tissues (apical buds and needles, respectively) from juvenile, mature young, mature old, and mature ancient trees under cold stress and nonstress conditions. We successfully identified key morphological features of extreme longevity at the organism level, as well as various growth, vigor, stress, and dormancy markers underlying extreme longevity in old and ancient trees. Results indicated that evolution has exerted selective pressure on specific physiological traits that make trees become longevity winners (<0.1% of the tree population were ancient trees, with an average trunk diameter >100 cm and an estimated age of 700 years). Traits entailing longevity not only included apical dominance loss, epicormic growth, and modular senescence, but also an extreme plasticity in both meristematic and somatic tissues (buds and needles, respectively), as shown by various physiological markers. In conclusion, ancient trees are oddities that not only possess a unique ecological value but also show divergent physiological behaviors selected during their evolution to allow them to cope with adversities and attain long life.
PMID: 36440969
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2023 Feb , V191 (2) : P1138-1152 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiac533
FER and LecRK show haplotype-dependent cold-responsiveness and mediate freezing tolerance in Lotus japonicus.
Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, 890 Oval Drive, 3114 Engineering Building II, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA.
Many plant species have succeeded in colonizing a wide range of diverse climates through local adaptation, but the underlying molecular genetics remain obscure. We previously found that winter survival was a direct target of selection during colonization of Japan by the perennial legume Lotus japonicus and identified associated candidate genes. Here, we show that two of these, FERONIA-receptor like kinase (LjFER) and a S-receptor-like kinase gene (LjLecRK), are required for non-acclimated freezing tolerance and show haplotype-dependent cold-responsive expression. Our work suggests that recruiting a conserved growth regulator gene, FER, and a receptor-like kinase gene, LecRK, into the set of cold-responsive genes has contributed to freezing tolerance and local climate adaptation in L. japonicus, offering functional genetic insight into perennial herb evolution.
PMID: 36448631
Food Chem , IF:7.514 , 2023 Mar , V405 (Pt B) : P134957 doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134957
MaMYB13 is involved in response to chilling stress via activating expression of VLCFAs and phenylpropanoids biosynthesis-related genes in postharvest banana fruit.
Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: lizhiwei@scbg.ac.cn.; Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: zhouyijie123@scbg.ac.cn.; Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: lianghanzhi@scbg.ac.cn.; Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy Sciences, Wenzhou 325027, China. Electronic address: liqing@wiucas.ac.cn.; Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: ymjiang@scbg.ac.cn.; Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: xwduan@scbg.ac.cn.; Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: gxjiang@scbg.ac.cn.
Fruit chilling injury is the result of physiological dysfunction due to membrane lipid phase change, oxidative damage of biomacromolecules and respiratory metabolism abnormality. However, the involvement of transcription factors in response to fruits chilling tolerance remains largely unclear. Here, MaMYB13 was identified to participate in banana fruit response to chilling stress. MaMYB13 has transcriptional activation activity. When exposed to low temperature, expression of MaMYB13 was enormously induced. Moreover, MaMYB13 promoter was activated by chilling stress. MaMYB13 bound to the promoters of several important very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and phenylpropanoids biosynthesis-related genes, including MaKCS11, Ma4CL6 and MaAAE1, and activated their transcription. Furthermore, MaKIN10 X1/3 interacted with MaMYB13 and enhanced MaMYB13-mediated transcriptional activation possibly via phosphorylation. Altogether, our results unravel the mechanism of MaMYB13-MaKIN10 X1/3 interaction regulating banana fruit chilling tolerance through activating the expression of MaKCS11, Ma4CL6 and MaAAE1, providing new insights into the regulatory network of MYB transcription factor.
PMID: 36417802
Free Radic Biol Med , IF:7.376 , 2023 Apr , V199 : P2-16 doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.02.008
OsLPXC negatively regulates tolerance to cold stress via modulating oxidative stress, antioxidant defense and JA accumulation in rice.
International Genome Center, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China.; Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.; International Genome Center, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China. Electronic address: jianchen@ujs.edu.cn.
Exposure of crops to low temperature (LT) during emerging and reproductive stages influences their growth and development. In this study, we have isolated a cold induced, nucleus-localized lipid A gene from rice named OsLPXC, which encodes a protein of 321 amino acids. Knockout of OsLPXC resulted in enhance sensitivity to LT stress in rice, with increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage, while expression and activities of antioxidant enzymes were significantly suppressed. The accumulation of chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate of knockout plants were also decreased compared with WT under LT stress. The functional analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), showed that numerous genes associated with antioxidant defense, photosynthesis, cold signaling were solely expressed and downregulated in oslpxc plants compared with WT under LT. The accumulation of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in leave and several DEGs related to the jasmonate biosynthesis pathway were significantly downregulated in OsLPXC knockout plants, which showed differential levels of MeJA regulation in WT and knockout plants in response to cold stress. These results indicated that OsLPXC positively regulates cold tolerance in rice via stabilizing the expression and activities of ROS scavenging enzymes, photosynthetic apparatus, cold signaling genes, and jasmonate biosynthesis.
PMID: 36775108
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2023 Apr , V46 (4) : P1402-1418 doi: 10.1111/pce.14513
bHLH57 confers chilling tolerance and grain yield improvement in rice.
Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Crop Sterile Germplasm Resource Innovation and Application, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.; Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA.
Chilling stress has become a major limiting factor that reduces crop productivity worldwide. In this study, we identified a new gene bHLH57, whose product enhances chilling tolerance in rice at diverse developmental stages. bHLH57 was mainly expressed in leaves and anthers, and its protein was targeted to the nucleus. Overexpression of bHLH57 enhanced chilling tolerance by increasing trehalose synthesis, whereas its mutants by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis were more sensitive to chilling and had reduced trehalose. Meanwhile, bHLH57 may regulate ROS metabolism and CBFs/DREBs- dependent pathways in response to chilling stress. In addition, the overexpression of bHLH57 resulted in increased grain yield under normal and chilling conditions, however, the disruption of bHLH57 displayed decreased grain size and seed setting rate, thus reduced grain yield. Phylogenetic and nucleotide diversity analyses suggested that bHLH57 is relatively conserved in monocotyledons, and may be selected during indica populations adaptation. Taken together, we have identified a new bHLH regulator involved rice chilling tolerance and grain yield, and provide a potential target gene for improving chilling tolerance and grain yield of rice.
PMID: 36510797
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2023 Feb , V46 (2) : P464-478 doi: 10.1111/pce.14483
Limitation of sucrose biosynthesis shapes carbon partitioning during plant cold acclimation.
Plant Evolutionary Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.; Theoretical Biophysics, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.; Institute for Biosciences, Physiology of Plant Metabolism, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
Cold acclimation is a multigenic process by which many plant species increase their freezing tolerance. Stabilization of photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism plays a crucial role in cold acclimation. To study regulation of primary and secondary metabolism during cold acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana, metabolic mutants with deficiencies in either starch or flavonoid metabolism were exposed to 4 degrees C. Photosynthesis was determined together with amounts of carbohydrates, anthocyanins, organic acids and enzyme activities of the central carbohydrate metabolism. Starch deficiency was found to significantly delay soluble sugar accumulation during cold acclimation, while starch overaccumulation did not affect accumulation dynamics but resulted in lower total amounts of \sucrose and glucose. Anthocyanin amounts were lowered in both starch deficient and overaccumulating mutants. Vice versa, flavonoid deficiency did not result in a changed starch amount, which suggested a unidirectional signalling link between starch and flavonoid metabolism. Mathematical modelling of carbon metabolism indicated kinetics of sucrose biosynthesis to be limiting for carbon partitioning in leaf tissue during cold exposure. Together with cold-induced dynamics of citrate, fumarate and malate amounts, this provided evidence for a central role of sucrose phosphate synthase activity in carbon partitioning between biosynthetic and dissimilatory pathways which stabilizes photosynthesis and metabolism at low temperature.
PMID: 36329607
J Exp Bot , IF:6.992 , 2023 Mar , V74 (6) : P2173-2187 doi: 10.1093/jxb/erad027
Integration of chromatin accessibility and gene expression reveals new regulators of cold hardening to enhance freezing tolerance in Prunus mume.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Laboratory of Urban and Rural Ecological Environment, Engineering Research Center of Landscape Environment of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding in Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants of Ministry of Education, School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.; College of Landscape and Tourism, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, China.; Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Orchid Conservation and Utilization at College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
Low temperature is one of the most important abiotic factors limiting the growth, development and geographical distribution of plants. Prunus mume is an attractive woody ornamental plant that blooms in early spring in Beijing. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cold hardening to enhance freezing tolerance in Prunus genus remains elusive. This study examined the dynamic physiological responses induced by cold hardening, and identified freezing-tolerance genes by RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses. Cold hardening elevated the content of soluble substances and enhanced freezing resistance in P. mume. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the candidate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were those enriched in Ca2+ signalling, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, abscisic acid signalling, and inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE)-C-repeat binding factor (CBF) signalling pathways. The openness of gene chromatin positively correlated with the expression level of these genes. Thirteen motifs were identified in the open chromatin regions in the treatment group subjected to freezing after cold hardening. The chromatin opening of transcription start site at the proximal -177 region of cold-shock protein CS120-like (PmCSL) was markedly increased, while the expression level of PmCSL was significantly up-regulated. Overexpression of PmCSL in Arabidopsis significantly improved the freezing tolerance of transgenic plants. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of freezing tolerance to improve breeding of cold-hardy P. mume plants.
PMID: 36655907
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2023 Mar , V238 : P124064 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124064
Recent genome-wide replication promoted expansion and functional differentiation of the JAZs in soybeans.
The Research Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.; Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metablism and Regulation, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China.; Hybrid Rapeseed Research Center of Shaanxi Province, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: chliwang262@163.com.; The Research Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metablism and Regulation, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China. Electronic address: liangzs@ms.iswc.ac.cn.
Jasmonate Zim-domain (JAZ) protein is an inhibitor of the jasmonate (JA) signal transduction pathway, and plays an important role in regulating plant growth, development, and defense. However, there have been few studies on its function under environmental stress in soybeans. In this study, a total of 275 JAZs protein-coding genes were identified in 29 soybean genomes. SoyC13 contained the least JAZ family members (26 JAZs), which was twice as high as AtJAZs. The genes are mainly generated by recent genome-wide replication (WGD), which replicated during the Late Cenozoic Ice Age. In addition, transcriptome analysis showed that the differences in gene expression patterns in the roots, stems, and leaves of the 29 cultivars at the V1 stage were not significant, but there was a significant difference among the three seed development stages. Finally, qRT-PCR results showed that GmJAZs responded the most strongly to heat stress, followed by drought and cold stress. This is consistent with the reason for their expansion and promoter analysis results. Therefore, we explored the significant role of conserved, duplicated, and neofunctionalized JAZs in the evolution of soybeans, which will contribute to the functional characterization of GmJAZ and the improvement of crops.
PMID: 36933593
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2023 Feb , V229 : P766-777 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.330
Genome-wide identification, characterization and evolutionary dynamic of invertase gene family in apple, and revealing its roles in cold tolerance.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: limingjun@nwsuaf.edu.cn.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: bqma87@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
Invertases are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze the unalterable cleavage of sucrose into glucose and fructose, and are crucially involved in plant growth, development and stress response. In this study, a total of 17 putative invertase genes, including 3 cell wall invertases, 3 vacuolar invertases, and 11 neutral invertases were identified in apple genome. Subcellular localization of MdNINV7 and MdNINV11 indicated that both invertases were located in the cytoplasm. Comprehensive analyses of physicochemical properties, chromosomal localization, genomic characterization, and gene evolution of MdINV family were conducted. Gene duplication revealed that whole-genome or segmental duplication and random duplication might have been the major driving force for MdINVs expansion. Selection index values, omega, showed strong evidence of positive selection signatures among the INV clusters. Gene expression analysis indicated that MdNINV1/3/6/7 members are crucially involved in fruit development and sugar accumulation. Similarly, expression profiles of MdCWINV1, MdVINV1, and MdNINV1/2/7/11 suggested their potential roles in response to cold stress. Furthermore, overexpression of MdNINV11 in apple calli at least in part promoted the expression of MdCBF1-5 and H(2)O(2) detoxification in response to cold. Overall, our results will be useful for understanding the functions of MdINVs in the regulation of apple fruit development and cold stress response.
PMID: 36610562
Development , IF:6.868 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1242/dev.201476
MERISTEM-DEFECTIVE / DEFECTIVELY ORGANIZED TRIBUTARIES2 regulates the balance between stemness and differentiation in the root meristem through RNA splicing control.
Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.; College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.; Max Planck Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Goettingen, Germany.
Plants respond to environmental stresses through controlled stem cell maintenance and meristem activity. One level of gene regulation is RNA alternative splicing. However the mechanistic link between stress, meristem function and RNA splicing is poorly understood. The MERISTEM-DEFECTIVE (MDF)/DEFECTIVELY ORGANIZED TRIBUTARIES (DOT2) gene of Arabidopsis encodes a SR-related family protein, required for meristem function and leaf vascularization, and is the likely orthologue of the human hSART1 and yeast Snu66 splicing factors. MDF is required for the correct splicing and expression of key transcripts associated with root meristem function. We identified RSZ33 and ACC1, both known to regulate cell patterning, as splicing targets required for MDF function in the meristem. MDF expression is modulated by osmotic and cold stress, associated with differential splicing and specific isoform accumulation and shuttling between nucleus and cytosol, and acts in part via a splicing target SR34. We propose a model in which MDF controls splicing in the root meristem to promote stemness and repress stress response, cell differentiation and cell death pathways.
PMID: 36971700
Hortic Res , IF:6.793 , 2023 Mar , V10 (3) : Puhad013 doi: 10.1093/hr/uhad013
RsERF40 contributes to cold stress tolerance and cell expansion of taproot in radish (Raphanus sativus L.).
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and utilization, Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement (East China) of MOAR, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.; College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
The growth and development of taproots are inhibited by cold stress in radish (Raphanus sativus L.). Ethylene-responsive element binding factors (ERF) are key participators in the cold stress response and growth regulation of plants. However, the function of ERF genes in cold tolerance and root development in radish remains elusive. Here, we showed that the secondary growth of radish taproots was inhibited by cold stress. Comparative transcriptome analysis demonstrated that the RsERF40 gene is an important regulator of the cold stress response and root growth regulation. The cold tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the RsERF40 gene was significantly improved. Overexpressing RsERF40 in the cold-sensitive radish genotype and silencing RsERF40 in the cold-tolerant radish genotype indicated that RsERF40 was beneficial for alleviating oxidative damage under cold stress in radish. Transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings showed an increase in the elongation and radial growth of dark-grown roots. RT-qPCR analysis showed that the expression of the cold-related genes (CORs) RsCOR78 and RsCOR413PM1 and the cell wall strengthening-related genes RsCESA6 and RsEXPB3 was upregulated in transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase reporter assays (DLA) revealed that RsERF40 directly regulates RsCOR78, RsCOR413PM1, RsCESA6 and RsEXPB3 expression, illustrating that RsERF40 enhances cold tolerance and taproot growth by modulating osmotic adjustment and cell wall mechanical strength in radish. In this study, the RsERF40-regulon was firstly found to be a new cold response pathway independent of the CBF-COR pathway conferring cold stress tolerance with increasing radish taproot growth. These results provided novel insight into the molecular mechanism underlying cold stress response and would facilitate the genetic improvement of cold tolerance in radish and other root vegetable crops.
PMID: 36968181
Hortic Res , IF:6.793 , 2023 Feb , V10 (2) : Puhac256 doi: 10.1093/hr/uhac256
Thioredoxin h2 inhibits the MPKK5-MPK3 cascade to regulate the CBF-COR signaling pathway in Citrullus lanatus suffering chilling stress.
Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.; Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Thioredoxins (TRXs) are ubiquitous oxidoreductases and present as a multigenic family. TRXs determine the thiol redox balance, which is crucial for plants in the response to cold stress. However, limited knowledge is available about the role of TRXs in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), which is highly sensitive to chilling stress in agricultural practice. Here, we identified 18 genes encoding 14 typical and 4 atypical TRXs from the watermelon genome, and found that ClTRX h2 localized at the plasma membrane was largely induced by chilling. Virus-induced gene silencing of ClTRX h2 resulted in watermelon plants that were more sensitive to chilling stress. We further found that ClTRX h2 physically interacted with mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 5 (ClMPKK5), which was confirmed to phosphorylate and activate ClMPK3 in vitro, and the activation of ClMPK3 by ClMPKK5 was blocked by a point mutation of the Cys-229 residue to Ser in ClMPKK5. Additionally, ClTRX h2 inhibited the chilling-induced activation of ClMPK3, suggesting that the ClMPKK5-ClMPK3 cascade is regulated in a redox-dependent manner. We showed that ClMPK3-silenced plants had increased tolerance to chilling, as well as enhanced transcript abundances of the C-repeat/DREB binding factor (ClCBF) and cold-responsive (ClCOR) genes. Taken together, our results indicate that redox status mediated by ClTRX h2 inhibits ClMPK3 phosphorylation through the interaction between ClTRX h2 and ClMPKK5, which subsequently regulates the CBF-COR signaling pathway when submitted to chilling stress. Hence, our results provide a link between thiol redox balance and MAPK cascade signaling, revealing a conceptual framework to understand how TRX regulates chilling stress tolerance in watermelon.
