Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1093/plcell/koae186
From the archives: Stress signaling - U-box proteins in the cold stress response, sensor activation in response to salt stress, and early work on salicylic acid signaling.
Assistant Features Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists, USA.; School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
PMID: 38923945
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1093/plcell/koae177
Differential phosphorylation of Ca2+-permeable channel CNGC20 modulates calcium-mediated freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis.
State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.; School of Life Science, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, China.
Plants respond to cold stress at multiple levels, including increasing cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) influx and triggering the expression of cold-responsive genes. Here we show that the Ca2+-permeable channel CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE GATED CHANNEL20 (CNGC20) positively regulates freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) by mediating cold-induced Ca2+ influx. Moreover, we demonstrate that the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase PLANT PEPTIDE CONTAINING SULFATED TYROSINE1 RECEPTOR (PSY1R) is activated by cold, phosphorylating and enhancing the activity of CNGC20. The psy1r mutant exhibited decreased cold-evoked Ca2+ influx and freezing tolerance. Conversely, COLD-RESPONSIVE PROTEIN KINASE1 (CRPK1), a protein kinase that negatively regulates cold signaling, phosphorylates and facilitates the degradation of CNGC20 under prolonged periods of cold treatment, thereby attenuating freezing tolerance. This study thus identifies PSY1R and CRPK1 kinases that regulate CNGC20 activity and stability, respectively, thereby antagonistically modulating freezing tolerance in plants.
PMID: 38875155
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2024 Jun , V242 (5) : P2077-2092 doi: 10.1111/nph.19696
A major gene for chilling tolerance variation in Indica rice codes for a kinase OsCTK1 that phosphorylates multiple substrates under cold.
State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Cyrus Tang Innovation Center for Crop Seed Industry, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Seed Industry Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.; State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Changsha, 410125, China.; China National Rice Research Institute, 359 Tiyuchang Road, Hangzhou, 310006, China.; Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China.; Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Rice is susceptible to chilling stress. Identifying chilling tolerance genes and their mechanisms are key to improve rice performance. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study to identify regulatory genes for chilling tolerance in rice. One major gene for chilling tolerance variation in Indica rice was identified as a casein kinase gene OsCTK1. Its function and natural variation are investigated at the physiological and molecular level by its mutants and transgenic plants. Potential substrates of OsCTK1 were identified by phosphoproteomic analysis, protein-protein interaction assay, in vitro kinase assay, and mutant characterization. OsCTK1 positively regulates rice chilling tolerance. Three of its putative substrates, acidic ribosomal protein OsP3B, cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel OsCNGC9, and dual-specific mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase OsMKP1, are each involved in chilling tolerance. In addition, a natural OsCTK1 chilling-tolerant (CT) variant exhibited a higher kinase activity and conferred greater chilling tolerance compared with a chilling-sensitive (CS) variant. The CT variant is more prevalent in CT accessions and is distributed more frequently in higher latitude compared with the CS variant. This study thus enables a better understanding of chilling tolerance mechanisms and provides gene variants for genetic improvement of chilling tolerance in rice.
PMID: 38494697
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae337
LUX ARRHYTHMO links CBF pathway and jasmonic acid metabolism to regulate cold tolerance of tea plants.
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.; Center of Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius 354340, Russia.; National Center for Tea Plant Improvement, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310008, China.
Cold stress declines the quality and yield of tea, yet the molecular basis underlying cold tolerance of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) remains largely unknown. Here, we identified a circadian rhythm component LUX ARRHYTHMO (LUX) that potentially regulates cold tolerance of tea plants through a genome-wide association study and transcriptomic analysis. The expression of CsLUX phased with sunrise and sunset and was strongly induced by cold stress. Genetic assays indicated that CsLUX is a positive regulator of freezing tolerance in tea plants. CsLUX was directly activated by CsCBF1 and repressed the expression level of CsLOX2, which regulates the cold tolerance of tea plants through dynamically modulating jasmonic acid content. Furthermore, we showed that the CsLUX-CsJAZ1 complex attenuated the physical interaction of CsJAZ1 with CsICE1, liberating CsICE1 with transcriptional activities to withstand cold stress. Notably, a single-nucleotide variation of C-to-A in the coding region of CsLUX was functionally validated as the potential elite haplotype for cold response, which provided valuable molecular markers for future cold resistance breeding in tea plants.
PMID: 38875158
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae327
Transcriptome and metabolome atlas reveals contributions of sphingosine and chlorogenic acid to cold tolerance in Citrus.
National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 China.; College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 China.; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070 China.
Citrus is one of the most important fruit crop genera in the world, but many Citrus species are vulnerable to cold stress. Ichang papeda (Citrus ichangensis), a cold-hardy citrus species, holds great potential for identifying valuable metabolites that are critical for cold tolerance in Citrus. However, the metabolic changes and underlying mechanisms that regulate Ichang papeda cold tolerance remain largely unknown. In this study, we compared the metabolomes and transcriptomes of Ichang papeda and HB pummelo (Citrus grandis 'Hirado Buntan', a cold-sensitive species) to explore the critical metabolites and genes responsible for cold tolerance. Metabolomic analyses led to the identification of common and genotype-specific metabolites, consistent with transcriptomic alterations. Compared to HB pummelo under cold stress, Ichang papeda accumulated more sugars, flavonoids, and unsaturated fatty acids, which are well-characterized metabolites involved in stress responses. Interestingly, sphingosine and chlorogenic acid substantially accumulated only in Ichang papeda. Knockdown of CiSPT (C. ichangensis serine palmitoyltransferase) and CiHCT2 (C. ichangensis hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA: shikimate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase2), two genes involved in sphingosine and chlorogenic acid biosynthesis, dramatically decreased endogenous sphingosine and chlorogenic acid levels, respectively. This reduction in sphingosine and chlorogenic acid notably compromised the cold tolerance of Ichang papeda, whereas exogenous application of these metabolites increased plant cold tolerance. Taken together, our findings indicate that greater accumulation of a spectrum of metabolites, particularly sphingosine and chlorogenic acid, promotes cold tolerance in cold-tolerant citrus species. These findings broaden our understanding of plant metabolic alterations in response to cold stress and provide valuable targets that can be manipulated to improve Citrus cold tolerance.
PMID: 38875157
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 May , V195 (2) : P1100-1102 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae162
Auxin treatments protect male reproductive development against cold stress.
Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.; Department of Developmental Biology, Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg 22609, Germany.
PMID: 38501611
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 May , V195 (2) : P1660-1680 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae130
CALMODULIN-LIKE16 and PIN-LIKES7a cooperatively regulate rice seedling primary root elongation under chilling.
MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
Low-temperature sensitivity at the germination stage is a challenge for direct seeding of rice in Asian countries. How Ca2+ and auxin (IAA) signaling regulate primary root growth under chilling remains unexplored. Here, we showed that OsCML16 interacted specifically with OsPILS7a to improve primary root elongation of early rice seedlings under chilling. OsCML16, a subgroup 6c member of the OsCML family, interacted with multiple cytosolic loop regions of OsPILS7a in a Ca2+-dependent manner. OsPILS7a localized to the endoplasmic reticulum membranes and functioned as an auxin efflux carrier in a yeast growth assay. Transgenics showed that presence of OsCML16 enhanced primary root elongation under chilling, whereas the ospils7a knockout mutant lines showed the opposite phenotype. Moreover, under chilling conditions, OsCML16 and OsPILS7a-mediated Ca2+ and IAA signaling and regulated the transcription of IAA signaling-associated genes (OsIAA11, OsIAA23, and OsARF16) and cell division marker genes (OsRAN1, OsRAN2, and OsLTG1) in primary roots. These results show that OsCML16 and OsPILS7a cooperatively regulate primary root elongation of early rice seedlings under chilling. These findings enhance our understanding of the crosstalk between Ca2+ and IAA signaling and reveal insights into the mechanisms underlying cold-stress response during rice germination.
PMID: 38445796
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 May , V195 (2) : P1312-1332 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae123
Tetrad stage transient cold stress skews auxin-mediated energy metabolism balance in Chinese cabbage pollen.
Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.; Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Sanya 572024, China.; Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.; College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
Changing ambient temperature often impairs plant development and sexual reproduction, particularly pollen ontogenesis. However, mechanisms underlying cold stress-induced male sterility are not well understood. Here, we exposed Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris) to different cold conditions during flowering and demonstrated that the tetrad stage was the most sensitive. After completion of pollen development at optimal conditions, transient cold stress at the tetrad stage still impacted auxin levels, starch and lipid accumulation, and pollen germination, ultimately resulting in partial male sterility. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses and histochemical staining indicated that the reduced pollen germination rate was due to the imbalance of energy metabolism during pollen maturation. The investigation of beta-glucuronidase (GUS)-overexpressing transgenic plants driven by the promoter of DR5 (DR5::GUS report system) combined with cell tissue staining and metabolome analysis further validated that cold stress during the tetrad stage reduced auxin levels in mature pollen grains. Low-concentration auxin treatment on floral buds at the tetrad stage before cold exposure improved the cold tolerance of mature pollen grains. Artificially changing the content of endogenous auxin during pollen maturation by spraying chemical reagents and loss-of-function investigation of the auxin biosynthesis gene YUCCA6 by artificial microRNA technology showed that starch overaccumulation severely reduced the pollen germination rate. In summary, we revealed that transient cold stress at the tetrad stage of pollen development in Chinese cabbage causes auxin-mediated starch-related energy metabolism imbalance that contributes to the decline in pollen germination rate and ultimately seed set.
PMID: 38438131
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1111/pce.15005
OsJRL negatively regulates rice cold tolerance via interfering phenylalanine metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis.
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Key Lab of the Ministry of Agriculture for Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.; Institute of Rural Development, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.; Hainan Institute, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Zhejiang University, Sanya, China.
The identification of new genes involved in regulating cold tolerance in rice is urgent because low temperatures repress plant growth and reduce yields. Cold tolerance is controlled by multiple loci and involves a complex regulatory network. Here, we show that rice jacalin-related lectin (OsJRL) modulates cold tolerance in rice. The loss of OsJRL gene functions increased phenylalanine metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis under cold stress. The OsJRL knock-out (KO) lines had higher phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and greater flavonoid accumulation than the wild-type rice, Nipponbare (NIP), under cold stress. The leaves had lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and showed significantly enhanced cold tolerance compared to NIP. In contrast, the OsJRL overexpression (OE) lines had higher levels of ROS accumulation and showed lower cold tolerance than NIP. Additionally, the OsJRL KO lines accumulated more abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) under cold stress than NIP. The OsJRL OE lines showed increased sensitivity to ABA compared to NIP. We conclude that OsJRL negatively regulates the cold tolerance of rice via modulation of phenylalanine metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis.
PMID: 38884189
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1111/pce.15009
Harnessing cold adaptation for postglacial colonisation: Galactinol synthase expression and raffinose accumulation in a polyploid and its progenitors.
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.; Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Grasslands, Palmerston North, New Zealand.; Research Centre, AgResearch Lincoln, Lincoln, New Zealand.; Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand.
Allotetraploid white clover (Trifolium repens) formed during the last glaciation through hybridisation of two European diploid progenitors from restricted niches: one coastal, the other alpine. Here, we examine which hybridisation-derived molecular events may have underpinned white clover's postglacial niche expansion. We compared the transcriptomic frost responses of white clovers (an inbred line and an alpine-adapted ecotype), extant descendants of its progenitor species and a resynthesised white clover neopolyploid to identify genes that were exclusively frost-induced in the alpine progenitor and its derived subgenomes. From these analyses we identified galactinol synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme in biosynthesis of the cryoprotectant raffinose, and found that the extant descendants of the alpine progenitor as well as the neopolyploid white clover rapidly accumulated significantly more galactinol and raffinose than the coastal progenitor under cold stress. The frost-induced galactinol synthase expression and rapid raffinose accumulation derived from the alpine progenitor likely provided an advantage during early postglacial colonisation for white clover compared to its coastal progenitor.
PMID: 38873953
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1111/pce.14941
Multi-scale characterisation of cold response reveals immediate and long-term impacts on cell physiology up to seed composition in sunflower.
Universite de Toulouse, INRAE, UMR LIPME, Castanet-Tolosan, France.; SYNGENTA SEEDS, Saint Sauveur, France.; Universite de Toulouse, INRAE, UE APC, Castanet-Tolosan, France.; INSERM, Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Paris, France.; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Universite, Universite Paris Cite, Paris, France.; Equipe Labellisee Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France.; Hiphen, Avignon, France.
Early sowing can help summer crops escape drought and can mitigate the impacts of climate change on them. However, it exposes them to cold stress during initial developmental stages, which has both immediate and long-term effects on development and physiology. To understand how early night-chilling stress impacts plant development and yield, we studied the reference sunflower line XRQ under controlled, semi-controlled and field conditions. We performed high-throughput imaging of the whole plant parts and obtained physiological and transcriptomic data from leaves, hypocotyls and roots. We observed morphological reductions in early stages under field and controlled conditions, with a decrease in root development, an increase in reactive oxygen species content in leaves and changes in lipid composition in hypocotyls. A long-term increase in leaf chlorophyll suggests a stress memory mechanism that was supported by transcriptomic induction of histone coding genes. We highlighted DEGs related to cold acclimation such as chaperone, heat shock and late embryogenesis abundant proteins. We identified genes in hypocotyls involved in lipid, cutin, suberin and phenylalanine ammonia lyase biosynthesis and ROS scavenging. This comprehensive study describes new phenotyping methods and candidate genes to understand phenotypic plasticity better in response to chilling and study stress memory in sunflower.
PMID: 38828995
J Exp Bot , IF:6.992 , 2024 Jun , V75 (11) : P3467-3482 doi: 10.1093/jxb/erae096
Application of the thermal death time model in predicting thermal damage accumulation in plants.
Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, C.F. Mollers Alle 4, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.; Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.
The thermal death time (TDT) model suggests that the duration for which an organism can tolerate thermal stress decreases exponentially as the intensity of the temperature becomes more extreme. This model has been used to predict damage accumulation in ectothermic animals and plants under fluctuating thermal conditions. However, the critical assumption of the TDT model, which is additive damage accumulation, remains unverified for plants. We assessed thermal damage in Thymus vulgaris under different heat and cold treatments, and used TDT models to predict time to thermal failure of PSII. Additionally, thermal tolerance estimates from previous studies were used to create TDT models to assess the applicability of this framework in plants. We show that thermal damage is additive between 44 degrees C and 47 degrees C and between -6.5 degrees C and -8 degrees C, and that the TDT model can predict damage accumulation at both temperature extremes. Data from previous studies indicate a broad applicability of this approach across plant species and traits. The TDT framework reveals a thermal tolerance landscape describing the relationship between exposure duration, stress intensity, and percentage damage accumulation. The extreme thermal sensitivity of plants emphasizes that even a 1 degrees C increase in future extreme temperatures could impact their mortality and distribution.
PMID: 38447052
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Jun , V270 (Pt 1) : P132314 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132314
Enhancing rutin accumulation in Tartary buckwheat through a novel flavonoid transporter protein FtABCC2.
College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, No. 46, Xinkang Road, Ya'an 625014, China.; College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, No. 46, Xinkang Road, Ya'an 625014, China. Electronic address: wuqi@sicau.edu.cn.
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is an annual coarse cereal from the Polygonaceae family, known for its high content of flavonoid compounds, particularly rutin. But so far, the mechanisms of the flavonoid transport and storage in Tartary buckwheat (TB) remain largely unexplored. This study focuses on ATP-binding cassette transporters subfamily C (ABCC) members, which are crucial for the biosynthesis and transport of flavonoids in plants. The evolutionary and expression pattern analyses of the ABCC genes in TB identified an ABCC protein gene, FtABCC2, that is highly correlated with rutin synthesis. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that FtABCC2 protein is specifically localized to the vacuole membrane. Heterologous expression of FtABCC2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae confirmed that its transport ability of flavonoid glycosides such as rutin and isoquercetin, but not the aglycones such as quercetin and dihydroquercetin. Overexpression of FtABCC2 in TB hairy root lines resulted in a significant increase in total flavonoid and rutin content (P < 0.01). Analysis of the FtABCC2 promoter revealed potential cis-acting elements responsive to hormones, cold stress, mechanical injury and light stress. Overall, this study demonstrates that FtABCC2 can efficiently facilitate the transport of rutin into vacuoles, thereby enhancing flavonoids accumulation. These findings suggest that FtABCC2 is a promising candidate for molecular-assisted breeding aimed at developing high-flavonoid TB varieties.
PMID: 38740160
Hortic Res , IF:6.793 , 2024 Jun , V11 (6) : Puhae096 doi: 10.1093/hr/uhae096
SlGAD2 is the target of SlTHM27, positively regulates cold tolerance by mediating anthocyanin biosynthesis in tomato.
College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.; Key Laboratory of Protected Horticultural Engineering in Northwest, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.; Shaanxi Protected Agriculture Engineering Technology Research Centre, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.; Department of Horticulture, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan.; College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China.
Cold stress significantly limits the yield and quality of tomato. Deciphering the key genes related to cold tolerance is important for selecting and breeding superior cold-tolerant varieties. gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) responds to various types of stress by rapidly accumulating in plant. In this study, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD2) was a positive regulator to enhance cold stress tolerance of tomato. Overexpression of SlGAD2 decreased the extent of cytoplasmic membrane damage and increased the endogenous GABA content, antioxidant enzyme activities, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity in response to cold stress, whereas Slgad2 mutant plants showed the opposite trend. In addition, SlGAD2 induced anthocyanin biosynthesis in response to cold stress by increasing the content of endogenous GABA. Further study revealed that SlGAD2 expression was negatively regulated by the transcription factor SlTHM27. However, the transcript levels of SlTHM27 were repressed under cold stress. Antioxidant enzyme activities, SlGAD2 transcript levels, GABA and anthocyanin contents were significantly increased in Slthm27 mutant plants. Further, our study demonstrated that SlTHM27 decreases SlGAD2-promoted cold resistance in tomato by repressing SlGAD2 transcription. Overall, our results showed that the SlTHM27-SlGAD2 model regulates the cold tolerance in tomato by regulating GABA and anthocyanin.
PMID: 38855415
Hortic Res , IF:6.793 , 2024 Jun , V11 (6) : Puhae093 doi: 10.1093/hr/uhae093
Multi-omic dissection of the cold resistance traits of white water lily.
Key Laboratory of Landscaping, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Biology of Ornamental Plants in East China, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.; College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
The white water lily (Nymphaea candida), exemplifying nature's resilience, thrives in the high-altitude terrains of Xinjiang, China, serving as an ideal model for investigating cold adaptation mechanisms in aquatic plants. This study meticulously elucidates the complex cold adaptation mechanisms of the white water lily through a comprehensive and integrated methodological approach. We discovered that the water lily undergoes ecodormancy in winter, retaining high cellular viability and growth potential. During overwintering, the white water lily demonstrates effective resource reallocation, a process facilitated by morphological adjustments, thereby strengthening its resistance to cold temperatures. This enhancement is achieved particularly through the compartmentalization of large vacuoles, the accumulation of osmoregulatory substances, and an increased antioxidant capacity. We established the first exhaustive full-length transcriptome for the white water lily. A subsequent comprehensive analysis of the transcriptome, phytohormones, and metabolome uncovered a multifaceted regulatory network orchestrating cold adaptation. Our research spotlights phytohormone signaling, amino acid metabolism, and circadian rhythms as key elements in the water lily's defense against cold. The results emphasize the critical role of nitrogen metabolism, especially amino acid-related pathways, during cold stress. Metabolite profiling revealed the importance of compounds like myo-inositol and L-proline in enhancing cold tolerance. Remarkably, our study demonstrates that the white water lily notably diminishes the utilization of unsaturated fatty acids in its temperature regulation strategies. In conclusion, this research substantially enriches our understanding of the white water lily's intricate cold adaptation mechanisms, offering new perspectives on the adaptive strategies of aquatic plants and potential applications in agricultural advancement.
PMID: 38840939
J Environ Manage , IF:6.789 , 2024 Jul , V363 : P121374 doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121374
Improving the productivity of Xinjiang cotton in heat-limited regions under two life history strategies.