PMID: 36778181
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1111/tpj.16194
Ornithine delta-aminotransferase OsOAT is critical for male fertility and cold tolerance during rice plant development.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.; Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.; Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Crop Design, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
Cold stress is a major factor limiting the production and geographical distribution of rice (Oryza sativa) varieties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cold tolerance remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that ornithine delta-aminotransferase (OsOAT) contributes to cold tolerance during the vegetative and reproductive development of rice. osoat mutant was identified as a temperature-sensitive male sterile mutant with deformed floral organs and seedlings sensitive to cold stress. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that OsOAT mutation and cold treatment of the wild-type plant led to similar changes in the global gene expression profiles in anthers. OsOAT genes in indica rice Huanghuazhan (HHZ) and japonica rice Wuyungeng (WYG) are different in gene structure and response to cold. OsOAT is cold-inducible in WYG but cold-irresponsive in HHZ. Further studies showed that indica varieties carry both WYG-type and HHZ-type OsOAT, whereas japonica varieties mostly carry WYG-type OsOAT. Cultivars carrying HHZ-type OsOAT are mainly distributed in low-latitude regions, whereas varieties carrying WYG-type OsOAT are distributed in both low- and high-latitude regions. Moreover, indica varieties carrying WYG-type OsOAT generally have higher seed-setting rates than those carrying HHZ-type OsOAT under cold stress at reproductive stage, highlighting the favorable selection for WYG-type OsOAT during domestication and breeding to cope with low temperatures.
PMID: 36932862
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1111/tpj.16199
Salicylic acid regulates two photosystem II protection pathways in tomato under chilling stress mediated by ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 3-like proteins.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai' an, Shandong, 271018, China.
Chilling stress seriously impairs photosynthesis and activates a series of molecular responses in plants. Previous studies have shown that ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 3 (EIN3) and EIN3-like (SlEILs) proteins mediate ethylene signaling and reduce plant tolerance to freezing in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). However, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying a EIN3/EILs-mediated photoprotection pathway under chilling stress are unclear. Here, we discovered that salicylic acid (SA) participates in PSII protection via SlEIL2 and SlEIL7. Under chilling stress, the phenylalanine ammonia lyase gene SlPAL5 plays an important role in the production of SA, which also induces WHIRLY1 (SlWHY1) transcription. The resulting accumulation of SlWHY1 activates SlEIL7 expression under chilling stress. Increased SlEIL7 then binds to and blocks the repression domain of the heat shock factor SlHSFB-2B, releasing its inhibition of Heat shock protein 21 (HSP21) expression to maintain PSII stability. In addition, SlWHY1 indirectly repressed SlEIL2 expression, allowing the expression of L-GALACTOSE-1-PHOSPHATE PHOSPHATASE3 (SlGPP3). The ensuing higher SlGPP3 abundance promoted the accumulation of ascorbic acid, thus scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced upon chilling stress and thus protecting PSII. Our study demonstrates that SlEIL2 and SlEIL7 protect PSII under chilling stress via two different SA response mechanisms: one involving the antioxidant ascorbic acid, and the other involving the photoprotective chaperone protein HSP21.
PMID: 36948885
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2023 Feb doi: 10.1111/tpj.16132
Mdm-miR160-MdARF17-MdWRKY33 module mediates freezing tolerance in apple.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.; Ningxia Engineering and Technology Research Center of Grape and Wine, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, Ningxia, China.
Apple (Malus domestica) trees are vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Cold resistance in woody perennial plants can be improved through biotechnological approaches. However, genetic engineering requires a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the tree's response to cold. In this study, we demonstrated that the Mdm-miR160-MdARF17-MdWRKY33 module is crucial for apple freezing tolerance. Mdm-miR160 plays a negative role in apple freezing tolerance, whereas MdARF17, one of the targets of Mdm-miR160, is a positive regulator of apple freezing tolerance. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that in apple, MdARF17 mediates the cold response by influencing the expression of cold-responsive genes. EMSA and ChIP-qPCR assays demonstrated that MdARF17 can bind to the promoter of MdWRKY33 and promotes its expression. Overexpression of MdWRKY33 enhanced the cold tolerance of the apple calli. In addition, we found that the Mdm-miR160-MdARF17-MdWRKY33 module regulates cold tolerance in apple by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, as revealed by (i) increased H(2) O(2) levels and decreased peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities in Mdm-miR160e OE plants and MdARF17 RNAi plants and (ii) decreased H(2) O(2) levels and increased POD and CAT activities in MdmARF17 OE plants and MdWRKY33 OE calli. Taken together, our study uncovered the molecular roles of the Mdm-miR160-MdARF17-MdWRKY33 module in freezing tolerance in apple, thus providing support for breeding of cold-tolerant apple cultivars.
PMID: 36738108
Mol Ecol , IF:6.185 , 2023 Feb , V32 (4) : P772-785 doi: 10.1111/mec.16794
Testing the chilling- before drought-tolerance hypothesis in Pooideae grasses.
Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA.; Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, As, Norway.
Temperate Pooideae are a large clade of economically important grasses distributed in some of the Earth's coldest and driest terrestrial environments. Previous studies have inferred that Pooideae diversified from their tropical ancestors in a cold montane habitat, suggesting that above-freezing cold (chilling) tolerance evolved early in the subfamily. By contrast, drought tolerance is hypothesized to have evolved multiple times independently in response to global aridification that occurred after the split of Pooideae tribes. To independently test predictions of the chilling-before-drought hypothesis in Pooideae, we assessed conservation of whole plant and gene expression traits in response to chilling vs. drought. We demonstrated that both trait responses are more similar across tribes in cold as compared to drought, suggesting that chilling responses evolved before, and drought responses after, tribe diversification. Moreover, we found significantly more overlap between drought and chilling responsive genes within a species than between drought responsive genes across species, providing evidence that chilling tolerance genes acted as precursors for the novel acquisition of increased drought tolerance multiple times independently, partially through the cooption of chilling responsive genes.
PMID: 36420966
Sci China Life Sci , IF:6.038 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1007/s11427-022-2265-6
Melanin precursors mediated adaption to temperature changes in fungus and animal via inhibition of lipid-mediated ferroptosis.
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, and Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China.; Kunming Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Kunming University, Kunming, 650214, China.; State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China. shli@mail.kib.ac.cn.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, and Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650032, China. xmniu@ynu.edu.cn.
The discovery of biological activities of natural products plays a vital part in drug development. The mechanism by which organisms respond to temperature changes via biosynthesis of natural products remained largely cryptic. A thermophilic fungus under cold stress turned black and accumulated a polyketide metabolite 1 and lipid mass. Deficiency in 1 caused melanin loss and accumulated extra lipid mass, unexpectedly leading to seriously damaged mitochondria diagnostic for ferroptosis. Further analysis revealed that lipid mass induced by cold stress intensively increased ferroptosis risk and 1 functioned as cell wall reinforcer against mass lipid accumulation and as reactive oxygen species scavenger against lipid peroxidation. We also found that melanin in mice lowered lipid level but enhanced animal resistance to cold stress. Treatment with melanin precursors significantly increased mouse cell survival rate under cold stress. Our results unveiled a metabolite-lipid-ferroptosis-cold relationship, which provided mechanistic insights into the functions of most common metabolites and into diseases related to cold stress. These findings opened a perspective for developing anti-cold and anti-ferroptosis therapeutics and agents.
PMID: 36949229
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Mar , V24 (6) doi: 10.3390/ijms24065762
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of Cysteine-Rich Polycomb-like Protein (CPP) Gene Family in Tomato.
Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
The cysteine-rich polycomb-like protein (CPP) gene family is a class of transcription factors containing conserved cysteine-rich CRC structural domains that is involved in the regulation of plant growth and stress tolerance to adversity. Relative to other gene families, the CPP gene family has not received sufficient attention. In this study, six SlCPPs were identified for the first time using the most recent genome-wide identification data of tomato. Subsequently, a phylogenetic analysis classified SlCPPs into four subfamilies. The analysis of cis-acting elements in the promoter indicates that SlCPPs are involved in plant growth and development and also stress response. We present for the first time the prediction of the tertiary structure of these SlCPPs proteins using the AlphaFold2 artificial intelligence system developed by the DeepMind team. Transcriptome data analysis showed that SlCPPs were differentially expressed in different tissues. Gene expression profiling showed that all SlCPPs except SlCPP5 were up-regulated under drought stress; SlCPP2, SlCPP3 and SlCPP4 were up-regulated under cold stress; SlCPP2 and SlCPP5 were up-regulated under salt stress; all SlCPPs were up-regulated under inoculation with Cladosporium fulvum; and SlCPP1, SlCPP3, and SlCPP4 were up-regulated under inoculation with Stemphylium lycopersici. We performed a virus-induced gene silencing experiment on SlCPP3, and the results indicated that SlCPP3 was involved in the response to drought stress. Finally, we predicted the interaction network of the key gene SlCPP3, and there was an interaction relationship between SlCPP3 and 10 genes, such as RBR1 and MSI1. The positive outcome showed that SlCPPs responded to environmental stress. This study provides a theoretical and empirical basis for the response mechanisms of tomato in abiotic stresses.
PMID: 36982833
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Mar , V24 (6) doi: 10.3390/ijms24065261
Overexpression of a Fragaria vesca 1R-MYB Transcription Factor Gene (FvMYB114) Increases Salt and Cold Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Development and Utilization of Small Fruits in Cold Regions, College of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.; Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crops Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Research Institute of Pomology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xingcheng 125100, China.; Institute of Agricultural Processing Research, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315040, China.
The MYB (v-MYB avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog) transcription factor (TF) family has numerous members with complex and diverse functions, which play an indispensable role in regulating the response of plants to stress. In this study, a new 1R-MYB TF gene was obtained from Fragaria vesca (a diploid strawberry) by cloning technology and given a new name, FvMYB114. According to the subcellular localization results, FvMYB114 protein was a nuclear localization protein. Overexpression of FvMYB114 greatly enhanced the adaptability and tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana to salt and low temperature. Under salt and cold stress, the transgenic plants had greater proline and chlorophyll contents and higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) than the wild-type (WT) and unloaded-line (UL) A. thaliana. However, malondialdehyde (MDA) was higher in the WT and UL lines. These results suggested that FvMYB114 may be involved in regulating the response of A. thaliana to salt stress and cold stress. FvMYB114 can also promote the expression of genes, such as the genes AtSOS1/3, AtNHX1 and AtLEA3 related to salt stress and the genes AtCCA1, AtCOR4 and AtCBF1/3 related to cold stress, further improving the tolerance of transgenic plants to salt and cold stress.
PMID: 36982335
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Mar , V24 (5) doi: 10.3390/ijms24055013
CaSPDS, a Spermidine Synthase Gene from Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), Plays an Important Role in Response to Cold Stress.
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.; Institute for Processing and Storage of Agricultural Products, Chengdu Academy of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Chengdu 611130, China.; Institute of Pomology and Olericulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Spermidine synthase (SPDS) is a key enzyme in the polyamine anabolic pathway. SPDS genes help regulate plant response to environmental stresses, but their roles in pepper remain unclear. In this study, we identified and cloned a SPDS gene from pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), named CaSPDS (LOC107847831). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that CaSPDS contains two highly conserved domains: an SPDS tetramerisation domain and a spermine/SPDS domain. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction results showed that CaSPDS was highly expressed in the stems, flowers, and mature fruits of pepper and was rapidly induced by cold stress. The function of CaSPDS in cold stress response was studied by silencing and overexpressing it in pepper and Arabidopsis, respectively. Cold injury was more serious and reactive oxygen species levels were greater in the CaSPDS-silenced seedlings than in the wild-type (WT) seedlings after cold treatment. Compared with the WT plants, the CaSPDS-overexpression Arabidopsis plants were more tolerant to cold stress and showed higher antioxidant enzyme activities, spermidine content, and cold-responsive gene (AtCOR15A, AtRD29A, AtCOR47, and AtKIN1) expression. These results indicate that CaSPDS plays important roles in cold stress response and is valuable in molecular breeding to enhance the cold tolerance of pepper.
PMID: 36902443
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Feb , V24 (4) doi: 10.3390/ijms24044078
Genome-Wide Identification, Classification, and Expression Analyses of the CsDGAT Gene Family in Cannabis sativa L. and Their Response to Cold Treatment.
Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences Postdoctoral Programme, Institute of Industrial Crops, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150086, China.; Harbin Academy of Agricultural Science, Harbin 150028, China.; Remote Sensing Technique Center, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150086, China.
Hempseed is a nutrient-rich natural resource, and high levels of hempseed oil accumulate within hemp seeds, consisting primarily of different triglycerides. Members of the diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) enzyme family play critical roles in catalyzing triacylglycerol biosynthesis in plants, often governing the rate-limiting step in this process. As such, this study was designed to characterize the Cannabis sativa DGAT (CsDGAT) gene family in detail. Genomic analyses of the C. sativa revealed 10 candidate DGAT genes that were classified into four families (DGAT1, DGAT2, DGAT3, WS/DGAT) based on the features of different isoforms. Members of the CsDGAT family were found to be associated with large numbers of cis-acting promoter elements, including plant response elements, plant hormone response elements, light response elements, and stress response elements, suggesting roles for these genes in key processes such as development, environmental adaptation, and abiotic stress responses. Profiling of these genes in various tissues and varieties revealed varying spatial patterns of CsDGAT expression dynamics and differences in expression among C. sativa varieties, suggesting that the members of this gene family likely play distinct functional regulatory functions CsDGAT genes were upregulated in response to cold stress, and significant differences in the mode of regulation were observed when comparing roots and leaves, indicating that CsDGAT genes may play positive roles as regulators of cold responses in hemp while also playing distinct roles in shaping the responses of different parts of hemp seedlings to cold exposure. These data provide a robust basis for further functional studies of this gene family, supporting future efforts to screen the significance of CsDGAT candidate genes to validate their functions to improve hempseed oil composition.
PMID: 36835488
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Feb , V24 (4) doi: 10.3390/ijms24043878
Alternative Splicing in the Regulatory Circuit of Plant Temperature Response.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xi'an 712100, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Institute of Future Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Xi'an 712100, China.
As sessile organisms, plants have evolved complex mechanisms to rapidly respond to ever-changing ambient temperatures. Temperature response in plants is modulated by a multilayer regulatory network, including transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations. Alternative splicing (AS) is an essential post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism. Extensive studies have confirmed its key role in plant temperature response, from adjustment to diurnal and seasonal temperature changes to response to extreme temperatures, which has been well documented by previous reviews. As a key node in the temperature response regulatory network, AS can be modulated by various upstream regulations, such as chromatin modification, transcription rate, RNA binding proteins, RNA structure and RNA modifications. Meanwhile, a number of downstream mechanisms are affected by AS, such as nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway, translation efficiency and production of different protein variants. In this review, we focus on the links between splicing regulation and other mechanisms in plant temperature response. Recent advances regarding how AS is regulated and the following consequences in gene functional modulation in plant temperature response will be discussed. Substantial evidence suggests that a multilayer regulatory network integrating AS in plant temperature response has been unveiled.
PMID: 36835290
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Feb , V24 (4) doi: 10.3390/ijms24043858
Evolutionary Analysis of Respiratory Burst Oxidase Homolog (RBOH) Genes in Plants and Characterization of ZmRBOHs.
College of Agriculture, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China.; College of Engineering, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China.; Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, No. 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China.
The respiratory burst oxidase homolog (RBOH), as the key producer of reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays an essential role in plant development. In this study, a bioinformatic analysis was performed on 22 plant species, and 181 RBOH homologues were identified. A typical RBOH family was identified only in terrestrial plants, and the number of RBOHs increased from non-angiosperms to angiosperms. Whole genome duplication (WGD)/segmental duplication played a key role in RBOH gene family expansion. Amino acid numbers of 181 RBOHs ranged from 98 to 1461, and the encoded proteins had molecular weights from 11.1 to 163.6 kDa, respectively. All plant RBOHs contained a conserved NADPH_Ox domain, while some of them lacked the FAD_binding_8 domain. Plant RBOHs were classified into five main subgroups by phylogenetic analysis. Most RBOH members in the same subgroup showed conservation in both motif distribution and gene structure composition. Fifteen ZmRBOHs were identified in maize genome and were positioned in eight maize chromosomes. A total of three pairs of orthologous genes were found in maize, including ZmRBOH6/ZmRBOH8, ZmRBOH4/ZmRBOH10 and ZmRBOH15/ZmRBOH2. A Ka/Ks calculation confirmed that purifying selection was the main driving force in their evolution. ZmRBOHs had typical conserved domains and similar protein structures. cis-element analyses together with the expression profiles of the ZmRBOH genes in various tissues and stages of development suggested that ZmRBOH was involved in distinct biological processes and stress responses. Based on the RNA-Seq data and qRT-PCR analysis, the transcriptional response of ZmRBOH genes was examined under various abiotic stresses, and most of ZmRBOH genes were up-regulated by cold stress. These findings provide valuable information for further revealing the biological roles of ZmRBOH genes in plant development and abiotic stress responses.
PMID: 36835269
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Feb , V24 (3) doi: 10.3390/ijms24033030
Functional Characterization of Lobularia maritima LmTrxh2 Gene Involved in Cold Tolerance in Tobacco through Alleviation of ROS Damage to the Plasma Membrane.
Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, Biotechnology and Plant Improvement Laboratory, University of Sfax, B.P "1177", Sfax 3018, Tunisia.; Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.; Biology Department, College of Sciences and Arts Muhayil Assir, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia.; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Arts in Balgarn, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia.; Department of Environmental Sciences and Nutrition, Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology of Mahdia, University of Monastir, Mahdia 5100, Tunisia.; Faculty of Horticulture, Institute of Horticulture, Slovak University of Agriculture, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia.; Department of Bioenergy, Food Technology and Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Rzeszow, 4 Zelwerowicza St, 35601 Rzeszow, Poland.