Henan Collaborative Innovation Centre of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, China.; Key Laboratory of Oasis Eco-Agriculture, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, Shihezi, University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China; State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agroecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China. Electronic address: aziz@lzu.edu.cn.; Xinjiang Dejia Technology Seed Industry Co., Ltd., Aksu, Xinjiang, China.; Henan Collaborative Innovation Centre of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan, China. Electronic address: zhangzhiyong@hist.edu.cn.
Cotton is a major cash crop globally, playing a pivotal role in the textile sector. However, cotton growers in Xinjiang region are experiencing cotton yield penalty caused by limited heat environment. In this region, limited heat conditions strongly arrest cotton plant growth and development resulting in recued productivity. To counteract this problem, there is an urgent need to robustly identify efficient management strategies to improve plant performance and increase cotton yield under heat-limited situations. This will hold crucial implications for agricultural sustainability and global cotton supply. This review article identified challenges faced by cotton producers under heat limited environments with potential solutions to enhance cotton productivity. Specifically, we focused on the implementation of two life history strategies including planting early maturing and cold tolerant cultivars, and adjusting sowing date that can promote early maturity and increase cold stress tolerance. These strategies have shown promising results in protecting cotton plants from limited heat injury and consequently improved cotton productivity. By focusing on Xinjiang province unique climate and associated agronomic practices, valuable insights can be gained, which may have broader applications in other heat-limited cotton-growing regions globally. This comprehensive review endeavors to provide a foundation for future research and practical interventions aimed at boosting cotton yields under limited heat areas.
PMID: 38843734
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2024 Jun , V118 (6) : P1937-1954 doi: 10.1111/tpj.16719
MaC2H2-IDD regulates fruit softening and involved in softening disorder induced by cold stress in banana.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Postharvest Science of Fruits and Vegetables/Engineering Research Center for Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops in South China, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China.; Key Laboratory of Food Processing Technology and Quality Control in Shandong Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, China.
Chilling stress causes banana fruit softening disorder and severely impairs fruit quality. Various factors, such as transcription factors, regulate fruit softening. Herein, we identified a novel regulator, MaC2H2-IDD, whose expression is closely associated with fruit ripening and softening disorder. MaC2H2-IDD is a transcriptional activator located in the nucleus. The transient and ectopic overexpression of MaC2H2-IDD promoted "Fenjiao" banana and tomato fruit ripening. However, transient silencing of MaC2H2-IDD repressed "Fenjiao" banana fruit ripening. MaC2H2-IDD modulates fruit softening by activating the promoter activity of starch (MaBAM3, MaBAM6, MaBAM8, MaAMY3, and MaISA2) and cell wall (MaEXP-A2, MaEXP-A8, MaSUR14-like, and MaGLU22-like) degradation genes. DLR, Y1H, EMSA, and ChIP-qPCR assays validated the expression regulation. MaC2H2-IDD interacts with MaEBF1, enhancing the regulation of MaC2H2-IDD to MaAMY3, MaEXP-A2, and MaGLU22-like. Overexpressing/silencing MaC2H2-IDD in banana and tomato fruit altered the transcript levels of the cell wall and starch (CWS) degradation genes. Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were authenticated between the overexpression and control fruit. The DEGs mainly enriched biosynthesis of secondary metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and plant hormones signal transduction. Overexpressing MaC2H2-IDD also upregulated protein levels of MaEBF1. MaEBF1 does not ubiquitinate or degrade MaC2H2-IDD. These data indicate that MaC2H2-IDD is a new regulator of CWS degradation in "Fenjiao" banana and cooperates with MaEBF1 to modulate fruit softening, which also involves the cold softening disorder.
PMID: 38491870
Plant J , IF:6.417 , 2024 Jun , V118 (5) : P1241-1257 doi: 10.1111/tpj.16654
A normalization method that controls for total RNA abundance affects the identification of differentially expressed genes, revealing bias toward morning-expressed responses.
Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.; Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Delaware State University, Dover, Delaware, USA.; Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, 79410, USA.; Department of Science and Technology, The Good Food Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, 20090, USA.; Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, 66506, USA.
RNA-Sequencing is widely used to investigate changes in gene expression at the transcription level in plants. Most plant RNA-Seq analysis pipelines base the normalization approaches on the assumption that total transcript levels do not vary between samples. However, this assumption has not been demonstrated. In fact, many common experimental treatments and genetic alterations affect transcription efficiency or RNA stability, resulting in unequal transcript abundance. The addition of synthetic RNA controls is a simple correction that controls for variation in total mRNA levels. However, adding spike-ins appropriately is challenging with complex plant tissue, and carefully considering how they are added is essential to their successful use. We demonstrate that adding external RNA spike-ins as a normalization control produces differences in RNA-Seq analysis compared to traditional normalization methods, even between two times of day in untreated plants. We illustrate the use of RNA spike-ins with 3' RNA-Seq and present a normalization pipeline that accounts for differences in total transcriptional levels. We evaluate the effect of normalization methods on identifying differentially expressed genes in the context of identifying the effect of the time of day on gene expression and response to chilling stress in sorghum.
PMID: 38289828
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2024 Jun , V25 (12) doi: 10.3390/ijms25126712
Genome-Wide Analysis of Serine Carboxypeptidase-like Genes in Soybean and Their Roles in Stress Resistance.
State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.; Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou 310058, China.
The serine carboxypeptidase-like (SCPL) gene family plays a crucial role in the regulation of plant growth, development, and stress response through activities such as acyltransferases in plant secondary metabolism pathways. Although SCPL genes have been identified in various plant species, their specific functions and characteristics in soybean (Glycine max) have not yet been studied. We identified and characterized 73 SCPL genes, grouped into three subgroups based on gene structure and phylogenetic relationships. These genes are distributed unevenly across 20 soybean chromosomes and show varied codon usage patterns influenced by both mutation and selection pressures. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment suggests these genes are involved in plant cell wall regulation and stress responses. Expression analysis in various tissues and under stress conditions, including the presence of numerous stress-related cis-acting elements, indicated that these genes have varied expression patterns. This suggests that they play specialized roles such as modulating plant defense mechanisms against nematode infections, enhancing tolerance to drought and high salinity, and responding to cold stress, thereby helping soybean adapt to environmental stresses. Moreover, the expression of specific GmSCPLs was significantly affected following exposure to nematode infection, drought, high salt (NaCl), and cold stresses. Our findings underscore the potential of SCPL genes in enhancing stress resistance in soybean, providing a valuable resource for future genetic improvement and breeding strategies.
PMID: 38928417
Genomics , IF:5.736 , 2024 Jul , V116 (4) : P110871 doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110871
Dynamic DNA methylation modifications in the cold stress response of cassava.
School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; Xinglin College, Nantong University, Qidong 226236, China.; Qingdao Smart Rural Development Service Center, Qingdao 266000, China.; Xinglin College, Nantong University, Qidong 226236, China.; Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA.; School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China. Electronic address: kwang5@ntu.edu.cn.; School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China. Electronic address: jinleihan@ntu.edu.cn.