Cold stress is a key environmental factor affecting plant growth and development, crop productivity, and geographic distribution. Thioredoxins (Trxs) are small proteins that are ubiquitously expressed in all organisms and implicated in several cellular processes, including redox reactions. However, their role in the regulation of cold stress in the halophyte plant Lobularia maritima remains unknown. We recently showed that overexpression of LmTrxh2, which is the gene that encodes the h-type Trx protein previously isolated from L. maritima, led to an enhanced tolerance to salt and osmotic stress in transgenic tobacco. This study functionally characterized the LmTrxh2 gene via its overexpression in tobacco and explored its cold tolerance mechanisms. Results of the RT-qPCR and western blot analyses indicated differential temporal and spatial regulation of LmTrxh2 in L. maritima under cold stress at 4 degrees C. LmTrxh2 overexpression enhanced the cold tolerance of transgenic tobacco, as evidenced by increased germination rate, fresh weight and catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities; reduced malondialdehyde levels, membrane leakage, superoxide anion (O(2)(-)), and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) levels; and higher retention of chlorophyll than in non-transgenic plants (NT). Furthermore, the transcript levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes (NtSOD and NtCAT1), stress-responsive late embryogenis abundant protein 5 (NtLEA5), early response to dehydration 10C (NtERD10C), DRE-binding proteins 1A (NtDREB1A), and cold-responsive (COR) genes (NtCOR15A, NtCOR47, and NtKIN1) were upregulated in transgenic lines compared with those in NT plants under cold stress, indicating that LmTrxh2 conferred cold stress tolerance by enhancing the ROS scavenging ability of plants, thus enabling them to maintain membrane integrity. These results suggest that LmTrxh2 promotes cold tolerance in tobacco and provide new insight into the improvement of cold-stress resistance to cold stress in non-halophyte plants and crops.
PMID: 36769352
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2023 Feb , V24 (4) doi: 10.3390/ijms24043884
Transcriptomics Reveals the Effect of Short-Term Freezing on the Signal Transduction and Metabolism of Grapevine.
College of Enology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China.; College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China.; China Wine Industry Technology Institute, Yinchuan 750021, China.; Shaanxi Engineering Research Center for Viti-Viniculture, Xianyang 712100, China.
Low temperature is an important factor limiting plant growth. Most cultivars of Vitis vinifera L. are sensitive to low temperatures and are at risk of freezing injury or even plant death during winter. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of branches of dormant cv. Cabernet Sauvignon exposed to several low-temperature conditions to identify differentially expressed genes and determine their function based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)enrichment analyses. Our results indicated that exposure to subzero low temperatures resulted in damage to plant cell membranes and extravasation of intracellular electrolytes, and that this damage increased with decreasing temperature or increasing duration. The number of differential genes increased as the duration of stress increased, but most of the common differentially expressed genes reached their highest expression at 6 h of stress, indicating that 6 h may be a turning point for vines to tolerate extreme low temperatures. Several pathways play key roles in the response of Cabernet Sauvignon to low-temperature injury, namely: (1) the role of calcium/calmodulin-mediated signaling; (2) carbohydrate metabolism, including the hydrolysis of cell wall pectin and cellulose, decomposition of sucrose, synthesis of raffinose, and inhibition of glycolytic processes; (3) the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and metabolism of linolenic acid; and (4) the synthesis of secondary metabolites, especially flavonoids. In addition, pathogenesis-related protein may also play a role in plant cold resistance, but the mechanism is not yet clear. This study reveals possible pathways for the freezing response and leads to new insights into the molecular basis of the tolerance to low temperature in grapevine.
PMID: 36835298
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1116237 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1116237
ZmG6PDH1 in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase family enhances cold stress tolerance in maize.
National Coarse Cereals Engineering Research Center, Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop-Pest Interaction Biology and Ecological Control, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China.; Key Lab of Maize Genetics and Breeding, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.; College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is a key enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway responsible for the generation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), thereby playing a central role in facilitating cellular responses to stress and maintaining redox homeostasis. This study aimed to characterize five G6PDH gene family members in maize. The classification of these ZmG6PDHs into plastidic and cytosolic isoforms was enabled by phylogenetic and transit peptide predictive analyses and confirmed by subcellular localization imaging analyses using maize mesophyll protoplasts. These ZmG6PDH genes exhibited distinctive expression patterns across tissues and developmental stages. Exposure to stressors, including cold, osmotic stress, salinity, and alkaline conditions, also significantly affected the expression and activity of the ZmG6PDHs, with particularly high expression of a cytosolic isoform (ZmG6PDH1) in response to cold stress and closely correlated with G6PDH enzymatic activity, suggesting that it may play a central role in shaping responses to cold conditions. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of ZmG6PDH1 on the B73 background led to enhanced cold stress sensitivity. Significant changes in the redox status of the NADPH, ascorbic acid (ASA), and glutathione (GSH) pools were observed after exposure of the zmg6pdh1 mutants to cold stress, with this disrupted redox balance contributing to increased production of reactive oxygen species and resultant cellular damage and death. Overall, these results highlight the importance of cytosolic ZmG6PDH1 in supporting maize resistance to cold stress, at least in part by producing NADPH that can be used by the ASA-GSH cycle to mitigate cold-induced oxidative damage.
PMID: 36968417
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1126660 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1126660
Transcriptomic and metabolomic insights on the molecular mechanisms of flower buds in responses to cold stress in two Camellia oleifera cultivars.
Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, and the Key Laboratory of Non-Wood Forest Products, Forestry Ministry, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China.; Engineering Technology Research Center of Southern Hilly and Mountainous Ecological Non-Wood Forest Industry of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.; Camellia Oil Tree Research Institute of Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China.; The Belt and Road International Union Research Center for Tropical Arid Non-wood Forest in Hunan Province, Changsha, China.
INTRODUCTION: The Camellia oleifera (C. oleifera) cultivars 'Huashuo' (HS) and 'Huaxin' (HX) are new high-yielding and economically valuable cultivars that frequently encounter prolonged cold weather during the flowering period, resulting in decreased yields and quality. The flower buds of HS sometimes fail to open or open incompletely under cold stress, whereas the flower buds of HX exhibit delayed opening but the flowers and fruits rarely drop. METHODS: In this study, flower buds at the same development stage of two C. oleifera cultivars were used as test materials for a combination of physiological, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, to unravel the different cold regulatory mechanisms between two cultivars of C. oleifera. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) involved in sugar metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and hormone signal transduction were significantly higher in HX than in HS, which is consistent with phenotypic observations from a previous study. The results indicate that the flower buds of HX are less affected by long-term cold stress than those of HS, and that cold resistance in C. oleifera cultivars varies among tissues or organs.This study will provide a basis for molecular markers and molecular breeding of C. oleifera.
PMID: 36968351
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1045112 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1045112
MicroRNA162 regulates stomatal conductance in response to low night temperature stress via abscisic acid signaling pathway in tomato.
Department of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.; Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture of Education Ministry and Liaoning Province, Shenyang, China.; Collaborative Innovation Center of Protected Vegetable Surrounds Bohai Gulf Region, Shenyang, China.; Tongliao Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Tongliao, China.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) mediate the degradation of target mRNA and inhibit mRNA translation to regulate gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in response to environmental stress in plants. We characterized the post-transcriptional mechanism by deep sequencing small RNA (sRNA) to examine how miRNAs were involved in low night temperature (LNT) stress in tomato and whether the molecular mechanism depended on the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway. We annotated conserved miRNAs and novel miRNAs with four sRNA libraries composed of wild-type (WT) tomato plants and ABA-deficient mutant (sit) plants under normal growth and LNT stress conditions. Reverse genetics analysis suggested that miR162 participated in LNT resistance and the ABA-dependent signaling pathway in tomato. miR162-overexpressing (pRI-miR162) and miR162-silenced (pRNAi-miR162) transgenic tomato plants were generated to evaluate miR162 functions in response to LNT stress. miR162 deficiency exhibited high photosynthetic capacity and regulated stomatal opening, suggesting negative regulation of miR162 in the ABA-dependent signaling pathway in response to LNT stress. As feedback regulation, miR162 positively regulated ABA to maintain homeostasis of tomato under diverse abiotic stresses. The mRNA of DICER-LIKE1 (DCL1) was targeted by miR162, and miR162 inhibited DCL1 cleavage in LNT response, including the regulation of miRNA160/164/171a and their targets. The DCL1-deficient mutants (dcl1) with CRISPR/Cas9 prevented stomatal opening to influence photosynthesis in the ABA signaling pathway under LNT stress. Finally, we established the regulatory mechanism of ABA-miR162-DCL1, which systematically mediated cold tolerance in tomato. This study suggests that post-transcriptional modulators acted as systemic signal responders via the stress hormone signaling pathway, and the model at the post-transcriptional level presents a new direction for research in plant abiotic stress resistance.
PMID: 36938045
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1142562 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1142562
Genome-wide characterization of R2R3-MYB gene family in Santalum album and their expression analysis under cold stress.
Key Laboratory of Genetics and Germplasm Innovation of Tropical Special Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants (Ministry of Education), School of Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China.; College of Bioscience and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China.
Sandalwood (Santalum album) is a high-value multifunctional tree species that is rich in aromatic substances and is used in medicine and global cosmetics. Due to the scarcity of land resources in tropical and subtropical regions, land in temperate regions is a potential resource for the development of S. album plantations in order to meet the needs of S. album production and medicine. The R2R3-MYB transcription factor family is one of the largest in plants and plays an important role in the response to various abiotic stresses. However, the R2R3-MYB gene family of S. album has not been studied. In this study, 144 R2R3-MYB genes were successfully identified in the assembly genome sequence, and their characteristics and expression patterns were investigated under various durations of low temperature stress. According to the findings, 31 of the 114 R2R3-MYB genes showed significant differences in expression after cold treatment. Combining transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed three key candidate genes (SaMYB098, SaMYB015, and SaMYB068) to be significantly involved in the regulation of cold resistance in S. album. The structural characteristics, evolution, and expression pattern of the R2R3-MYB gene in S. album were systematically examined at the whole genome level for the first time in this study. It will provide important information for future research into the function of the R2R3-MYB genes and the mechanism of cold stress response in S. album.
PMID: 36938022
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1112354 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1112354
Genome-wide analysis of the laccase (LAC) gene family in Aeluropus littoralis: A focus on identification, evolution and expression patterns in response to abiotic stresses and ABA treatment.
Department of Genetic Engineering and Biology, Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan (GABIT), Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University (SANRU), Sari, Iran.; RG Heterosis, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany.; National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran.; Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran.
Laccases are plant enzymes with essential functions during growth and development. These monophenoloxidases are involved in lignin polymerization, and their expression respond to environmental stress. However, studies of laccases in some plants and fungi have highlighted that many structural and functional aspects of these genes are still unknown. Here, the laccase gene family in Aeluropus littoralis (AlLAC) is described based on sequence structure and expression patterns under abiotic stresses and ABA treatment. Fifteen non-redundant AlLACs were identified from the A. littoralis genome, which showed differences in physicochemical characteristics and gene structure. Based on phylogenetic analysis, AlLACs and their orthologues were classified into five groups. A close evolutionary relationship was observed between LAC gene family members in rice and A. littoralis. According to the interaction network, AlLACs interact more with proteins involved in biological processes such as iron incorporation into the metallo-sulfur cluster, lignin catabolism, regulation of the symbiotic process and plant-type primary cell wall biogenesis. Gene expression analysis of selected AlLACs using real-time RT (reverse transcription)-PCR revealed that AlLACs are induced in response to abiotic stresses such as cold, salt, and osmotic stress, as well as ABA treatment. Moreover, AlLACs showed differential expression patterns in shoot and root tissues. Our findings indicate that AlLACs are preferentially involved in the late response of A. littoralis to abiotic stress.
PMID: 36938021
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1113125 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1113125
Field plus lab experiments help identify freezing tolerance and associated genes in subtropical evergreen broadleaf trees: A case study of Camellia oleifera.
Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.; Hubei Provincial Engineering Research Center of Non-Timber Forest-Based Economy, Hubei Academy of Forestry, Wuhan, China.; Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Camellia Germplasm Conservation and Utilization, Jiangxi Academy of Forestry, Nanchang, China.; Jiangxi Ecological Meteorology Centre, Nanchang, China.; Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lushan, China.
The molecular mechanisms of freezing tolerance are unresolved in the perennial trees that can survive under much lower freezing temperatures than annual herbs. Since natural conditions involve many factors and temperature usually cannot be controlled, field experiments alone cannot directly identify the effects of freezing stress. Lab experiments are insufficient for trees to complete cold acclimation and cannot reflect natural freezing-stress responses. In this study, a new method was proposed using field plus lab experiments to identify freezing tolerance and associated genes in subtropical evergreen broadleaf trees using Camellia oleifera as a case. Cultivated C. oleifera is the dominant woody oil crop in China. Wild C. oleifera at the high-elevation site in Lu Mountain could survive below -30 degrees C, providing a valuable genetic resource for the breeding of freezing tolerance. In the field experiment, air temperature was monitored from autumn to winter on wild C. oleifera at the high-elevation site in Lu Mountain. Leave samples were taken from wild C. oleifera before cold acclimation, during cold acclimation and under freezing temperature. Leaf transcriptome analyses indicated that the gene functions and expression patterns were very different during cold acclimation and under freezing temperature. In the lab experiments, leaves samples from wild C. oleifera after cold acclimation were placed under -10 degrees C in climate chambers. A cultivated C. oleifera variety "Ganwu 1" was used as a control. According to relative conductivity changes of leaves, wild C. oleifera showed more freezing-tolerant than cultivated C. oleifera. Leaf transcriptome analyses showed that the gene expression patterns were very different between wild and cultivated C. oleifera in the lab experiment. Combing transcriptome results in both of the field and lab experiments, the common genes associated with freezing-stress responses were identified. Key genes of the flg22, Ca(2+) and gibberellin signal transduction pathways and the lignin biosynthesis pathway may be involved in the freezing-stress responses. Most of the genes had the highest expression levels under freezing temperature in the field experiment and showed higher expression in wild C. oleifera with stronger freezing tolerance in the lab experiment. Our study may help identify freezing tolerance and underlying molecular mechanisms in trees.
PMID: 36909419
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1137126 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1137126
Genome-wide characterization and expression of DELLA genes in Cucurbita moschata reveal their potential roles under development and abiotic stress.
School of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China.; Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Horticultural Plant Resource Utilization and Germplasm Enhancement, Xinxiang, China.; College of Bioengineering, Xinxiang Institute of Engineering, Xinxiang, China.
DELLA gene family plays a key role in regulating plant development and responding to stress. Currently, many DELLA family members have been identified in plants, however, information on DELLA genes in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) is scarce. In this study, physical and chemical properties, gene structure cis-regulatory elements and expression of CmoDELLA genes were examined in pumpkin. We found that seven CmoDELLA genes were identified in pumpkin, and they were unevenly classified into five chromosomes. CmoDELLA proteins were relatively unstable and their secondary structures were mainly made up alpha-helix and random coil. All seven CmoDELLA proteins contained typical DELLA domain and GRAS domain, however, motif numbers between CmoDELLA proteins were unevenly distributed, implying the complex evolution and functional diversification of CmoDELLA proteins. Cis-regulatory elements analysis revealed that CmoDELLA genes might play an essential role in regulating plant growth and development, and response to stress in pumpkin. Transcriptome data in the roots, stems, leaves and fruits demonstrated that CmoDELLA2, CmoDELLA3 and CmoDELLA7 were related to the stems development, CmoDELLA1, CmoDELLA4, CmoDELLA5 and CmoDELLA6 were associated with the fruits development. Furthermore, we found that CmoDELLA1 and CmoDELLA5 were up-regulated under NaCl stress. CmoDELLA1, CmoDELLA2, CmoDELLA3, CmoDELLA5, CmoDELLA6 and CmoDELLA7 were remarkably induced under waterlogging stress. While, all of the 7 CmoDELLA genes showed significantly induced expression under cold stress. The expression patterns under abiotic stress suggested that CmoDELLA genes might mediate the stress response of pumpkin to NaCl, waterlogging and cold, however, the functions of different CmoDELLA genes varied under different stress. Overall, our study provides valuable information for further research about the potential functions and regulatory networks of CmoDELLA genes in pumpkin.
PMID: 36909418
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1124335 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1124335
Responses of sorghum to cold stress: A review focused on molecular breeding.
Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Centro de Investigacion en Biotecnologia Aplicada, Ex-Hacienda San Juan Molino Carretera Estatal Tecuexcomac-Tepetitla, Tlaxcala, Mexico.; Colegio de Postgraduados, Programa de Produccion de Semillas, Texcoco, Mexico.
Climate change has led to the search for strategies to acclimatize plants to various abiotic stressors to ensure the production and quality of crops of commercial interest. Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop, providing several uses including human food, animal feed, bioenergy, or industrial applications. The crop has an excellent adaptation potential to different types of abiotic stresses, such as drought, high salinity, and high temperatures. However, it is susceptible to low temperatures compared with other monocotyledonous species. Here, we have reviewed and discussed some of the research results and advances that focused on the physiological, metabolic, and molecular mechanisms that determine sorghum cold tolerance to improve our understanding of the nature of such trait. Questions and opportunities for a comprehensive approach to clarify sorghum cold tolerance or susceptibility are also discussed.
PMID: 36909409
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1104036 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1104036
Proteome and phosphoproteome analysis of 2,4-epibrassinolide-mediated cold stress response in cucumber seedlings.
State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.; Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Tablecrops, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.; College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.; College of Horticulture, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China.; College of Life Science, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, China.
The 2, 4-epibrassinolide (EBR) significantly increased plants cold tolerance. However, mechanisms of EBR in regulating cold tolerance in phosphoproteome and proteome levels have not been reported. The mechanism of EBR regulating cold response in cucumber was studied by multiple omics analysis. In this study, phosphoproteome analysis showed that cucumber responded to cold stress through multi-site serine phosphorylation, while EBR further upregulated single-site phosphorylation for most of cold-responsive phosphoproteins. Association analysis of the proteome and phosphoproteome revealed that EBR reprogrammed proteins in response to cold stress by negatively regulating protein phosphorylation and protein content, and phosphorylation negatively regulated protein content in cucumber. Further functional enrichment analysis of proteome and phosphoproteome showed that cucumber mainly upregulated phosphoproteins related to spliceosome, nucleotide binding and photosynthetic pathways in response to cold stress. However, different from the EBR regulation in omics level, hypergeometric analysis showed that EBR further upregulated 16 cold-up-responsive phosphoproteins participated photosynthetic and nucleotide binding pathways in response to cold stress, suggested their important function in cold tolerance. Analysis of cold-responsive transcription factors (TFs) by correlation between proteome and phosphoproteome showed that cucumber regulated eight class TFs may through protein phosphorylation under cold stress. Further combined with cold-related transcriptome found that cucumber phosphorylated eight class TFs, and mainly through targeting major hormone signal genes by bZIP TFs in response to cold stress, while EBR further increased these bZIP TFs (CsABI5.2 and CsABI5.5) phosphorylation level. In conclusion, the EBR mediated schematic of molecule response mechanisms in cucumber under cold stress was proposed.
PMID: 36895878
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1146663 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1146663
Transcriptome and proteome depth analysis indicate ABA, MAPK cascade and Ca(2+) signaling co-regulate cold tolerance in Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall.
Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Science and Green Production of Jilin Province, Jilin Normal University, Siping, China.
INTRODUCTION: Cold stress is a global common problem that significantly limits plant development and geographical distribution. Plants respond to low temperature stress by evolving interrelated regulatory pathways to respond and adapt to their environment in a timely manner. Rhodoendron chrysanthum Pall. (R. chrysanthum) is a perennial evergreen dwarf shrub used for adornment and medicine that thrives in the Changbai Mountains at high elevations and subfreezing conditions. METHODS: In this study, a comprehensive investigation of cold tolerance (4 degrees C, 12h) in R. chrysanthum leaves under cold using physiological combined with transcriptomic and proteomic approaches. RESULTS: There were 12,261 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 360 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the low temperature (LT) and normal treatment (Control). Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses showed that MAPK cascade, ABA biosynthesis and signaling, plant-pathogen interaction, linoleic acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism were significantly enriched in response to cold stress of R. chrysanthum leaves. DISCUSSION: We analyzed the involvement of ABA biosynthesis and signaling, MAPK cascade, and Ca(2+) signaling, that may jointly respond to stomatal closure, chlorophyll degradation, and ROS homeostasis under low temperature stress. These results propose an integrated regulatory network of ABA, MAPK cascade and Ca(2+) signaling comodulating the cold stress in R. chrysanthum, which will provide some insights to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance in plants.
PMID: 36895874
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1117879 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1117879
Genome-wide analysis of 14-3-3 gene family in four gramineae and its response to mycorrhizal symbiosis in maize.
National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China.; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology and Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
14-3-3 proteins (regulatory protein family) are phosphate serine-binding proteins. A number of transcription factors and signaling proteins have been shown to bind to the 14-3-3 protein in plants, which plays a role in regulating their growth (seed dormancy, cell elongation and division, vegetative and reproduction growth and stress response (salt stress, drought stress, cold stress). Therefore, the 14-3-3 genes are crucial in controlling how plants respond to stress and develop. However, little is known about the function of 14-3-3 gene families in gramineae. In this study, 49 14-3-3 genes were identified from four gramineae, including maize, rice, sorghum and brachypodium, and their phylogeny, structure, collinearity and expression patterns of these genes were systematically analyzed. Genome synchronization analysis showed large-scale replication events of 14-3-3 genes in these gramineae plants. Moreover, gene expression revealed that the 14-3-3 genes respond to biotic and abiotic stresses differently in different tissues. Upon arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, the expression level of 14-3-3 genes in maize significantly increased, suggesting the important role of 14-3-3 genes in maize-AM symbiosis. Our results provide a better understanding on the occurrence of 14-3-3 genes in Gramineae plants, and several important candidate genes were found for futher study on AMF symbiotic regulation in maize.
PMID: 36875617
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1141446 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1141446
MbMYBC1, a M. baccata MYB transcription factor, contribute to cold and drought stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.
Horticulture Branch, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Development and Utilization of Small Fruits in Cold Regions/College of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.
Cold and drought stress considerably suppress the development of plants. In this study, a new MYB (v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral)TF gene, MbMYBC1, was isolated from the M. baccata and located in nucleus. MbMYBC1 has a positive response to low temperature and drought stress. After being introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana, the physiological indicators of transgenic Arabidopsis had corresponding changes under these two stresses, the activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased, electrolyte leakage rate (EL) and the content of proline increased, but the content of chlorophyll decreased. In addition, its overexpression can also activate the downstream expression of AtDREB1A, AtCOR15a, AtERD10B and AtCOR47 related to cold stress and AtSnRK2.4, AtRD29A, AtSOD1and AtP5CS1 related to drought stress. Based on these results, we speculate that MbMYBC1 can respond to cold and hydropenia signals, and can be used in transgenic technology to improve plant tolerance to low temperature and drought stress.
PMID: 36875587
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2022 , V13 : P1128007 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1128007
Insight into the bZIP gene family in Lagenaria siceraria: Genome and transcriptome analysis to understand gene diversification in Cucurbitaceae and the roles of LsbZIP gene expression and function under cold stress.
Institute of Vegetables, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.; College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry (A&F) University, Hangzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) as a well-known transcription factor family, figures prominently in diverse biological and developmental processes and response to abiotic/biotic stresses. However, no knowledge of the bZIP family is available for the important edible Cucurbitaceae crop bottle gourd. Herein, we identified 65 putative LsbZIP genes and characterized their gene structure, phylogenetic and orthologous relationships, gene expression profiles in different tissues and cultivars, and responsive genes under cold stress. The phylogenetic tree of 16 released Cucurbitaceae plant genomes revealed the evolutionary convergence and divergence of bZIP family. Based on the specific domains, LsbZIP family were classified into 12 clades (A-K, S) with similar motifs and exon-intron distribution. 65 LsbZIP genes have undergone 19 segmental and two tandem duplication events with purifying selection. The expression profiling of LsbZIP genes showed tissue-specific but no cultivar-specific pattern. The cold stress-responsive candidate LsbZIP genes were analyzed and validated by RNA-Seq and RT-PCR, providing new insights of transcriptional regulation of bZIP family genes in bottle gourd and their potential functions in cold-tolerant variety breeding.
PMID: 36874919
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1145609 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1145609
Recent progress and perspectives on physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying cold tolerance of tea plants.
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China.; Federal Research Centre the Subtropical Scientific Centre, The Russian Academy of Sciences, Sochi, Russia.
Tea is one of the most consumed and widely planted beverage plant worldwide, which contains many important economic, healthy, and cultural values. Low temperature inflicts serious damage to tea yields and quality. To cope with cold stress, tea plants have evolved a cascade of physiological and molecular mechanisms to rescue the metabolic disorders in plant cells caused by the cold stress; this includes physiological, biochemical changes and molecular regulation of genes and associated pathways. Understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying how tea plants perceive and respond to cold stress is of great significance to breed new varieties with improved quality and stress resistance. In this review, we summarized the putative cold signal sensors and molecular regulation of the CBF cascade pathway in cold acclimation. We also broadly reviewed the functions and potential regulation networks of 128 cold-responsive gene families of tea plants reported in the literature, including those particularly regulated by light, phytohormone, and glycometabolism. We discussed exogenous treatments, including ABA, MeJA, melatonin, GABA, spermidine and airborne nerolidol that have been reported as effective ways to improve cold resistance in tea plants. We also present perspectives and possible challenges for functional genomic studies on cold tolerance of tea plants in the future.
PMID: 36866358
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1078128 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1078128
Magnesium application improves the morphology, nutrients uptake, photosynthetic traits, and quality of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) under cold stress.
College of Resources and Environment/International Magnesium Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.; Institute of Tobacco Sciences, Fujian Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, Fuzhou, China.; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Improvement/Crops Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
Cold stress is one of the major constraints limiting the productivity of many important crops, including tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) production and quality worldwide. However, the role of magnesium (Mg) nutrition in plants has been frequently overlooked, especially under cold stress, and Mg deficiency adversely affects plant growth and development. Here, we evaluated the influence of Mg under cold stress on tobacco morphology, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic and quality attributes. The tobacco plants were grown under different levels of cold stress, i.e., 8 degrees C, 12 degrees C, 16 degrees C, including with a controlled temperature of 25 degrees C, and evaluated their effects with Mg (+Mg) and without Mg (-Mg) application. Cold stress resulted in reduced plant growth. However, the +Mg alleviated the cold stress and significantly increased the plant biomass on an average of 17.8% for shoot fresh weight, 20.9% for root fresh weight, 15.7% for shoot dry weight, and 15.5% for root dry weight. Similarly, the nutrients uptake also increased on average for shoot-N (28.7%), root-N (22.4%), shoot-P (46.9%), root-P (7.2%), shoot-K (5.4%), root-K (28.9%), shoot-Mg (191.4%), root-Mg (187.2%) under cold stress with +Mg compared to -Mg. Mg application significantly boosted the photosynthetic activity (Pn 24.6%) and increased the chlorophyll contents (Chl-a (18.8%), Chl-b (25%), carotenoids (22.2%)) in the leaves under cold stress in comparison with -Mg treatment. Meanwhile, Mg application also improved the quality of tobacco, including starch and sucrose contents, on an average of 18.3% and 20.8%, respectively, compared to -Mg. The principal component analysis revealed that tobacco performance was optimum under +Mg treatment at 16 degrees C. This study confirms that Mg application alleviates cold stress and substantially improves tobacco morphological indices, nutrient absorption, photosynthetic traits, and quality attributes. In short, the current findings suggest that Mg application may alleviate cold stress and improve tobacco growth and quality.
PMID: 36844047
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1046719 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1046719
Alterations of phenotype, physiology, and functional substances reveal the chilling-tolerant mechanism in two common Olea Europaea cultivars.
Institute of Sericulture and Tea, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.; Institute of Crops and Nuclear Technology Utilization, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Olive suffers from cold damage when introduced to high-latitude regions from its native warm climes. Therefore, this study aims to improve the adaption of olive to climates in which it is cold for part of the year. The phenotype, physiological performance, nutrient content, and gene expression of olive leaves (from two widely planted cultivars) were examined after cultivation in normal and cold stress conditions. The results showed that the cold-tolerant cultivar possessed stronger photosynthesis efficiency and higher anti-oxidase activity after cold treatment than the cold-sensitive cultivar. Alteration of gene expression and metabolites in the amino acid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, diterpenoid biosynthesis, and oleuropein metabolism pathways played an important role in the cold responses of olive. Furthermore, the construction of the network of genes for ubiquitination and metabolites suggested that polyubiquitination contributes most to the stable physiology of olive under cold stress. Altogether, the results of this study can play an important role in helping us to understand the cold hardiness of olive and screen cold-resistant varieties for excellent quality and yield.
PMID: 36818865
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1091077 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1091077
Exogenous application of salicylic acid improves freezing stress tolerance in alfalfa.
College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China.
Freezing stress is one of the most detrimental environmental factors that can seriously impact the growth, development, and distribution of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Exogenous salicylic acid (SA) has been revealed as a cost-effective method of improving defense against freezing stress due to its predominant role in biotic and abiotic stress resistance. However, how the molecular mechanisms of SA improve freezing stress resistance in alfalfa is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, we used leaf samples of alfalfa seedlings pretreatment with 200 muM and 0 muM SA, which were exposed to freezing stress (-10 degrees C) for 0, 0.5, 1, and 2h and allowed to recover at normal temperature in a growth chamber for 2 days, after which we detect the changes in the phenotypical, physiological, hormone content, and performed a transcriptome analysis to explain SA influence alfalfa in freezing stress. The results demonstrated that exogenous SA could improve the accumulation of free SA in alfalfa leaves primarily through the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase pathway. Moreover, the results of transcriptome analysis revealed that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway-plant play a critical role in SA alleviating freezing stress. In addition, the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) found that MPK3, MPK9, WRKY22 (downstream target gene of MPK3), and TGACG-binding factor 1 (TGA1) are candidate hub genes involved in freezing stress defense, all of which are involved in the SA signaling pathway. Therefore, we conclude that SA could possibly induce MPK3 to regulate WRKY22 to participate in freezing stress to induced gene expression related to SA signaling pathway (NPR1-dependent pathway and NPR1-independent pathway), including the genes of non-expresser of pathogenesis-related gene 1 (NPR1), TGA1, pathogenesis-related 1 (PR1), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and heat shock protein (HSP). This enhanced the production of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, POD, and APX, which increases the freezing stress tolerance of alfalfa plants.
PMID: 36968407
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1136626 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1136626
A MYB-related transcription factor from peanut, AhMYB30, improves freezing and salt stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis through both DREB/CBF and ABA-signaling pathways.
Key Laboratory of Peanut Biology, Genetic & Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Peanut Research Institute, Qingdao, China.; Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine, Qingdao Customs, Qingdao, China.; Division for Guidance of Cooperative Economy, Binzhou Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Binzhou, China.
Abiotic stresses such as salinity and low temperature have serious impact on peanut growth and yield. The present work investigated the function of a MYB-related transcription factor gene AhMYB30 obtained from peanut under salt and low temperature stresses by transgenic methods. The results indicated that the overexpression of AhMYB30 in Arabidopsis could enhance the resistance of transgenic plants to freezing and salt stresses. The expression of stress-response genes RD29A (Response-to-Dehydration 29A), COR15A (Cold-Regulated 15A), KIN1 (Kinesin 1) and ABI2 (Abscisic acid Insensitive 2) increased in transgenic plants compared with in wild-type. Subcellular localization and transcriptional autoactivation validation demonstrated that AhMYB30 has essential features of transcription factors. Therefore, AhMYB30 may increase salt and freezing stress tolerance as the transcription factor (TF) in Arabidopsis through both DREB/CBF and ABA-signaling pathways. Our results lay the theoretical foundation for exploring stress resistance mechanisms of peanut and offering novel genetic resources for molecular breeding.
PMID: 36925750
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2023 , V14 : P1084590 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1084590
Variations of freezing tolerance and sugar concentrations of grape buds in response to foliar application of abscisic acid.
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, United States.; Grapery, Shafter, CA, United States.
The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of ABA-induced freezing tolerance increase in grapevines. The specific objectives were to evaluate the impact of ABA treatment on soluble sugar concentration in grape buds and determine the correlations between freezing tolerance and ABA-affected soluble sugar concentration. Vitis spp 'Chambourcin' and Vitis vinifera 'Cabernet franc' were treated with 400 and 600 mg/L ABA in the greenhouse and field. The freezing tolerance and soluble sugar concentration of grape buds were measured monthly during the dormant season in the field and at 2wk, 4wk, and 6wk after ABA application in the greenhouse. It was observed that fructose, glucose, and sucrose are the main soluble sugars that correlate with freezing tolerance of grape buds and the synthesis of these sugars can be enhanced by ABA treatment. This study also found that ABA application can promote raffinose accumulation, however, this sugar may play a more important role in the early acclimation stage. The preliminary results suggest that raffinose accumulated first in buds, then its decrease in mid-winter corresponded with the increase of smaller sugars, such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose, which in turn, corresponded with reaching maximum freezing tolerance. It is concluded that ABA is a cultural practice tool that can be used to enhance freezing tolerance of grapevines.
PMID: 36875602
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Mar , V331 : P111669 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111669
The BrAFP1 promoter drives gene-specific expression in leaves and stems of winter rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.) under cold induction.
State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.; State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China. Electronic address: lzgworking@163.com.
BrAFP1(antifreeze protein in winter turnip rape) effectively limits recrystallization and growth of ice crystals. The BrAFP1 expression level determines whether the freezing-induced damage to winter turnip rape plants is avoided. This study analyzed the activity of the BrAFP1 promoters of several varieties at various cold tolerance levels. We cloned the BrAFP1 promoters from five winter rapeseed cultivars. The multiple sequence alignment revealed the presence of one inDel and eight single-nucleotide mutations (SNMs) in the promoters. One of these SNMs (base mutation from C to T) at the -836 site away from the transcription start site (TSS) enhanced the transcriptional activity of the promoter at low temperature. The promoter activity was specific in cotyledons and hypocotyls during the seedling stage and was referential in stems, leaves, and flowers but not the calyx. This consequently drove the downstream gene to be specifically expressed in leaves and stems, but not in roots at low temperature. The truncated fragment GUS staining assays revealed that the core region of the BrAFP1 promoter was included in the 98 bp fragment from the -933 to -836 site away from the TSS, which was necessary for transcriptional activity. The LTR element of the promoter significantly enhanced expression at low temperatures and suppressed expression at moderate temperatures. Moreover, the BrAFP1 5'-UTR intron bound the scarecrow-like transcription factor and enhanced expression at low temperature.
PMID: 36870371
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Apr , V329 : P111621 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111621
JA-induced TaMPK6 enhanced the freeze tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana through regulation of ICE-CBF-COR module and antioxidant enzyme system.
College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China. Electronic address: wangyuying@ibcas.ac.cn.; College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China. Electronic address: zhangda@neau.edu.cn.
Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play important roles in the stress response of plants. However, the function of MPK proteins in freeze-resistance in wheat remains unclear. Dongnongdongmai No.1 (Dn1) is a winter wheat variety with a strong freezing resistance at extremely low temperature. In this study, we demonstrated that TaMPK6 is induced by JA signaling and is involved in the modulation of Dn1 freeze resistance. Overexpression of TaMPK6 in Arabidopsis increased the survival rate of plant at -10 ℃. The scavenging ability of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of cold-responsive genes CBFs and CORs were significantly enhanced in TaMPK6-overexpressed Arabidopsis, suggesting a role of TaMPK6 in activating the ICE-CBF-COR module and antioxidant enzyme system to resist freezing stress. Furthermore, TaMPK6 is localized in the nucleus and TaMPK6 interacts with TaICE41, TaCBF14, and TaMYC2 proteins, the key components in JA signaling and the ICE-CBF-COR pathway. These results suggest that JA-induced TaMPK6 may regulate freezing-resistance in wheat by interacting with the TaICE41, TaCBF14, and TaMYC2 proteins, which in turn enhances the ICE-CBF-COR pathway. Our study revealed the molecular mechanism of TaMPK6 involvement in the cold resistance pathway in winter wheat under cold stress, which provides a basis for enriching the theory of wheat cold resistance.
PMID: 36736462
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Mar , V328 : P111570 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111570
The role of shoot-derived RNAs transported to plant root in response to abiotic stresses.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.; Beijing Key Laboratory of Growth and Developmental Regulation for Protected Vegetable Crops, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zhangwenna@cau.edu.cn.
A large number of RNA molecules are transported over long-distance between shoots and roots via phloem in higher plants. Mobile RNA signals are important for plants to tackle abiotic stresses. Shoot-derived mobile RNAs can be involved in the response to different developmental or environmental signals in the root. Some environmental conditions such as climate change, water deficit, nutrient deficiency challenge modern agriculture with more expeditious abiotic stress conditions. Root architecture determines the ability of water and nutrient uptake and further abiotic stress tolerance, and shoot tissue also determines the balance between shoot-root relationship in plant growth and adaptations. Thus, it is necessary to understand the roles of shoot-derived RNA signals and their potential function in roots upon abiotic stresses in the model plants (Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana) and agricultural crops. In this review, we summarize the so-far discovered shoot-derived mobile RNA transportation to the root under abiotic stress conditions, e.g. drought, cold stress and nutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, we will focus on the biological relevance and the potential roles of these RNAs in root development and stress responses which will be an asset for the future breeding strategies.
PMID: 36563939
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2023 Apr , V329 : P111604 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111604
Overexpression of major latex protein 423 (NtMLP423) enhances the chilling stress tolerance in Nicotiana tabacum.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China; Linyi University, Linyi 276005, Shandong, PR China.; State Key Laboratories of Agrobiotechnology, Department of Pomology, College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China.; Linyi University, Linyi 276005, Shandong, PR China. Electronic address: chengnn2002@163.com.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China. Electronic address: yyhzhang@sdau.edu.cn.
Chilling stress impedes plant growth and hinders crop development and productivity. In this study, we identified the major latex protein (MLP) in tobacco (NtMLP423) and examined its roles in chilling resistance. NtMLP423 expression was considerably upregulated in response to chilling stress. NtMLP423 function was assessed and compared in plants with overexpression and antisense characteristics. Under chilling stress, plants with overexpression characteristics grew better than wild-type and antisense plants. NtMLP423 overexpression reduced membrane lipid damage, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation under chilling stress. Here, we screened for the first time the upstream transcription factor NtMYB108, which regulates NtMLP423 expression under chilling stress. The NtMYB108 transcription factor directly binds to the NtMLP423 promoter and improves NtMLP423 resistance to chilling stress. Subjecting NtMYB018 to virus-induced gene silencing reduced chilling stress tolerance. Overall, NtMLP423 overexpression enhances chilling stress tolerance, while its suppression has the opposite effect.
PMID: 36709884
Plant Cell Rep , IF:4.57 , 2023 Feb doi: 10.1007/s00299-023-02984-0
Comparative transcriptomics and co-expression networks reveal cultivar-specific molecular signatures associated with reproductive-stage cold stress in rice.
School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, 223003, China.; Huaiyin Institute of Agricultural Science in Xuhuai Region of Jiangsu Province, Huai'an, 223001, China. bs_cheng1981@163.com.; Shanghai Bioelectronica Limited Liability Company, Shanghai, 200131, China.; School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huai'an, 223003, China. hgzgl@sina.com.; State Key Laboratory of Soil and Agricultural Sustainable Development, Nanjing, 210008, China. hgzgl@sina.com.; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Attapulgite Clay Resource Utilization, Huai'an, 223003, China. hgzgl@sina.com.
The resistance of Huaidao5 results from the high constitutive expression of tolerance genes, while that of Huaidao9 is due to the cold-induced resistance in flag leaves and panicles. The regulation mechanism of rice seedlings' cold tolerance is relatively clear, and knowledge of its underlying mechanisms at the reproductive stage is limited. We performed differential expression and co-expression network analyses to transcriptomes from panicle and flag leaf tissues of a cold-tolerant cultivar (Huaidao5), and a sensitive cultivar (Huaidao9), under reproductive-stage cold stress. The results revealed that the expression levels of genes in stress-related pathways such as MAPK signaling pathway, diterpenoid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, plant-pathogen interaction and plant hormone signal transduction were constitutively highly expressed in Huaidao5, especially in panicles. Moreover, the Hudaidao5's panicle sample-specific (under cold) module contained some genes related to rice yield, such as GW5L, GGC2, SG1 and CTPS1. However, the resistance of Huaidao9 was derived from the induced resistance to cold in flag leaves and panicles. In the flag leaves, the responses included a series of stress response and signal transduction, while in the panicles nitrogen metabolism was severely affected, especially 66 endosperm-specific genes. Through integrating differential expression with co-expression networks, we predicted 161 candidate genes (79 cold-responsive genes common to both cultivars and 82 cold-tolerance genes associated with differences in cold tolerance between cultivars) potentially affecting cold response/tolerance, among which 85 (52.80%) were known to be cold-related genes. Moreover, 52 (65.82%) cold-responsive genes (e.g., TIFY11C, LSK1 and LPA) could be confirmed by previous transcriptome studies and 72 (87.80%) cold-tolerance genes (e.g., APX5, OsFbox17 and OsSTA109) were located within QTLs associated with cold tolerance. This study provides an efficient strategy for further discovery of mechanisms of cold tolerance in rice.
PMID: 36723676
Plant Cell Rep , IF:4.57 , 2023 Mar , V42 (3) : P505-520 doi: 10.1007/s00299-022-02972-w
VaSUS2 confers cold tolerance in transgenic tomato and Arabidopsis by regulation of sucrose metabolism and ROS homeostasis.
College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.; College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China. maojuan@gsau.edu.cn.; College of Horticulture, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China. bhch@gsau.edu.cn.
VaSUS2 enhances cold tolerance of transgenic tomato and Arabidopsis by regulating sucrose metabolism and improving antioxidant enzymes activity. Sucrose synthetase (SUS) is a key enzyme of sugar metabolism, and plays an important role in response to abiotic stress in plant. However, the function of VaSUS2 remains unknown in cold tolerance. Here, the cloning and functional characterization of the plasma membrane-localized VaSUS2 gene isolated from Vitis amurensis was studied. The transcript level of VaSUS2 was up-regulated under cold stress in Vitis amurensis. Heterologous expression of VaSUS2 in tomato increased SUS activity, which promoted the accumulation of glucose and fructose under cold treatment. The transgenic tomato and Arabidopsis exhibited higher levels of antioxidant enzymes activity, lower relative electrolyte leakage (REL), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) content compared to wild type under cold stress. Importantly, the ability of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) in transgenic plants was significantly improved. Moreover, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) indicated that VaSnRK1 might be a potential interaction protein of VaSUS2. qRT-PCR showed that sucrose metabolism-related genes SlSUS, SlSPS and SlINV were significantly up-regulated in transgenic tomatoes. Meanwhile, the expression levels of antioxidant enzyme genes and cold-related genes CBF1, COR47 and ICE1 were up-regulated in transgenic plants. Taken together, these results suggested that VaSUS2 was involved in cold tolerance by increasing the levels of soluble sugars, improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and up-regulating the expression of cold-related genes in transgenic tomatoes and Arabidopsis.
PMID: 36645437
Sci Rep , IF:4.379 , 2023 Feb , V13 (1) : P2799 doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-29910-4
Phytohormones regulate the non-redundant response of omega-3 fatty acid desaturases to low temperatures in Chorispora bungeana.
Extreme Stress Resistance and Biotechnology Laboratory, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China. sylbaby15@lzb.ac.cn.; State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soils Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.; School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.; School of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
To explore the contributions of omega-3 fatty acid desaturases (FADs) to cold stress response in a special cryophyte, Chorispora bungeana, two plastidial omega-3 desaturase genes (CbFAD7, CbFAD8) were cloned and verified in an Arabidopsis fad7fad8 mutant, before being compared with the microsomal omega-3 desaturase gene (CbFAD3). Though these genes were expressed in all tested tissues of C. bungeana, CbFAD7 and CbFAD8 have the highest expression in leaves, while CbFAD3 was mostly expressed in suspension-cultured cells. Low temperatures resulted in significant increases in trienoic fatty acids (TAs), corresponding to the cooperation of CbFAD3 and CbFAD8 in cultured cells, and the coordination of CbFAD7 and CbFAD8 in leaves. Furthermore, the cold induction of CbFAD8 in the two systems were increased with decreasing temperature and independently contributed to TAs accumulation at subfreezing temperature. A series of experiments revealed that jasmonie acid and brassinosteroids participated in the cold-responsive expression of omega-3 CbFAD genes in both C. bungeana cells and leaves, while the phytohormone regulation in leaves was complex with the participation of abscisic acid and gibberellin. These results point to the hormone-regulated non-redundant contributions of omega-3 CbFADs to maintain appropriate level of TAs under low temperatures, which help C. bungeana survive in cold environments.
PMID: 36797352
Sci Rep , IF:4.379 , 2023 Mar , V13 (1) : P4024 doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-31023-x
Growth changes of tomato seedlings responding to sodium salt of alpha-naphthalene acetic acid and potassium salt of fulvic acid.
College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China.; College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, People's Republic of China.; College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China. wangweiqin@hunau.edu.cn.; College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, People's Republic of China. qytang@hunau.edu.cn.
In present study, sodium salt of alpha-naphthalene acetic acid (NA), potassium salt of fulvic acid (KF) and their combinations were applied to the growth substrates of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under chilling stress. The changes in aboveground biomass, root attributes, pigment contents, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthesis, osmotic regulation substances, and antioxidant enzymes activity of the tomato seedlings in response to NA and KF were investigated. The application of NA, KF and their combination could promote the growth of plant height and stem diameter of tomato seedlings under chilling stress to varying degrees, and improve root characteristics by increasing root volume, root length and root activity, and increase dry matter accumulation. In addition, the combined use of NA and KF improved the seedling leaf chlorophyll content, qP, Fv/Fm, PhiPSII , Pn and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the tomato plants. The above results suggested a synergistic effect between NA and KF to stimulate the seedlings growth and to enhance the ROS scavenging ability of tomato, which has never been reported in previous research before. However, further researches are needed to explore the physiological and molecular mechanism underlying the synergistic effect between NA and KF.
PMID: 36899076
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2023 Mar , V197 : P107646 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107646
Sensing, signalling, and regulatory mechanism of cold-stress tolerance in plants.
Division of Biotechnology, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-HRDC Campus, Ghaziabad, 201002, India.; Division of Biotechnology, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-HRDC Campus, Ghaziabad, 201002, India. Electronic address: rohitjoshi@ihbt.res.in.
Cold stress is a crucial environmental factor influencing growth and distribution and possessing yield penalties. To survive in the cold, plants have evolved to use a range of molecular mechanisms. The major regulatory pathway under low-temperature stress involves the conversion of external stimulus into an internal signal that triggers a defence mechanism through a transcriptional cascade to counter stress. Cold-receptive mechanism and cell signalling involve cold-related signalling molecules, sensors, calcium signals, MAPK cascade, and ICE-COR-CBF pathway that modulate signal transduction in plants. Of these, the ICE-CBF-COR signalling is considered to be an important regulator for cold-stress acclimation. ICE stimulates acclimation to cold and plays a pivotal role in regulating CBF-mediated cold-tolerance mechanism. Thus, CBFs regulate COR gene expression by binding to its promoter. Similarly, the C-repeat binding factor-dependent signalling cascade also stimulates osmotic stress-regulatory gene expression. This review elucidates the regulatory mechanism underlying cold stress, i.e., signal molecules, cold receptors, signal-transduction pathways, metabolic regulation under cold stress, and crosstalk of regulatory pathways with other abiotic stresses in plants. The results may pave the way for crop improvement in low-temperature environments.
PMID: 36958153
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2023 Feb , V196 : P484-496 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.01.055
CgMYB1, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor, can alleviate abiotic stress in an annual halophyte Chenopodium glaucum.
Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830017, China.; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, 830017, China. Electronic address: lanhaiyan@xju.edu.cn.
MYB transcription factors (TFs) are important regulators of the stress response in plants. In the present study, we characterized the CgMYB1 gene in Chenopodium glaucum, a member of the R2R3-MYB TF family. CgMYB1 was located in the nucleus with an activating domain at the C terminus. The CgMYB1 gene could be induced by salt and cold stress in C. glaucum. Overexpressing CgMYB1 in Arabidopsis significantly enhanced salt and cold tolerance, probably by improving physiological performance and stress-related gene expression. Further analysis suggests that the positive response of CgMYB1 to abiotic stress may partially be attributed to the interaction between CgMYB1 and the CgbHLH001 promoter followed by activation of downstream stress-responsive genes, which mediates stress tolerance. Our findings should contribute to further understanding of the function of R2R3 MYB TF in response to abiotic stress.
PMID: 36764264
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2023 Mar , V196 : P1084-1097 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.03.015
Dissecting the effect of ethylene in the transcriptional regulation of chilling treatment in grapevine leaves.
Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture/Center of Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens/Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.; Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia.; Institute of Fruit and Tea, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430064, China.; Turpan Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang, 830091, China.; Beijing Key Laboratory of Grape Science and Enology, And CAS Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100093, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture/Center of Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens/Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China. Electronic address: xinhaiping@wbgcas.cn.
Ethylene (ETH) plays important roles in various development programs and stress responses in plants. In grapevines, ETH increased dramatically under chilling stress and is known to positively regulate cold tolerance. However, the role of ETH in transcriptional regulation during chilling stress of grapevine leaves is still not clear. To address this gap, targeted hormone profiling and transcriptomic analysis were performed on leaves of Vitis amurensis under chilling stress with and without aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG, a inhibitor of ETH synthesis) treatment. APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR (AP2/ERF) and WRKY transcription factors (TF) were only the two highly enriched TF families that were consistently up-regulated during chilling stress but inhibited by AVG. The comparison of leaf transcriptomes between chilling treatment and chilling with AVG allowed the identification of potential ETH-regulated genes. Potential genes that are positively regulated by ETH are enriched in solute transport, protein biosynthesis, phytohormone action, antioxidant and carbohydrate metabolism. Conversely, genes related to the synthesis and signaling of ETH, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) were up-regulated by chilling treatment but inhibited by AVG. The contents of ETH, ABA and IAA also paralleled with the transcriptome data, which suggests that the response of ABA and IAA during chilling stress may regulate by ETH signaling, and together may belong to an integrated network of hormonal signaling pathways underpinning chilling stress response in grapevine leaves. Together, these findings provide new clues for further studying the complex regulatory mechanism of ETH under low-temperature stress in plants more generally and new opportunities for breeding cold-resilient grapevines.
PMID: 36921558
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2023 Mar , V23 (1) : P135 doi: 10.1186/s12870-023-04126-w
Foliar application of putrescine, salicylic acid, and ascorbic acid mitigates frost stress damage in Vitis vinifera cv. ̒Giziluzum̕.
Department of Horticulture and Agronomy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.; Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. aebadi@ut.ac.ir.; Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran.
BACKGROUND: Cold stress is an effective factor in reducing production and injuring fruit trees. Various materials, such as salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, and putrescine, are used to alleviate the damage of abiotic stress. RESULTS: The effect of different treatments of putrescine, salicylic acid, and ascorbic acid on alleviating the damage of frost stress (- 3 degrees C) to grapes 'Giziluzum' was investigated. Frost stress increased the amount of H(2)O(2), MDA, proline, and MSI. On the other hand, it decreased the concentration of chlorophyll and carotenoids in the leaves. Putrescine, salicylic acid and ascorbic acid significantly increased the activities of catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase under frost stress. Following frost stress, the grapes treated with putrescine, salicylic acid, and ascorbic acid showed higher levels of DHA, AsA, and AsA/DHA than the untreated grapes. Our results showed that the treatment with ascorbic acid outperformed the other treatments in adjusting frost stress damages. CONCLUSION: The use of compounds, such as ascorbic ac id, salicylic acid, and putrescine, modulates the effects of frost stress, thereby increasing the antioxidant defense system of cells, reducing its damage, and stabilizing stable cell conditions, so it can be used to reduce frost damage to different grape cultivars.
PMID: 36899321
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2023 Feb , V23 (1) : P85 doi: 10.1186/s12870-023-04094-1
Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis reveals key regulatory network that response to cold stress in common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).
Horticulture Department, College of Advanced Agriculture and Ecological Environment, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150000, China.; Horticulture Department, College of Life Sciences, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150000, China.; Horticulture Department, College of Advanced Agriculture and Ecological Environment, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150000, China. feng998@126.com.; Horticulture Department, College of Advanced Agriculture and Ecological Environment, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150000, China. jianlongedu@163.com.