Cassava, a crucial tropical crop, faces challenges from cold stress, necessitating an exploration of its molecular response. Here, we investigated the role of DNA methylation in moderating the response to moderate cold stress (10 degrees C) in cassava. Using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, we examined DNA methylation patterns in leaf blades and petioles under control conditions, 5 h, and 48 h of cold stress. Tissue-specific responses were observed, with leaf blades exhibiting subtle changes, while petioles displayed a pronounced decrease in methylation levels under cold stress. We identified cold stress-induced differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that demonstrated both tissue and treatment specificity. Importantly, these DMRs were enriched in genes with altered expression, implying functional relevance. The cold-response transcription factor ERF105 associated with DMRs emerged as a significant and conserved regulator across tissues and treatments. Furthermore, we investigated DNA methylation dynamics in transposable elements, emphasizing the sensitivity of MITEs with bHLH binding motifs to cold stress. These findings provide insights into the epigenetic regulation of response to cold stress in cassava, contributing to an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying stress adaptation in this tropical plant.
PMID: 38806102
Biology (Basel) , IF:5.079 , 2024 Jun , V13 (6) doi: 10.3390/biology13060442
The Molecular Mechanism of Cold-Stress Tolerance: Cold Responsive Genes and Their Mechanisms in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).
State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China.; State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology/Beijing Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production is highly susceptible to temperature fluctuations, which can significantly reduce plant growth and development at different developmental stages, resulting in a dramatic loss of grain yield. Over the past century, substantial efforts have been undertaken to investigate the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of cold stress tolerance in rice. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent developments and trends in this field. We summarized the previous advancements and methodologies used for identifying cold-responsive genes and the molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance in rice. Integration of new technologies has significantly improved studies in this era, facilitating the identification of essential genes, QTLs, and molecular modules in rice. These findings have accelerated the molecular breeding of cold-resistant rice varieties. In addition, functional genomics, including the investigation of natural variations in alleles and artificially developed mutants, is emerging as an exciting new approach to investigating cold tolerance. Looking ahead, it is imperative for scientists to evaluate the collective impacts of these novel genes to develop rice cultivars resilient to global climate change.
PMID: 38927322
Front Genet , IF:4.599 , 2024 , V15 : P1401011 doi: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1401011
Identification and expression of the Di19 gene family in response to abiotic stress in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).
Department of Basic Sciences, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China.; Shanxi Houji Laboratory, College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China.
Drought-induced 19 (Di19) protein plays critical biological functions in response to adversity as well as in plant growth and development. Exploring the role and mechanism of Di19 in abiotic stress responses is of great significance for improving plant tolerance. In this study, six Di19 genes were identified in the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), which were mainly derived from segmental duplications. These genes share conserved exon/intron structures and were classified into three subfamilies based on their phylogenetic relationships. The composition and arrangement of conserved motifs were consistent with their phylogenetic relationships. Many hormone- and stress-responsive elements were distributed in the promoters region of PvDi19 genes. Variations in histidine residues in the Cys2/His2 (C2H2) zinc-finger domains resulted in an atypical tertiary structure of PvDi19-5. Gene expression analysis showed rapid induction of PvDi19-1 in roots by 10% PEG treatment, and PvDi19-2 in leaves by 20% PEG treatment, respectively. Most PvDi19s exhibited insensitivity to saline-alkali stress, except for PvDi19-6, which was notably induced during later stages of treatment. The most common bean Di19 genes were inhibited or not regulated by cadmium stress, but the expression of PvDi19-6 in roots was significantly upregulated when subjected to lower concentrations of cadmium (5 mmol). Moreover, Di19s exhibited greater sensitivity to severe cold stress (6 degrees C). These findings enhance our understanding of the role of PvDi19s in common bean abiotic stress responses and provide a basis for future genetic enhancements in common bean stress tolerance.
PMID: 38873116
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Jun , V213 : P108863 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108863
SMRT sequencing of a full-length transcriptome reveals cold induced alternative splicing in Vitis amurensis root.
State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China.; Turpan Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang, 830091, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430074, China. Electronic address: xinhaiping@wbgcas.cn.
Alternative splicing enhances diversity at the transcriptional and protein levels that widely involved in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. V. amurensis is an extremely cold-tolerant wild grape variety, however, studies on alternative splicing (AS) in amur grape at low temperatures are currently poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed full-length transcriptome and RNA seq data at 0, 2, and 24 h after cold stress in V. amurensis roots. Following quality control and correction, 221,170 high-quality full-length non-concatemer (FLNC) reads were identified. A total of 16,181 loci and 30,733 isoforms were identified. These included 22,868 novel isoforms from annotated genes and 2815 isoforms from 2389 novel genes. Among the distinguished novel isoforms, 673 Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) and 18,164 novel isoforms open reading frame (ORF) region were found. A total of 2958 genes produced 8797 AS events, of which 189 genes were involved in the low-temperature response. Twelve transcription factors show AS during cold treatment and VaMYB108 was selected for initial exploration. Two transcripts, Chr05.63.1 (VaMYB108(short)) and Chr05.63.2 (VaMYB108(normal)) of VaMYB108, display up-regulated expression after cold treatment in amur grape roots and are both localized in the nucleus. Only VaMYB108(normal) exhibits transcriptional activation activity. Overexpression of either VaMYB108(short) or VaMYB108(normal) in grape roots leads to increased expression of the other transcript and both increased chilling resistance of amur grape roots. The results improve and supplement the genome annotations and provide insights for further investigation into AS mechanisms during cold stress in V. amurensis.
PMID: 38917739
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Jul , V212 : P108743 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108743
Genome-wide identification and role of HSFs in antioxidant response of hot water treated zucchini fruit during cold storage.
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.; College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China. Electronic address: pjin@njau.edu.cn.
Zucchini squashes are cold-sensitive and vulnerable to chilling injury (CI) resulting from reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hot water (HW) immersing effectively reduce CI symptoms during cold storage. However, mechanism involved in reduced ROS due to HW treatment has not been characterized well. In this study, tender green zucchini fruit were treated with HW for 15 min at 45 +/- 1 degrees C and stored for 15 d at 4 +/- 1 degrees C and above 90 % relative humidity. Results showed substantial reduction in CI index, electrolyte leakage, malonaldehyde (MDA) contents and ROS accumulation along with increased activity of ROS-scavenging enzymes due to HW treatment. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism involved in antioxidant defense system, transcriptomic analysis revealed that heat shock factors (HSF) accumulated due to HW treatment regulated the ROS pathway during cold stress. CpHSFA4a was one of the highly expressed transcription factors (TF) due to HW treatment that regulated the transcription of ROS enzymes related genes. CpHSFA4a bind actively with heat shock element (HSE) in promoter regions of CpSOD, CpCAT, CpAPX1, CpAPX2, and CpAPX3, activated and increased the expression of these genes. In conclusion, HW treatment alleviated the CI by maintaining ROS homeostasis through CpHSFA4a mediated ROS pathway in zucchini squashes during cold storage.