Cold temperatures can be detrimental to crop survival and productivity. Breeding progress can be improved by understanding the molecular basis of low temperature tolerance. We investigated the key routes and critical metabolites related to low temperature resistance in cold-tolerant and -sensitive common bean cultivars 120 and 093, respectively. Many potential genes and metabolites implicated in major metabolic pathways during the chilling stress response were identified through transcriptomics and metabolomics research. Under chilling stress, the expression of many genes involved in lipid, amino acid, and flavonoid metabolism, as well as metabolite accumulation increased in the two bean types. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was lower in 120 than in 093. Regarding amino acid metabolism, 120 had a higher concentration of acidic amino acids than 093, whereas 093 had a higher concentration of basic amino acids. Methionine accumulation was clearly higher in 120 than in 093. In addition, 120 had a higher concentration of many types of flavonoids than 093. Flavonoids, methionine and malondialdehyde could be used as biomarkers of plant chilling injury. Transcriptome analysis of hormone metabolism revealed considerably greater, expression of abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA), and jasmonic acid (JA) in 093 than in 120 during chilling stress, indicating that hormone regulation modes in 093 and 120 were different. Thus, chilling stress tolerance is different between 093 and 120 possibly due to transcriptional and metabolic regulation.
PMID: 36759761
Genes (Basel) , IF:4.096 , 2023 Feb , V14 (3) doi: 10.3390/genes14030603
Selection and Validation of Reference Genes in Different Tissues of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) under Different Abiotic Stresses.
College of Marine and Biological Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224002, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is a particular vegetable with both edible and medicinal values. However, the expression pattern of the okra reference genes in response to abiotic stress has not been explored. In the present study, 18 potential reference genes were selected from okra in various tissues and abiotic stress conditions, and their expression levels were detected by Real-Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Their expression stabilities were calculated by four algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder). Under cold stress, the most stable genes included GAPC1 and CYP (leaf), CYP and ACT7 (root), HIS6 and GAPC1 (stem), and HIS6 and 60s (different tissues). Under salt stress, EF-1alpha and UBQ (leaf), EF-1alpha and UBQ (root), TUA4 and Eif (stem), and HIS6 and Eif (different tissues) were the most stable genes. Under drought stress, UBQ and Eif in the leaf, HIS6 and Eif in the root, TUA4 and HIS6 in the stem, and UBQ and Eif in different tissues were most stably expressed in okra. In addition, complete sequencing results by RefFinder showed that HIS6 and ACT7 in the leaf, HIS6 and Eif in the root, UBC5B and 60s in the stem, and HIS6 and Eif in different tissues, were most the suitable reference genes for okra. Furthermore, AeMYB1R1 transcription factor was used to verify the reliability of RT-qPCR values. In summary, this study was carried out to demonstrate the potential reference genes of okra under abiotic stress, aiming to provide a molecular basis for functional gene analysis and regulatory mechanism research of okra.
PMID: 36980875
Genes (Basel) , IF:4.096 , 2023 Mar , V14 (3) doi: 10.3390/genes14030692
Loss of Rose Fragrance under Chilling Stress Is Associated with Changes in DNA Methylation and Volatile Biosynthesis.
Flower Research Institute of Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kunming 650205, China.; Institute of Resource Plants, Yunnan University, Kunming 650000, China.; National Engineering Research Center for Ornamental Horticulture, Kunming 650000, China.
Rose plants are widely cultivated as cut flowers worldwide and have economic value as sources of natural fragrance and flavoring. Rosa 'Crimson Glory', whose petals have a pleasant fragrance, is one of the most important cultivars of edible rose plants. Flower storage at low-temperature is widely applied in production to maintain quality; however, chilling results in a decrease in aromatic volatiles. To determine the molecular basis underlying the changes in aromatic volatile emissions, we investigated the changes in volatile compounds, DNA methylation patterns, and patterns of the transcriptome in response to chilling temperature. The results demonstrated that chilling roses substantially reduced aromatic volatile emissions. We found that these reductions were correlated with the changes in the methylation status of the promoters and genic regions of the genes involved in volatile biosynthesis. These changes mainly occurred for CHH (H = A, T, or C) which accounted for 51% of the total methylation. Furthermore, transcript levels of scent-related gene Germacrene D synthase (RhGDS), Nudix hydrolase 1 (RhNUDX1), and Phenylacetaldehyde reductase (RhPAR) of roses were strikingly depressed after 24 h at low-temperature and remained low-level after 24 h of recovery at 20 degrees C. Overall, our findings indicated that epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the chilling tolerance of roses and lays a foundation for practical significance in the production of edible roses.
PMID: 36980964
Plant Genome , IF:4.089 , 2023 Mar : Pe20318 doi: 10.1002/tpg2.20318
Homozygosity mapping identified loci and candidate genes responsible for freezing tolerance in Camelina sativa.
Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA.; USDA/ARS, Genetics and Animal Breeding, Clay Center, NE, USA.; USDA/ARS, Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, Edward T, Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, ND, USA.
Homozygosity mapping is an effective tool for detecting genomic regions responsible for a given trait when the phenotype is controlled by a limited number of dominant or co-dominant loci. Freezing tolerance is a major attribute in agricultural crops such as camelina. Previous studies indicated that freezing tolerance differences between a tolerant (Joelle) and susceptible (CO46) variety of camelina were controlled by a small number of dominant or co-dominant genes. We performed whole genome homozygosity mapping to identify markers and candidate genes responsible for freezing tolerance difference between these two genotypes. A total of 28 F3 RILs were sequenced to approximately 30x coverage, and parental lines were sequenced to >30-40x coverage with Pacific Biosciences high fidelity technology and 60x coverage using Illumina whole genome sequencing. Overall, about 126k homozygous single nucleotide polymorphism markers were identified that differentiate both parents. Moreover, 617 markers were also homozygous in F3 families fixed for freezing tolerance/susceptibility. All these markers mapped to two contigs forming a contiguous stretch of chromosome 11. The homozygosity mapping detected 9 homozygous blocks among the selected markers and 22 candidate genes with strong similarity to regions in or near the homozygous blocks. Two such genes were differentially expressed during cold acclimation in camelina. The largest block contained a cold-regulated plant thionin and a putative rotamase cyclophilin 2 gene previously associated with freezing resistance in arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The second largest block contains several cysteine-rich RLK genes and a cold-regulated receptor serine/threonine kinase gene. We hypothesize that one or more of these genes may be primarily responsible for freezing tolerance differences in camelina varieties.
PMID: 36896462
BMC Genomics , IF:3.969 , 2023 Feb , V24 (1) : P82 doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09176-w
Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the regulatory mechanisms of two tropical water lilies in response to cold stress.
College of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Landscape Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, East China Key Laboratory of Flower Biology, Key Laboratory of Flower Biology and Germplasm Creation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing Agricultural University, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, 210095, Nanjing, China.; College of Agriculture, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China.; College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.; Hainan University Sanya Nanfan Research Institute, Sanya, 572000, China.; College of Horticulture, Key Laboratory of Landscape Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, East China Key Laboratory of Flower Biology, Key Laboratory of Flower Biology and Germplasm Creation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing Agricultural University, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, 210095, Nanjing, China. xyc@njau.edu.cn.
BACKGROUND: Tropical water lily is an aquatic plant with high ornamental value, but it cannot overwinter naturally at high latitudes. The temperature drop has become a key factor restricting the development and promotion of the industry. RESULTS: The responses of Nymphaea lotus and Nymphaea rubra to cold stress were analyzed from the perspective of physiology and transcriptomics. Under the cold stress, Nymphaea rubra had obvious leaf edge curling and chlorosis. The degree of peroxidation of its membrane was higher than that of Nymphaea lotus, and the content of photosynthetic pigments also decreased more than that of Nymphaea lotus. The soluble sugar content, SOD enzyme activity and CAT enzyme activity of Nymphaea lotus were higher than those of Nymphaea rubra. This indicated that there were significant differences in the cold sensitivity of the two varieties. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that many stress response genes and pathways were affected and enriched to varying degrees under the cold stress, especially plant hormone signal transduction, metabolic pathways and some transcription factor genes were from ZAT gene family or WKRY gene family. The key transcription factor ZAT12 protein in the cold stress response process has a C(2)H(2) conserved domain, and the protein is localized in the nucleus. Under the cold stress, overexpression of the NlZAT12 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana increased the expression of some cold-responsive protein genes. The content of reactive oxygen species and MDA in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana was lower, and the content of soluble sugar was higher, indicating that overexpression of NlZAT12 can improve the cold tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that ethylene signalling and reactive oxygen species signalling play critical roles in the response of the two cultivars to cold stress. The key gene NlZAT12 for improving cold tolerance was identified. Our study provides a theoretical basis for revealing the molecular mechanism of tropical water lily in response to cold stress.
PMID: 36809964
BMC Genomics , IF:3.969 , 2023 Feb , V24 (1) : P77 doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09187-7
Transcriptome analysis of Populus x canadensis 'Zhongliao1' in response to low temperature stress.
Liaoning Provincial Institute of Poplar, 115213, Gaizhou, China. woodbreeding@126.com.; Liaoning Provincial Institute of Poplar, 115213, Gaizhou, China.; College of Environment and Bioresources, Dalian Minzu University, 116600, Dalian, China.
BACKGROUND: Low temperatures are known to limit the growth and geographical distribution of poplars. Although some transcriptomic studies have been conducted to explore the response of poplar leaves to cold stress, only a few have comprehensively analyzed the effects of low temperature on the transcriptome of poplars and identified genes related to cold stress response and repair of freeze-thaw injury. RESULTS: We exposed the Euramerican poplar Zhongliao1 to low temperatures; after stems were exposed to - 40℃, 4℃, and 20℃, the mixture of phloem and cambium was collected for transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. A total of 29,060 genes were detected, including 28,739 known genes and 321 novel genes. Several differentially expressed genes (n = 36) were found to be involved in the Ca(2+) signaling pathway, starch-sucrose metabolism pathway, abscisic acid signaling pathway, and DNA repair. They were functionally annotated; glucan endo-1,3-beta-glucosidase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase genes, for instance, showed a close relationship with cold resistance. The expression of 11 differentially expressed genes was verified by qRT-PCR; RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR data were found to be consistent, which validated the robustness of our RNA-Seq findings. Finally, multiple sequence alignment and evolutionary analysis were performed, the results of which suggested a close association between several novel genes and cold resistance in Zhongliao1. CONCLUSION: We believe that the cold resistance and freeze-thaw injury repair genes identified in this study are of great significance for cold tolerance breeding.
PMID: 36803355
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Mar , V12 (6) doi: 10.3390/plants12061215
Identification and Expression Analysis of Hexokinases Family in Saccharum spontaneum L. under Drought and Cold Stresses.
Hunan Key Laboratory of Economic Crops Genetic Improvement and Integrated Utilization, School of Life and Health Sciences, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China.; Crop Research Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410000, China.; Key Laboratory of Sugarcane Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture/National Engineering Research Center for Sugarcane, Ministry of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.; Key Laboratory of Ecological Remediation and Safe Utilization of Heavy Metal-Polluted Soils, College of Hunan Province, Xiangtan 411201, China.
In plants, the multi-gene family of dual-function hexokinases (HXKs) plays an important role in sugar metabolism and sensing, that affects growth and stress adaptation. Sugarcane is an important sucrose crop and biofuel crop. However, little is known about the HXK gene family in sugarcane. A comprehensive survey of sugarcane HXKs, including physicochemical properties, chromosomal distribution, conserved motifs, and gene structure was conducted, identifying 20 members of the SsHXK gene family that were located on seven of the 32 Saccharum spontaneum L. chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the SsHXK family could be divided into three subfamilies (group I, II and III). Motifs and gene structure were related to the classification of SsHXKs. Most SsHXKs contained 8-11 introns which was consistent with other monocots. Duplication event analysis indicated that HXKs in S. spontaneum L. primarily originated from segmental duplication. We also identified putative cis-elements in the SsHXK promoter regions which were involved in phytohormone, light and abiotic stress responses (drought, cold et al.). During normal growth and development, 17 SsHXKs were constitutively expressed in all ten tissues. Among them, SsHXK2, SsHXK12 and SsHXK14 had similar expression patterns and were more highly expressed than other genes at all times. The RNA-seq analysis showed that 14/20 SsHXKs had the highest expression level after cold stress for 6 h, especially SsHXK15, SsHXK16 and SsHXK18. As for drought treatment, 7/20 SsHXKs had the highest expression level after drought stress for 10 days, 3/20 (SsHKX1, SsHKX10 and SsHKX11) had the highest expression level after 10 days of recovery. Overall, our results revealed the potential biological function of SsHXKs, which may provide information for in-depth functional verification.
PMID: 36986904
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Feb , V12 (4) doi: 10.3390/plants12040763
Screening and Verification of Reference Genes for Analysis of Gene Expression in Garlic (Allium sativum L.) under Cold and Drought Stress.
Qinghai Key Laboratory of Vegetable Genetics and Physiology, Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences of Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China.; School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
The principal objective of this study was to screen and verify reference genes appropriate for gene expression evaluation during plant growth and development under distinct growth conditions. Nine candidate reference genes were screened based on garlic transcriptome sequence data. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of the aforementioned reference genes in specific tissues under drought and cold stress. Then, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and ReFinder were used to consider the consistency of the expression levels of candidate reference genes. Finally, the stress-responsive gene expression of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was quantitatively evaluated to confirm the chosen reference genes. Our results indicated that there were variations in the abundance and stability of nine reference gene transcripts underneath cold and drought stress, among which ACT and UBC-E2 had the highest transcript abundance, and 18S rRNA and HIS3 had the lowest transcript abundance. UBC and UBC-E2 were the most stably expressed genes throughout all samples; UBC and UBC-E2 were the most stably expressed genes during cold stress, and ACT and UBC were the most stably expressed genes under drought stress. The most stably expressed genes in roots, pseudostems, leaves, and cloves were EF1, ACT, HIS3, UBC, and UBC-E2, respectively, while GAPDH was the most unstable gene during drought and cold stress conditions and in exclusive tissues. Taking the steady reference genes UBC-E2, UBC, and ACT as references during drought and cold stress, the reliability of the expression levels was further demonstrated by detecting the expression of AsAPX. Our work thereby offers a theoretical reference for the evaluation of gene expression in garlic in various tissues and under stress conditions.
PMID: 36840111
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Feb , V12 (3) doi: 10.3390/plants12030677
Gene Profiling of the Ascorbate Oxidase Family Genes under Osmotic and Cold Stress Reveals the Role of AnAO5 in Cold Adaptation in Ammopiptanthus nanus.
Key Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Metabolomics, Minzu University of China, National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing 100081, China.; Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas, Minzu University of China, National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing 100081, China.; College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China.; College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100080, China.
The uplift of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau has led to a drastic change in the climate in Central Asia, from warm and rainy, to dry and less rainfall. Ammopiptanthus nanus, a rare evergreen broad-leaved shrub distributed in the temperate desert region of Central Asia, has survived the drastic climate change in Central Asia caused by the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Ascorbate oxidase (AO) regulates the redox status of the apoplast by catalyzing the oxidation of ascorbate acid to dehydroascorbic acid, and plays a key role in the adaptation of plants to environmental changes. Analyzing the evolution, environmental response, and biological functions of the AO family of A. nanus is helpful for understanding how plant genome evolution responds to climate change in Central Asia. A total of 16 AOs were identified in A. nanus, all of which contained the ascorbate oxidase domain, most of which contained transmembrane domain, and many were predicted to be localized in the apoplast. Segmental duplication and tandem duplication are the main factors driving the gene amplification of the AO gene family in A. nanus. Gene expression analysis based on transcriptome data and fluorescence quantitative PCR, as well as enzyme activity measurements, showed that the expression levels of AO genes and total enzyme activity decreased under short-term osmotic stress and low-temperature stress, but the expression of some AO genes (AnAO5, AnAO13, and AnAO16) and total enzyme activity increased under 7 days of cold stress. AnAO5 and AnAO11 are targeted by miR4415. Further functional studies on AnAO5 showed that AnAO5 protein was localized in the apoplast. The expression of AnAO5 in yeast cells and the transient expression in tobacco enhanced the tolerance of yeast and tobacco to low-temperature stress, and the overexpression of AnAO5 enhanced the tolerance of Arabidopsis seedlings to cold stress. Our research provides important data for understanding the role of AOs in plant adaptation to environmental change.
PMID: 36771760
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Mar , V12 (6) doi: 10.3390/plants12061250
De Novo Transcriptome Assembly and Comparative Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes Involved in Cold Acclimation and Freezing Tolerance of the Arctic Moss Aulacomnium turgidum (Wahlenb.) Schwaegr.
Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea.; Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea.; Polar Science, University of Science and Technology, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea.
Cold acclimation refers to a phenomenon in which plants become more tolerant to freezing after exposure to non-lethal low temperatures. Aulacomnium turgidum (Wahlenb.) Schwaegr is a moss found in the Arctic that can be used to study the freezing tolerance of bryophytes. To improve our understanding of the cold acclimation effect on the freezing tolerance of A. turgidum, we compared the electrolyte leakage of protonema grown at 25 degrees C (non-acclimation; NA) and at 4 degrees C (cold acclimation; CA). Freezing damage was significantly lower in CA plants frozen at -12 degrees C (CA-12) than in NA plants frozen at -12 degrees C (NA-12). During recovery at 25 degrees C, CA-12 demonstrated a more rapid and greater level of the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II than NA-12, indicating a greater recovery capacity for CA-12 compared to NA-12. For the comparative analysis of the transcriptome between NA-12 and CA-12, six cDNA libraries were constructed in triplicate, and RNA-seq reads were assembled into 45,796 unigenes. The differential gene expression analysis showed that a significant number of AP2 transcription factor genes and pentatricopeptide repeat protein-coding genes related to abiotic stress and the sugar metabolism pathway were upregulated in CA-12. Furthermore, starch and maltose concentrations increased in CA-12, suggesting that cold acclimation increases freezing tolerance and protects photosynthetic efficiency through the accumulation of starch and maltose in A. turgidum. A de novo assembled transcriptome can be used to explore genetic sources in non-model organisms.
PMID: 36986936
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2023 Mar , V12 (6) doi: 10.3390/plants12061213
Assessing the Benefits and Costs of the Hydrogen Cyanide Antiherbivore Defense in Trifolium repens.
Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada.; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada.
Understanding the evolution of plant defenses against herbivores requires identifying the benefits and costs of defense. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the benefits and costs of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) defense against herbivory on white clover (Trifolium repens) are temperature dependent. We first tested how temperature affected HCN production in vitro, and then examined how temperature influenced the efficacy of HCN defense of T. repens against a generalist slug (Deroceras reticulatum) herbivore using no-choice and choice feeding trial assays. To understand how temperature affected the costs of defense, plants were exposed to freezing, and HCN production, photosynthetic activity, and ATP concentration were quantified. HCN production increased linearly from 5 degrees C to 50 degrees C, and cyanogenic plants experienced reduced herbivory compared to acyanogenic plants only at warmer temperatures when fed upon by young slugs. Freezing temperatures induced cyanogenesis in T. repens and decreased chlorophyll fluorescence. Cyanogenic plants experienced lower ATP levels than acyanogenic plants due to freezing. Our study provides evidence that the benefits of HCN defense against herbivores are temperature dependent, and freezing may inhibit ATP production in cyanogenic plants, but the physiological performance of all plants recovered quickly following short-term freezing. These results contribute to understanding how varying environments alter the benefits and costs of defense in a model system for the study of plant chemical defenses against herbivores.
PMID: 36986901
Life (Basel) , IF:3.817 , 2023 Feb , V13 (2) doi: 10.3390/life13020524
Suppression of the HOS1 Gene Affects the Level of ROS Depending on Light and Cold.
Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 159 Stoletija Str., 690022 Vladivostok, Russia.; Institute of Automation and Control Processes, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 5 Radio Str., 690041 Vladivostok, Russia.
The E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase HOS1 is an important integrator of temperature information and developmental processes. HOS1 is a negative regulator of plant cold tolerance, and silencing HOS1 leads to increased cold tolerance. In the present work, we studied ROS levels in hos1(Cas9)Arabidopsis thaliana plants, in which the HOS1 gene was silenced by disruption of the open reading frame via CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Confocal imaging of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) showed that the hos1 mutation moderately increased levels of ROS under both low and high light (HL) conditions, but wild-type (WT) and hos1(Cas9) plants exhibited similar ROS levels in the dark. Visualization of single cells did not reveal differences in the intracellular distribution of ROS between WT and hos1(Cas9) plants. The hos1(Cas9) plants contained a high basal level of ascorbic acid, maintained a normal balance between reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG), and generated a strong antioxidant defense response against paraquat under HL conditions. Under cold exposure, the hos1 mutation decreased the ROS level and substantially increased the expression of the ascorbate peroxidase genes Apx1 and Apx2. When plants were pre-exposed to cold and further exposed to HL, the expression of the NADPH oxidase genes RbohD and RbohF was increased in the hos1(Cas9) plants but not in WT plants. hos1-mediated changes in the level of ROS are cold-dependent and cold-independent, which implies different levels of regulation. Our data indicate that HOS1 is required to maintain ROS homeostasis not only under cold conditions, but also under conditions of both low and high light intensity. It is likely that HOS1 prevents the overinduction of defense mechanisms to balance growth.
PMID: 36836880
Gene , IF:3.688 , 2023 Mar , V856 : P147137 doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.147137
Genome-wide analysis of hyperosmolality-gated calcium-permeable channel (OSCA) family members and their involvement in various osmotic stresses in Brassica napus.
School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong 723001, Shaanxi, China; Shaanxi Province Key Laboratory of Bio-resources, Hanzhong 723001, Shaanxi, China; Qinba Mountain Area Collaborative Innovation Center of Bioresources Comprehensive Development, Hanzhong 723001, Shaanxi, China; Qinba State Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Ecological Environment (Incubation), Hanzhong 723001, Shaanxi, China.; The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430000, China.; School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong 723001, Shaanxi, China.; School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong 723001, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: yuzhang20160315@outlook.com.; Shaanxi Province Key Laboratory of Bio-resources, Hanzhong 723001, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: 412532011@qq.com.; The Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Oil Crops Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430000, China. Electronic address: xiemeili@caas.cn.
Plant hyperosmolality-gated calcium-permeable channel (OSCA) is a calcium permeable cation channel that responds to hyperosmotic stress and plays a pivotal role in plant growth, development and stress response. Through a genome-wide survey, 41 OSCA genes were identified from the genome of Brassica napus. The OSCA family genes were unevenly distributed over 14 chromosomes of B. napus and phylogenetic analysis separated the OSCA family into four clades. Motif analyses indicated that OSCA proteins in the same clade were highly conserved and the protein conserved motifs shared similar composition patterns. The OSCA promoter regions contained many hormone-related elements and stress response elements. Gene duplication analysis elucidated that WGD/segmental duplication was the main driving force for the expansion of OSCA genes during evolution and these genes mainly underwent purifying selection. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis of different tissues showed that OSCA genes are expressed and function mainly in the root. Among these genes, BnOSCA3.1a and BnOSCA3.1c had relatively high expression levels under osmotic stresses and cold stress and were highly expressed in different tissues. Protein interaction network analysis showed that a total of 5802 proteins might interact with OSCAs in B. napus, while KEGG/GO enrichment analysis indicated that OSCAs and their interacting proteins were mainly involved in plant response to abiotic stress. This systematic analysis of the OSCAs in B. napus identified gene structures, evolutionary features, expression patterns and related biological processes. These findings will facilitate further functional and evolutionary analysis of OSCAs in B. napus for breeding of osmotic-stress-resistant plants.
PMID: 36574938
Protoplasma , IF:3.356 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1007/s00709-023-01854-6
Comparative transcriptome analysis of grafting to improve chilling tolerance of cucumber.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops in Huanghuai Region, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, Shandong, China.; Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tai'an, 271000, China.; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops in Huanghuai Region, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, Shandong, China. bhg163@163.com.
Grafting with pumpkin as rootstock could improve chilling tolerance of cucumber; however, the underlying mechanism of grafting-induced chilling tolerance remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the difference of physiological and transcriptional level between own-rooted (Cs/Cs) and hetero-grafted (Cs/Cm) cucumber seedlings under chilling stress. The results showed that grafting with pumpkin significantly alleviated the chilling injury as evidenced by slightly symptoms, lower contents of electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) and higher relative water content in Cs/Cm seedlings compared with Cs/Cs seedlings under chilling stress. RNA-seq data showed that grafting induced more DGEs at 8 degrees C/5 degrees C compared with 25 degrees C/18 degrees C. In accordance with the increase of the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT, APX), grafting upregulated the expression of the regulated redox-related genes such as GST, SOD, and APX. Moreover, grafting increased the expression of genes participated in central carbon metabolism to promote the conversion and decomposition of sugar, which provided more energy for the growth of Cs/Cm seedlings under chilling stress. In addition, grafting regulated the genes involved in the intracellular signal transduction pathways such as calcium signal (CAML, CML, and CDPK) and inositol phospholipid signal (PLC), as well as changed the gene expression of plant hormone signal transduction pathways (ARF, GAI, ABF, and PYR/PYL). These results provide a physiological and transcriptional basis for the molecular mechanism of grafting-induced chilling tolerance of cucumber seedlings.
PMID: 36949344
Plant Biol (Stuttg) , IF:3.081 , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1111/plb.13520
High-throughput miRNA sequencing and identification of a novel ICE1-targeting miRNA in response to low temperature stress in Eucalyptus camaldulensis.
College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.; Guangdong Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou, China.; Guangzhou Huayin Medical Laboratory Center Limited, Guangzhou, China.; Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, Guangzhou, China.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in the growth, development, morphogenesis, signal transduction, and stress response in plants. The ICE (Inducer of CBF expression) -CBF (C-repeat binding factor)-COR (Cold-regulated gene) regulatory cascade is an important signaling pathway in plant response to low temperature stress, and it remains unknown whether this pathway is regulated by miRNAs. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was employed for predicting and identifying the miRNAs that were likely to target the ICE-CBF-COR pathway in Eucalyptus camaldulensis. A novel ICE1-targeting miRNA, eca-novel-miR-259-5p (nov-miR259), was further analyzed. A total of 392 conserved miRNAs and 97 novel miRNAs were predicted, including 80 differentially expressed miRNAs. Of these, 30 miRNAs were predicted to be associated with the ICE-CBF-COR pathway. The full-length of mature nov-miR259 was 22 bp and its precursor gene was 60 bp in length with a typical hairpin structure. The RNA ligase-mediated 5' amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RLM-RACE) and Agrobacterium-mediated tobacco transient expression assays demonstrated that nov-miR259 could cleave EcaICE1 in vivo. Moreover, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Pearson's correlation analysis further revealed that the expression levels of nov-miR259 were almost significantly negatively correlated with those of its target gene, EcaICE1, and the other genes in the ICE-CBF-COR pathway. We first identified the nov-miR259 as a novel ICE1-targeting miRNA, and the nov-miR259-ICE1 module may be involved in regulating the cold stress response in E. camaldulensis.
PMID: 36971569
Plant Biol (Stuttg) , IF:3.081 , 2023 Apr , V25 (3) : P379-395 doi: 10.1111/plb.13510
Assessment of proline function in higher plants under extreme temperatures.
College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU), Fuzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Hangzhou, China.; Department of Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan.; Research Center on Ecological Sciences, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China.; Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, Nigde, Turkey.; Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Lab, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.; Department of Horticulture, School of Horticulture and Landscape, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.; Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, India.; Group of Antioxidants, Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Biotechnology, Food and Agriculture, Department of Stress, Development and Signaling in Plants, Estacion Experimental del Zaidin, Spanish National Research Council, CSIC, Granada, Spain.; Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (North China), Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China.; State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
Climate change and abiotic stress factors are key players in crop losses worldwide. Among which, extreme temperatures (heat and cold) disturb plant growth and development, reduce productivity and, in severe cases, lead to plant death. Plants have developed numerous strategies to mitigate the detrimental impact of temperature stress. Exposure to stress leads to the accumulation of various metabolites, e.g. sugars, sugar alcohols, organic acids and amino acids. Plants accumulate the amino acid 'proline' in response to several abiotic stresses, including temperature stress. Proline abundance may result from de novo synthesis, hydrolysis of proteins, reduced utilization or degradation. Proline also leads to stress tolerance by maintaining the osmotic balance (still controversial), cell turgidity and indirectly modulating metabolism of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the crosstalk of proline with other osmoprotectants and signalling molecules, e.g. glycine betaine, abscisic acid, nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, soluble sugars, helps to strengthen protective mechanisms in stressful environments. Development of less temperature-responsive cultivars can be achieved by manipulating the biosynthesis of proline through genetic engineering. This review presents an overview of plant responses to extreme temperatures and an outline of proline metabolism under such temperatures. The exogenous application of proline as a protective molecule under extreme temperatures is also presented. Proline crosstalk and interaction with other molecules is also discussed. Finally, the potential of genetic engineering of proline-related genes is explained to develop 'temperature-smart' plants. In short, exogenous application of proline and genetic engineering of proline genes promise ways forward for developing 'temperature-smart' future crop plants.
PMID: 36748909
Plant Biol (Stuttg) , IF:3.081 , 2023 Mar , V25 (2) : P308-321 doi: 10.1111/plb.13489
Cold stress triggers freezing tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) via hormone regulation and transcription of related genes.
College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.
Low temperatures limit the geographic distribution and yield of plants. Hormones play an important role in coordinating the growth and development of plants and their tolerance to low temperatures. However, the mechanisms by which hormones affect plant resistance to extreme cold stress in the natural environment are still unclear. In this study, two winter wheat varieties with different cold resistances, Dn1 and J22, were used to conduct targeted plant hormone metabolome analysis on the tillering nodes of winter wheat at 5 degrees C, -10 degrees C and -25 degrees C using an LC-ESI-MS/MS system. We screened 39 hormones from 88 plant hormone metabolites and constructed a partial regulatory network of auxin, jasmonic acid and cytokinin. GO analysis and enrichment of KEGG pathways in different metabolites showed that the 'plant hormone signal transduction' pathway was the most common. Our study showed that extreme low temperature increased the most levels of auxin, cytokinin and salicylic acid, and decreased levels of jasmonic acid and abscisic acid, and that levels of auxin, jasmonic acid and cytokinin in Dn1 were higher than those in J22. These changes in hormone levels were associated with changes in gene expression in synthesis, catabolism, transport and signal transduction pathways. These results differ from the previous hormone regulation mechanisms, which were mostly obtained at 4 degrees C. Our results provide a basis for further understanding the molecular mechanisms by which plant endogenous hormones regulate plant freezing stress tolerance.
PMID: 36385725
J Therm Biol , IF:2.902 , 2023 Feb , V112 : P103479 doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103479
Comparative transcriptome analysis of Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae-Bruchinae) after heat and cold stress exposure.
College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, 030801, China.; College of Agricultural Economics and Management, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, 030801, China.; College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, 030801, China. Electronic address: zxh6288@126.com.
Callosobruchus chinensis is regarded as one of the cosmopolitan pests of legume crops and can cause tremendous losses to a variety of beans. This study focused on comparative transcriptome analyses of C. chinensis exposed to 45 degrees C (heat stress), 27 degrees C (ambient temperature) and -3 degrees C (cold stress) for 3 h to investigate the gene differences and underlying molecular mechanisms. There were 402 and 111 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in the heat and cold stress treatments, respectively. "cell process", "cell" and "binding" were the main enriched functions and biological processes revealed by gene ontology (GO) analysis. The clusters of orthologous genes (COG) showed that DEGs were assigned to the categories: "posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chaperones", "lipid transport and metabolism", and "general function prediction only". With respect to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), the "longevity regulating pathway-multiple species", "carbon metabolism", "peroxisome", "protein processing in endoplasmic", "glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism" pathways were significantly enriched. The annotation and enrichment analysis revealed that genes encoding heat shock proteins (Hsps) and cuticular proteins were significantly upregulated under high and low-temperature stresses, respectively. In addition, some DEGs encoding "Protein lethal essential for life", "Reverse transcriptase", "DnaJ domain", "Cytochrome" and "Zinc finger protein" were also upregulated to varying degrees. Transcriptomic data were validated using qRT‒PCR, which confirmed that they were consistent. In this paper, the temperature tolerance of C. chinensis adults was evaluated and the results showed that female adults were more sensitive to heat and cold stress than males, and the upregulation of heat shock protein and epidermal protein was the largest in DEGs after heat and cold stress, respectively. These findings provide a reference for further understanding the biological characteristics of C. chinensis adults and the molecular mechanisms underlying the response to low and high temperatures.
PMID: 36796922
Micromachines (Basel) , IF:2.891 , 2023 Feb , V14 (2) doi: 10.3390/mi14020440
Miniature Noninvasive Sensor Based on Impedance-Change Detection in Branches for Measuring Branch Ice Content in Overwintering Woody Plants.
School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.; China Light Industry Key Laboratory of Industrial Internet and Big Data, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 102448, China.
Advancements in detection instruments have enabled the real-time acquisition of water information during plant growth; however, the real-time monitoring of freeze-thaw information during plant overwintering remains a challenge. Based on the relationship between the change in the water-ice ratio and branch impedance during freezing, a miniature noninvasive branch volume ice content (BVIC) sensor was developed for monitoring real-time changes in volumetric ice content and the ice freeze-thaw rate of woody plant branches during the overwintering period. The results of the performance analysis of the impedance measurement circuit show that the circuit has a lateral sensitivity range, measurement range, resolution, measurement accuracy, and power consumption of 0-35 mm, 0-100%, 0.05%, +/-1.76%, and 0.25 W, respectively. The dynamic response time was 0.296 s. The maximum allowable error by the output voltage fluctuation, owing to the ambient temperature and humidity, was only +/-0.635%, which meets the actual use requirements. The calibration curve fit coefficients were >0.98, indicating a significant correlation. The ice content of plant branches under cold stress was measured for indoor and field environments, and the sensors could effectively monitor changes in the branch ice content in plants exposed to cold stress. Additionally, they can differentiate between plants with different cold resistances, indicating the reliability of the BVIC sensor.
PMID: 36838140
J Plant Res , IF:2.629 , 2023 Mar , V136 (2) : P211-225 doi: 10.1007/s10265-023-01437-9
Morphological and antioxidant responses of Nopalea cochenillifera cv. Maya (edible Opuntia sp. "Kasugai Saboten") to chilling acclimatization.
Faculty of Agriculture, Meijo University, 1-501 Shiogamaguchi, Tempaku, Nagoya, 468-8502, Japan. ayumu@meijo-u.ac.jp.; Faculty of Agriculture, Meijo University, 1-501 Shiogamaguchi, Tempaku, Nagoya, 468-8502, Japan.
To clarify the wintering ability of the cactus Nopalea cochenillifera cv. Maya (edible Opuntia sp., common name "Kasugai Saboten"), we investigated the effects of temperature and antioxidant capacity on chilling acclimatization. We analyzed the anatomy of cladode chlorenchyma tissue of plants exposed to light under chilling. We found that chilling acclimatization can be achieved by exposure to approximately 15 degrees C for 2 weeks and suggest that it is affected by whether or not antioxidant capacity can recover. The overwintering cacti had the thinnest cuticle but firm cuticular wax, which is important in the acquisition of low temperature tolerance under strong light. In cacti with severe chilling injury, round swollen nuclei with clumping chloroplasts were localized in the upper part (axial side) of the cell, as though pushed up by large vacuoles in the lower part. In overwintering cacti, chloroplasts were arranged on the lateral side of the cell as in control plants, but they formed pockets: invaginations with a thin layer of chloroplast stroma that surrounded mitochondria and peroxisomes. Specific cellular structural changes depended on the degree of chilling stress and provide useful insights linking chloroplast behavior and structural changes to the environmental stress response.