PMID: 38788295
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Jun , V211 : P108726 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108726
CsMIEL1 effectively inhibits the accumulation of anthocyanins under low temperatures in tea plants (Camelliasinensis).
School of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Chaohu University, Chaohu Regional Collaborative Technology Service Center for Rural Revitalization, Hefei, 23800, China; State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.; State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.; School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.; School of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Chaohu University, Chaohu Regional Collaborative Technology Service Center for Rural Revitalization, Hefei, 23800, China.; College of Education, De La Salle University-Dasmarinas, Cavite, Philippines.; State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China. Electronic address: jiangxiaolan@ahau.edu.cn.; School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China. Electronic address: gaolp62@126.com.; State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China. Electronic address: xiatao62@126.com.
Tea is one of the most prevalent non-alcoholic beverages. The leaves of tea plants hyperaccumulate anthocyanins under cold stress, resulting in enhanced bitterness. Previously, we determined that the RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase CsMIEL1 from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) is involved in the response to stress conditions. This study aimed to determine the role of CsMIEL1 in anthocyanin accumulation at the post-translational modification level. The results showed that the heterologous expression of CsMIEL1 led to an 86% decrease in anthocyanin levels, resulting in a significant decrease in the mRNA levels of related genes in Arabidopsis at low temperatures but no significant differences in other phenotypes. Furthermore, multi-omics analysis and yeast two-hybrid library screening were performed to identify potential downstream targets of CsMIEL1. The results showed that the overexpression of CsMIEL1 resulted in 45% (448) of proteins being differentially expressed, of which 8% (36) were downregulated in A.thaliana, and most of these differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were clustered in the plant growth and secondary metabolic pathways. Among the 71 potential targets that may interact with CsMIEL1, CsMYB90 and CsGSTa, which are related to anthocyanin accumulation, were selected. In subsequent analyses, these two proteins were verified to interact with CsMIEL1 via yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and pull-down analyses in vitro. In summary, we explored the potential mechanism by which the E3 ligase relieves anthocyanin hyperaccumulation at low temperatures in tea plants. These results provide a new perspective on the mechanisms of anthocyanin regulation and the molecular breeding of tea plants.
PMID: 38744083
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Jun , V211 : P108679 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108679
Integrated anatomical structure, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses to identify differential cold tolerance responses of Ziziphus jujuba mill. 'Yueguang' and its autotetraploid 'Hongguang'.
College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China.; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China. Electronic address: tanggangliang@ms.xjb.ac.cn.; Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Teheran, Iran.; College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China. Electronic address: jujubeliu@163.com.; College of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071001, Hebei, China. Electronic address: wanglxht@163.com.
Cold stress is a limiting stress factor that limits plant distribution and development; however, polyploid plants have specific characteristics such as higher resistance to abiotic stress, especially cold stress, that allow them to overcome this challenge. The cultivated cultivar Ziziphus jujuba Mill. 'Yueguang' (YG) and its autotetraploid counterpart 'Hongguang' (HG) exhibit differential cold tolerance. However, the underlying molecular mechanism and methods to enhance their cold tolerance remain unknown. Anatomical structure and physiological analysis indicated YG had a higher wood bark ratio, and xylem ratio under cold treatment compared to HG. However, the half-lethal temperature (LT(50)), cortex ratio, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were significantly decreased in YG than HG, which indicated YG was cold tolerant than HG. Transcriptome analysis showed that 2084, 1725, 2888, and 2934 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in HC vs YC, H20 vs Y20, Y20 vs YC, and H20 vs HC treatment, respectively. Meanwhile, KEGG enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that several metabolic pathways, primarily plant hormone signal transduction and the MAPK signaling pathway, were involved in the differential regulation of cold tolerance between YG and HG. Furthermore, exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and brassinolide (BR) treatments could improve their cold tolerance through increased SOD and POD activities, decreased relative electrical conductivity, and MDA content. All of these findings suggested that plant hormone signal transduction, particularly ABA and BR, might have an important role in the regulation of differential cold tolerance between YG and HG, laying the foundation for further improving cold tolerance in jujube and examining the molecular mechanisms underlying differences in cold tolerance among different ploidy cultivars.
PMID: 38714127
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Jun , V213 : P108832 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108832
Coronatine-treated seedlings increase the tolerance of cotton to low-temperature stress.
Research Institute of Nuclear Technology and Biotechnology, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Desert Oasis Ministry of Agriculture, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China; Xinjiang Crop Chemical Regulation Engineering Technology Research Center and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China; The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation of Crop Resistance in Arid Desert Regions (Preparation), Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Crop Biotechnology, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China.; Xinjiang Crop Chemical Regulation Engineering Technology Research Center and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology & Biochemistry, Engineering Research Center of PGR, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, and China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.; Xinjiang Crop Chemical Regulation Engineering Technology Research Center and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China.; College of Agricultural, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830091, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology & Biochemistry, Engineering Research Center of PGR, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, and China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. Electronic address: dls@bua.edu.cn.; Research Institute of Nuclear Technology and Biotechnology, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in Desert Oasis Ministry of Agriculture, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China; Xinjiang Crop Chemical Regulation Engineering Technology Research Center and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China; The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation of Crop Resistance in Arid Desert Regions (Preparation), Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Crop Biotechnology, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, 830091, China. Electronic address: leib668@xaas.ac.cn.
Coronatine, an analog of Jasmonic acid (JA), has been shown to enhance crop tolerance to abiotic stresses, including chilling stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of Coronatine on cotton seedlings under low temperature using transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis. Twelve cDNA libraries from cotton seedlings were constructed, and pairwise comparisons revealed a total of 48,322 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis identified the involvement of these unigenes in various metabolic pathways, including Starch and sucrose metabolism, Sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis, Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism, ABC transporters, and Plant hormone signal transduction. Additionally, substantial accumulations of jasmonates (JAs), abscisic acid and major cell wall metabolites were observed. Transcriptome analysis revealed differential expression of regulatory genes, and qRT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression patterns of 9 selected genes. Co-expression analysis showed that the JA-responsive genes might form a network module with ABA biosynthesis genes or cell wall biosynthesis genes, suggesting the existence of a COR-JA-cellulose and COR-JA-ABA-cellulose regulatory pathway in cotton seedlings. Collectively, our findings uncover new insights into the molecular basis of coronatine--associated cold tolerance in cotton seedlings.
PMID: 38896915
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2024 Jun , V24 (1) : P617 doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05320-0
Genome-wide identification, expression analysis of WRKY transcription factors in Citrus ichangensis and functional validation of CiWRKY31 in response to cold stress.
National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.; National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China. liujihong@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
BACKGROUND: Ichang papeda (Citrus ichangensis), a wild perennial plant of the Rutaceae family, is a cold-hardy plant. WRKY transcription factors are crucial regulators of plant growth and development as well as abiotic stress responses. However, the WRKY genes in C. ichangensis (CiWRKY) and their expression patterns under cold stress have not been thoroughly investigated, hindering our understanding of their role in cold tolerance. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 52 CiWRKY genes identified in the genome of C. ichangensis were classified into three main groups and five subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis. Comprehensive analyses of motif features, conserved domains, and gene structures were performed. Segmental duplication plays a significant role in the CiWRKY gene family expansion. Cis-acting element analysis revealed the presence of various stress-responsive elements in the promoters of the majority of CiWRKYs. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and protein-protein interaction predictions indicate that the CiWRKYs exhibit crucial roles in regulation of both development and stress response. Expression profiling analysis demonstrates that 14 CiWRKYs were substantially induced under cold stress. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) assay confirmed that CiWRKY31, one of the cold-induced WRKYs, functions positively in regulation of cold tolerance. CONCLUSION: Sequence and protein properties of CiWRKYs were systematically analyzed. Among the 52 CiWRKY genes 14 members exhibited cold-responsive expression patterns, and CiWRKY31 was verified to be a positive regulator of cold tolerance. These findings pave way for future investigations to understand the molecular functions of CiWRKYs in cold tolerance and contribute to unravelling WRKYs that may be used for engineering cold tolerance in citrus.
PMID: 38937686
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2024 Jun , V24 (1) : P536 doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05267-2
Overexpression of PavHIPP16 from Prunus avium enhances cold stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco.
Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Institute of Agro-bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou Province, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Institute of Agro-bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou Province, China. gqiao@gzu.edu.cn.
BACKGROUND: The heavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant protein (HIPP) is an important regulatory element in response to abiotic stresses, especially playing a key role in low-temperature response. RESULTS: This study investigated the potential function of PavHIPP16 up-regulated in sweet cherry under cold stress by heterologous overexpression in tobacco. The results showed that the overexpression (OE) lines' growth state was better than wild type (WT), and the germination rate, root length, and fresh weight of OE lines were significantly higher than those of WT. In addition, the relative conductivity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the OE of tobacco under low-temperature treatment were substantially lower than those of WT. In contrast, peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), proline, soluble protein, and soluble sugar contents were significantly higher than those of WT. Yeast two-hybrid assay (Y2H) and luciferase complementation assay verified the interactions between PavbHLH106 and PavHIPP16, suggesting that these two proteins co-regulated the cold tolerance mechanism in plants. The research results indicated that the transgenic lines could perform better under low-temperature stress by increasing the antioxidant enzyme activity and osmoregulatory substance content of the transgenic plants. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides genetic resources for analyzing the biological functions of PavHIPPs, which is important for elucidating the mechanisms of cold resistance in sweet cherry.
PMID: 38862890
Genes (Basel) , IF:4.096 , 2024 Jun , V15 (6) doi: 10.3390/genes15060721
Knockout of the Chlorophyll a Oxygenase Gene OsCAO1 Reduces Chilling Tolerance in Rice Seedlings.
College of Agronomy, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.; Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China.; State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410125, China.
Chilling stress is one of the main abiotic factors affecting rice growth and yield. In rice, chlorophyllide a oxygenase encoded by OsCAO1 is responsible for converting chlorophyllide a to chlorophyllide b, playing a crucial role in photosynthesis and thus rice growth. However, little is known about the function of OsCAO1 in chilling stress responses. The presence of the cis-acting element involved in low-temperature responsiveness (LTR) in the OsCAO1 promoter implied that OsCAO1 probably is a cold-responsive gene. The gene expression level of OsCAO1 was usually inhibited by low temperatures during the day and promoted by low temperatures at night. The OsCAO1 knockout mutants generated by the CRISPR-Cas9 technology in rice (Oryza sativa L.) exhibited significantly weakened chilling tolerance at the seedling stage. OsCAO1 dysfunction led to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, an increase in relative electrolyte leakage, and a reduction in antioxidant gene expression under chilling stress. In addition, the functional deficiency of OsCAO1 resulted in more severe damage to chloroplast morphology, such as abnormal grana thylakoid stacking, caused by low temperatures. Moreover, the rice yield was reduced in OsCAO1 knockout mutants. Therefore, the elevated expression of OsCAO1 probably has the potential to increase both rice yield and chilling tolerance simultaneously, providing a strategy to cultivate chilling-tolerant rice varieties with high yields.
PMID: 38927664
Gene , IF:3.688 , 2024 Jul , V917 : P148467 doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148467
Overexpression of Rhodiola crenulata glutathione peroxidase 5 increases cold tolerance and enhances the pharmaceutical value of the hairy roots.
Pu'er People's Hospital, Yunnan, China; Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin, China; Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.; Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin, China; Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.; Pu'er People's Hospital, Yunnan, China.; Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin, China; Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: sdqmd@tju.edu.cn.; Tianjin Chest Hospital, Tianjin, China; Chest Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: Zhigangguo2022@126.com.; School of Biotechnology and Food Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: zhanglp@tjcu.edu.cn.
Rhodiola crenulata, a plant of great medicinal value found in cold high-altitude regions, has been excessively exploited due to the difficulty in cultivation. Understanding Rhodiola crenulata's adaptation mechanisms to cold environment can provide a theoretical basis for artificial breeding. Glutathione peroxidases (GPXs), critical enzymes found in plants, play essential roles in antioxidant defense through the ascorbate-glutathione cycle. However, it is unknown whether GPX5 contributes to Rhodiola crenulata's cold tolerance. In this study, we investigated the role of GPX5 in Rhodiola crenulata's cold tolerance mechanisms. By overexpressing Rhodiola crenulata GPX5 (RcGPX5) in yeast and Arabidopsis thaliana, we observed down-regulation of Arabidopsis thaliana GPX5 (AtGPX5) and increased cold tolerance in both organisms. Furthermore, the levels of antioxidants and enzyme activities in the ascorbate-glutathione cycle were elevated, and cold-responsive genes such as AtCBFs and AtCORs were induced. Additionally, RcGPX5 overexpressing lines showed insensitivity to exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), suggesting a negative regulation of the ABA pathway by RcGPX5. RcGPX5 also promoted the expression of several thioredoxin genes in Arabidopsis and interacted with two endogenous genes of Rhodiola crenulata, RcTrx2-3 and RcTrxo1, located in mitochondria and chloroplasts. These findings suggest a significantly different model in Rhodiola crenulata compared to Arabidopsis thaliana, highlighting a complex network involving the function of RcGPX5. Moreover, overexpressing RcGPX5 in Rhodiola crenulata hairy roots positively influenced the salidroside synthesis pathway, enhancing its pharmaceutical value for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. These results suggested that RcGPX5 might be a key component for Rhodiola crenulata to adapt to cold stress and overexpressing RcGPX5 could enhance the pharmaceutical value of the hairy roots.
PMID: 38615983
Gene , IF:3.688 , 2024 Jun , V913 : P148398 doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148398
Genome-wide analysis of LOG family genes in castor and RcLOG5 enhances drought, salt, and cold stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.