PMID: 36690846
Braz J Microbiol , IF:2.476 , 2023 Mar , V54 (1) : P371-383 doi: 10.1007/s42770-023-00913-7
Alleviation of cold stress in wheat with psychrotrophic phosphorus solubilizing Acinetobacter rhizosphaerae EU-KL44.
Department of Microbiology, Akal College of Basic Sciences, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Sirmour, 173101, India.; Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Khem Singh Gill Akal College of Agriculture, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Sirmour, 173101, India. ajar@eternaluniversity.edu.in.
Low-temperature stress can seriously impair plant physiology. Chilling injury leads to a complex array of cellular dysfunctions, and symptoms include chlorosis, sterility, loss of vigor, wilting, and even death of the plants. Furthermore, phosphorus limitations additionally halt the growth of plants. Low-temperature adaptive plant growth-promoting microbes through various direct and indirect mechanisms help in the survival of plants under stress conditions. The present investigation deals with isolation of P-solubilizing psychrotrophic bacteria from diverse cultivars of wheat grown in the Keylong region of Himachal Pradesh. A total of 33 P-solubilizing bacterial isolates were obtained. P-solubilizers were screened for different plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes of K and Zn solubilization, production of IAA, siderophores, and different hydrolytic enzymes. Among 33 P-solubilizers, 8 efficient strains exhibiting multiple PGP attributes were used as bioinoculants for wheat under low-temperature stress in different in vitro and in vivo experiments. The psychrotrophic bacterial isolates positively influenced the growth and physiological parameters as well as nutrient uptake and yield of wheat and efficiently alleviated low-temperature stress. The potential of low-temperature stress adaptive and PGP microbes can be utilized in agricultural sector for amelioration of low-temperature stress and plant growth promotion. The present study deals with the isolation of psychrotrophic P-solubilizers with multiple PGP attributes and their role in alleviation of cold stress in wheat.
PMID: 36740643
Mol Biol Rep , IF:2.316 , 2023 Apr , V50 (4) : P3607-3616 doi: 10.1007/s11033-022-08114-5
Integration of transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall. in response to cold stress in the Changbai Mountains.
Faculty of Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Spectral Regions Science and Green Production, Jilin Normal University, Siping, 136000, China.; Faculty of Siping Central People's Hospital, Siping, 136000, China.; Faculty of Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Spectral Regions Science and Green Production, Jilin Normal University, Siping, 136000, China. xuhongwei@jlnu.edu.cn.; Faculty of Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Spectral Regions Science and Green Production, Jilin Normal University, Siping, 136000, China. zhouxiaofu@jlnu.edu.cn.
BACKGROUND: Cold stress is one of the abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and development, as well as life and geographical distribution important. For researching how plants react to low temperature stress, Rhododendron chrysanthum Pall. (R. chrysanthum) growing in Changbai Mountains of China is an essential study subject. METHODS AND RESULTS: R. chrysanthum was cold-treated at 4 degrees C for 12 h (cold-stress group-CS, and controls-CK), combined with transcriptomics (RNA-seq) and proteomics (iTRAQ) techniques, to investigate the response mechanisms of R. chrysanthum response to cold stress. Cold stress resulted in the discovery of 12,261 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 360 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). Correlation of proteomic and transcriptome data, proteome regulation of distinct subcellular localization, and gene/protein functional groupings are all part of the investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The combined analysis showed that 6378 DEPs matched the corresponding DEGs when the control was compared with the cold-treated samples (CK vs CS). The analysis identified 54 DEGs-DEPs associated with cold stress. cold-tolerant DEGs-DEPs were enriched with hydrolase activity, acting on glycosyl bonds, carbon-oxygen lyase activity and ferric iron binding. Seven potential DEGs-DEPs with significant involvement in the cold stress response were identified by co-expression network analysis. These findings identify the synergistic effect of DEGs-DEPs as the key to improve the cold tolerance of R. chrysanthum and provide a theoretical basis for further studies on its cold resistance subsequently.
PMID: 36418773
Fly (Austin) , IF:2.16 , 2023 Dec , V17 (1) : P2157161 doi: 10.1080/19336934.2022.2157161
Larval nutritional-stress and tolerance to extreme temperatures in the peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae).
Department of Entomology, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon Letzion, Israel.; Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece.
Within the factors affecting insect tolerance to extreme environmental conditions, insect nutrition, particularly of immature stages, has received insufficient attention. In the present study, we address this gap by investigating the effects of larval nutrition on heat and cold tolerance of adult Bactrocera zonata - an invasive, polyphagous fruit fly pest. We manipulated the nutritional content in the larval diet by varying the amount of added yeast (2-10% by weight), while maintaining a constant sucrose content. Adults derived from the different larval diets were tested for their tolerance to extreme heat and cold stress. Restricting the amount of yeast reduced the efficacy of the larval diet (i.e. number of pupae produced per g of diet) as well as pupal and adult fresh weight, both being significantly lower for yeast-poor diets. Additionally, yeast restriction during the larval stage (2% yeast diet) significantly reduced the amount of protein but not lipid reserves of newly emerged males and females. Adults maintained after emergence on granulated sugar and water for 10 days were significantly more tolerant to extreme heat (i.e. knock-down time at 42 (o)C) when reared as larvae on yeast-rich diets (8% and 10% yeast) compared to counterparts developing on a diet containing 2% yeast. Nevertheless, the composition of the larval diet did not significantly affect adult survival following acute cold stress (exposure to -3 degrees C for 2 hrs.). These results are corroborated by previous findings on Drosophilid flies. Possible mechanisms leading to nutrition-based heat-tolerance in flies are discussed.
PMID: 36576164
Curr Issues Mol Biol , IF:2.081 , 2023 Feb , V45 (2) : P1693-1711 doi: 10.3390/cimb45020109
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of Calmodulin-Like Gene Family in Paspalums vaginatium Revealed Their Role in Response to Salt and Cold Stress.
Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grassland Science, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China.
The calmodulin-like (CML) family is an important calcium (Ca(2+)) sensor in plants and plays a pivotal role in the response to abiotic and biotic stresses. As one of the most salt-tolerant grass species, Paspalums vaginatum is resistant to multiple abiotic stresses, such as salt, cold, and drought. However, investigations of PvCML proteins in P. vaginatum have been limited. Based on the recently published P. vaginatum genome, we identified forty-nine PvCMLs and performed a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of PvCMLs. The main results showed that the PvCMLs were unevenly distributed on all chromosomes and that the expansion of PvCMLs was shaped by tandem and segmental duplications. In addition, cis-acting element analysis, expression profiles, and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that PvCMLs were involved in the response to salt and cold stress. Most interestingly, we found evidence of a tandem gene cluster that independently evolved in P. vaginatum and may participate in cold resistance. In summary, our work provides important insight into how grass species are resistant to abiotic stresses such as salt and cold and could be the basis of further gene function research on CMLs in P. vaginatum.
PMID: 36826054
Genes Genomics , IF:1.839 , 2023 Apr , V45 (4) : P401-412 doi: 10.1007/s13258-022-01321-1
Transcriptomic profiling of the cold stress and recovery responsiveness of two contrasting Guizhou HE rice genotypes.
Guizhou Rice Research Institute, Guizhou Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, 550006, China.; College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, China.; Guizhou Rice Research Institute, Guizhou Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, 550006, China. 13984033281@139.com.
BACKGROUND: At the seed germination stage, rice is sensitive to cold stress, which adversely affects its growth and development. Guizhou HE rice comprises several different landraces, most of which are cold tolerant. OBJECTIVE: To identify differentially expressed genes and molecular mechanism underlying the cold tolerance of Guizhou HE. METHODS: Two Guizhou HE genotypes, AC44 (cold-sensitive) and AC96 (cold-tolerant), which exhibit opposite phenotypes in response to cold treatment at the seed germination stage were used. Comprehensive gene expressions of AC44 and AC96 under 4 degrees C cold treatment and subsequent recovery conditions were comparatively analyzed by RNA sequencing. RESULTS: Overall, 11,082 and 7749 differentially expressed genes were detected in AC44 and AC96, respectively. Comparative transcriptome analysis demonstrated that, compared with AC44, AC96 presented fewer upregulated and downregulated genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses demonstrated that AC96 presented more upregulated GO terms, especially terms associated with biological processes. However, AC44 presented more terms related to cellular components, mainly chloroplasts. Moreover, DEGs related to the auxin signaling pathway (including ARF and IAA family members) and transcription factors (including members of the F-box, bZIP, basic helix-loop-helix [bHLH], and MYB-like transcription factor families) were found to be expressed specifically in AC96; thus, these DEGs may be responsible for the cold tolerance of AC96. CONCLUSIONS: These findings present information about the cold tolerance mechanism of Guizhou HE rice at the germination stage, providing valuable resources and candidate genes for breeding cold-tolerant rice genotypes.
PMID: 36469228
Genetica , IF:1.082 , 2023 Apr , V151 (2) : P153-165 doi: 10.1007/s10709-023-00184-y
Genome-wide investigation of the WRKY transcription factor gene family in weeping forsythia: expression profile and cold and drought stress responses.
Innovation Platform of Molecular Biology, College of Landscape and Art, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.; School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.; College of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Huhehaote, China. liyongrui1@126.com.; State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China. liyongrui1@126.com.
Weeping forsythia is a wide-spread shrub in China with important ornamental, medicinal and ecological values. It is widely distributed in China's warm temperate zone. In plants, WRKY transcription factors play important regulatory roles in seed germination, flower development, fruit ripening and coloring, and biotic and abiotic stress response. To date, WRKY transcription factors have not been systematically studied in weeping forsythia. In this study, we identified 79 WRKY genes in weeping forsythia and classified them according to their naming rules in Arabidopsis thaliana. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that, except for IIe subfamily, whose clustering was inconsistent with A. thaliana clustering, other subfamily clustering groups were consistent. Cis-element analysis showed that WRKY genes related to pathogen resistance in weeping forsythia might be related to methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid-mediated signaling pathways. Combining cis-element and expression pattern analyses of WRKY genes showed that more than half of WRKY genes were involved in light-dependent development and morphogenesis in different tissues. The gene expression results showed that 13 WRKY genes were involved in drought response, most of which might be related to the abscisic acid signaling pathway, and a few of which might be regulated by MYB transcription factors. The gene expression results under cold stress showed that 17 WRKY genes were involved in low temperature response, and 9 of them had low temperature responsiveness cis-elements. Our study of WRKY family in weeping forsythia provided useful resources for molecular breeding and important clues for their functional verification.
PMID: 36853516
Genetica , IF:1.082 , 2023 Feb , V151 (1) : P47-59 doi: 10.1007/s10709-022-00176-4
Comparative analysis of cold-responsive genes under short-term cold stimulation and cold-adaptive genes under long-term heterogeneous environments reveals a cold adaptation mechanism in weeping forsythia.
Innovation Platform of Molecular Biology, College of Landscape and Art, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China.; Horticultural Research Institute, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, China.; School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.; College of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China. 28474257@qq.com.
Identifying cold-related genes can provide insights into the cold adaptation mechanism of weeping forsythia. In this study, we compared the changes in gene expressions and physiological and biochemical indices under short-term cold stimulation with the changes in gene sequences under a long-term heterogeneous environment to investigate the cold adaptation mechanism in weeping forsythia. The data of adaptive gene sequence changes, e.g., single nucleotide polymorphisms, were obtained from previous landscape genomics studies. The physiological and biochemical indicators and transcriptome results showed that weeping forsythia initiated a series of programs, including increasing cell osmotic pressures, scavenging ROS, activating the defense mechanism that crosses with pathogen infection, and upregulating CBF/DREB1 transcription factor 1, to cope with short-term cold stress. A reanalysis of landscape genomic data suggested that weeping forsythia responded to long-term heterogeneous cold stress by the differentiation of genes related to synthesis of aromatic substances and adenosine triphosphate. Our results supported the hypothesis that the adaptation mechanisms of species to short-term environmental stimulation and long-term stress in heterogeneous environments are different. The differences in cold tolerance among populations are not necessarily obtained by changing cold-responsive gene sequences. This study provides new insights into the cold adaptation mechanisms of plants.
PMID: 36436173
Plant Commun , 2023 Feb : P100562 doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100562
A chromosome-level genome assembly for Erianthus fulvus provides insights into its biofuel potential and facilitates breeding for improvement of sugarcane.
Sugarcane Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Free Trade Zone Hospital, Shenzhen 518067, China.; Plant Molecular Genetics Laboratory, School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.; Sugarcane Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; College of Agronomy and Biotechnology of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; The Key Laboratory of Crop Production and Smart Agriculture of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.; College of Agronomy and Biotechnology of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.; International Genome Center, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.; Sugarcane Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; College of Agronomy and Biotechnology of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; Yunnan Plateau Characteristic Agriculture Industry Research Institute, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.; Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Free Trade Zone Hospital, Shenzhen 518067, China.; Sugarcane Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; The Key Laboratory of Crop Production and Smart Agriculture of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.; Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; Yunnan Plateau Characteristic Agriculture Industry Research Institute, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China. Electronic address: loyalyang@163.com.; Sugarcane Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; College of Agronomy and Biotechnology of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; The Key Laboratory of Crop Production and Smart Agriculture of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China. Electronic address: lfs810@sina.com.
Erianthus produces substantial biomass, exhibits a good Brix value, and shows wide environmental adaptability, making it a potential biofuel plant. In contrast to closely related sorghum and sugarcane, Erianthus can grow in degraded soils, thus releasing pressure on agricultural lands used for biofuel production. However, the lack of genomic resources for Erianthus hinders its genetic improvement, thus limiting its potential for biofuel production. In the present study, we generated a chromosome-scale reference genome for Erianthus fulvus Nees. The genome size estimated by flow cytometry was 937 Mb, and the assembled genome size was 902 Mb, covering 96.26% of the estimated genome size. A total of 35 065 protein-coding genes were predicted, and 67.89% of the genome was found to be repetitive. A recent whole-genome duplication occurred approximately 74.10 million years ago in the E. fulvus genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that E. fulvus is evolutionarily closer to S. spontaneum and diverged after S. bicolor. Three of the 10 chromosomes of E. fulvus formed through rearrangements of ancestral chromosomes. Phylogenetic reconstruction of the Saccharum complex revealed a polyphyletic origin of the complex and a sister relationship of E. fulvus with Saccharum sp., excluding S. arundinaceum. On the basis of the four amino acid residues that provide substrate specificity, the E. fulvus SWEET proteins were classified as mono- and disaccharide sugar transporters. Ortho-QTL genes identified for 10 biofuel-related traits may aid in the rapid screening of E. fulvus populations to enhance breeding programs for improved biofuel production. The results of this study provide valuable insights for breeding programs aimed at improving biofuel production in E. fulvus and enhancing sugarcane introgression programs.
PMID: 36814384
Heliyon , 2023 Feb , V9 (2) : Pe13066 doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13066
Tryptophan-centered metabolic alterations coincides with lipid-mediated fungal response to cold stress.
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Key Laboratory for Southwest Microbial Diversity of the Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming 650032, China.; Kunming Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China.; State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, China.
Tryptophan and its derived metabolites have been assumed to play important roles in the development and survival of organisms. However, the links of tryptophan and its derived metabolites to temperature change remained largely cryptic. Here we presented that a class of prenyl indole alkaloids biosynthesized from tryptophan dramatically accumulated in thermophilic fungus Thermomyces dupontii under cold stress, in which lipid droplets were also highly accumulated and whose conidiophores were highly build-up. Concurrently, disruption of the key NRPS gene involved in the biosynthesis of prenyl indole alkaloids, resulted in decreased lipid and shrunken mitochondria but enlarged vacuoles. Moreover, the Fe(3+) and superoxide levels in DeltaNRPS were significantly increased but the reactive oxygen species lipid peroxidation and autophagy levels decreased. Metabolomics study revealed that most enriched metabolites in DeltaNRPS were mainly composed of tryptophan degraded metabolites including well known ROS scavenger kynurenamines, and lipid-inhibitors, anthranilic acid and indoleacetic acid, and free radical reaction suppressor free fatty acids. Transcriptomic analysis suggested that the key gene involved in tryptophan metabolism, coinciding with the lipid metabolic processes and ion transports were most up-regulated in DeltaNRPS under stress. Our results confirmed a lipid-mediated fungal response to cold stress and unveiled a link of tryptophan-based metabolic reprogramming to the fungal cold adaption.
PMID: 36747564
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf , 2023 Mar doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.13128
Application of chitosan nanoparticles in quality and preservation of postharvest fruits and vegetables: A review.
School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, China.; Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China.
Chitosan is an interesting alternative material for packaging development due to its biodegradability. However, its poor mechanical properties and low permeability limit its actual applications. Chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs) have emerged as a suitable solution to overcome these intrinsic limitations. In this review, all studies regarding the use of CHNPs to extend the shelf life and improve the quality of postharvest products are covered. The characteristics of CHNPs and their combinations with essential oils and metals, along with their effects on postharvest products, are compared and discussed throughout the manuscript. CHNPs enhanced postharvest antioxidant capacity, extended shelf life, increased nutritional quality, and promoted tolerance to chilling stress. Additionally, the CHNPs reduced the incidence of postharvest phytopathogens. In most instances, smaller CHNPs (<150 nm) conferred higher benefits than larger ones (>150 nm). This was likely a result of the greater plant tissue penetrability and surface area of the smaller CHNPs. The CHNPs were either applied after preparing an emulsion or incorporated into a film, with the latter often exhibiting greater antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. CHNPs were used to encapsulate essential oils, which could be released over time and may enhance the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the CHNPs. Even though most applications were performed after harvest, preharvest application had longer lasting effects.
PMID: 36856034