College of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China.; College of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China. Electronic address: xiangdianjun00@126.com.; College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China.; College of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China. Electronic address: liupeng@imun.edu.cn.
The gene encoding the specific phosphohydrolase LONELY GUY (LOG) plays an important role in the activation of cytokinin and the stress response in plant cells. However, the role of LOG genes in castor bean (Ricinus communis) has not been reported. In this study, we identified a total of nine members of the LOG gene family in the castor bean genome and investigated the upregulated expression of the RcLOG5 gene using transcriptome data analysis. We found that the RcLOG5 gene exhibited tissue-specific expression and was activated by polyethylene glycol, NaCl, low temperature, and abscisic acid stress. The subcellular localization results showed that the RcLOG5 gene is mainly located in the cytoplasm. Based on phenotypic and physiological indicators, namely root length, peroxidase activity, and malondialdehyde content, overexpression of the RcLOG5 gene not only improved the drought resistance, salt tolerance, and cold tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis, but also shortened the dormancy period of the transgenic plants. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the overexpression of the RcLOG5 gene led to the enrichment of differentially expressed genes in the glutathione metabolism pathway in transgenic Arabidopsis. Moreover, the overexpression plants had higher levels of glutathione and a higher GSH/GSSG ratio under stress compared to the wild type. Therefore, we inferred that the RcLOG5 gene may be responsible for regulating cell membrane homeostasis by reducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species through the glutathione pathway. Overall, the overexpression of the RcLOG5 gene positively regulated the stress resistance of transgenic Arabidopsis. This study provides valuable gene resources for breeding stress-tolerant castor bean varieties.
PMID: 38518901
AoB Plants , IF:3.276 , 2024 Jun , V16 (3) : Pplae022 doi: 10.1093/aobpla/plae022
Survival analysis of freezing stress in the North American native perennial flax, Linum lewisii.
Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USA.; Sunflower Improvement Research Unit, Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, United Services Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service, Fargo, ND 58102, USA.
Abstract. The expansive range of Lewis flax (Linum lewisii), an herbaceous perennial, exposes the species to a diversity of climatic conditions. As interest in the domestication and adoption of perennial crop alternatives grows and interest in this species for natural area restoration continues, the assurance of a commercial plant variety's ability to endure the full range of possible climatic extremes is paramount. This study examines the freezing tolerance of a geographically representative sampling of 44 Lewis flax accessions at winter temperature extremes experienced in the northern Great Plains of the USA. Survival analysis models were adapted to include temperature exposure, in replacement of ordinal time typically used in such models, to produce statistics evaluating reactions to extreme temperatures that Lewis flax would encounter in our field environments. Our results revealed Lewis flax is more freezing tolerant than previously reported, and revealed four accessions with significantly superior genetic freezing tolerance than the released 'Maple Grove' cultivar. Furthermore, regrowth analyses indicate variation among accessions not associated with survival, which could lead to improving regrowth rate and survival simultaneously. These findings and their methodology expand the understanding of Lewis flax adaptation for winter hardiness and offer an efficient, new model that can be used to evaluate freezing tolerance at ordinal temperatures without requiring extensive prior physiological knowledge for a species.
PMID: 38716380
Plant Biol (Stuttg) , IF:3.081 , 2024 Jun , V26 (4) : P532-543 doi: 10.1111/plb.13643
Improving chilling tolerance of peanut seedlings by enhancing antioxidant-modulated ROS scavenging ability, alleviating photosynthetic inhibition, and mobilizing nutrient absorption.
College of Agronomy, Peanut Research Institute, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
Peanut production is threatened by climate change. Damage to seedlings from low temperatures in early spring can limit yield. Plant adaptations to chilling stress remain unclear in peanut seedlings. It is essential to understand how peanut acquires chilling tolerance. We evaluated effects of chilling stress on growth and recovery of peanut seedlings. We compared and analysed biological characteristics, antioxidants, photosynthesis, biochemical and physiological responses, and nutrient absorption at varying levels of chilling. Compared with chilling-sensitive FH18, the reduced impact of chilling stress on chilling-tolerant NH5 was associated with reduced ROS accumulation, higher ascorbate peroxidase activity and soluble sugar content, lower soluble protein content, and smaller reductions in nutrient content during stress. After removal of chilling stress, FH18 had significant accumulation of O(2) (*-) and H(2)O(2), which decreased photosynthesis, nutrient absorption, and transport. ROS-scavenging reduced damage from chilling stress, allowed remobilization of nutrients, improved chilling tolerance, and restored plant functioning after chilling stress removal. These findings provide a reference for targeted research on peanut seedling tolerance to chilling and lay the foundation for bioinformatics-based research on peanut chilling tolerance mechanisms.
PMID: 38597809
Plant Signal Behav , IF:2.247 , 2024 Dec , V19 (1) : P2362518 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2362518
Exploring cotton SFR2's conundrum in response to cold stress.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA.; United States Department of Agriculture, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Cotton is an important agricultural crop to many regions across the globe but is sensitive to low-temperature exposure. The activity of the enzyme SENSITIVE TO FREEZING 2 (SFR2) improves cold tolerance of plants and produces trigalactosylsyldiacylglycerol (TGDG), but its role in cold sensitive plants, such as cotton remains unknown. Recently, it was reported that cotton SFR2 produced very little TGDG under normal and cold conditions. Here, we investigate cotton SFR2 activation and TGDG production. Using multiple approaches in the native system and transformation into Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as heterologous yeast expression, we provide evidence that cotton SFR2 activates differently than previously found among other plant species. We conclude with the hypothesis that SFR2 in cotton is not activated in a similar manner regarding acidification or freezing like Arabidopsis and that other regions of SFR2 protein are critical for activation of the enzyme than previously reported.
PMID: 38836385
Plant Signal Behav , IF:2.247 , 2024 Dec , V19 (1) : P2318514 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2318514
Insights on the enhancement of chilling tolerance in Rice through over-expression and knock-out studies of OsRBCS3.
Rice Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jiamusi, China.; Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China.
Chilling stress is an important environmental factor that affects rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth and yield, and the booting stage is the most sensitive stage of rice to chilling stress. In this study, we focused on OsRBCS3, a rice gene related to chilling tolerance at the booting stage, which encodes the key enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) small subunit in photosynthesis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role and mechanism of OsRBCS3 in rice chilling tolerance at the booting stage. The expression levels of OsRBCS3 under chilling stress were compared in two japonica rice cultivars with different chilling tolerances: Kongyu131 (KY131) and Longjing11 (LJ11). A positive correlation was found between OsRBCS3 expression and chilling tolerance. Over-expression (OE) and knock-out (KO) lines of OsRBCS3 were constructed using over-expression and CRISPR/Cas9 technology, respectively, and their chilling tolerance was evaluated at the seedling and booting stages. The results showed that OE lines exhibited higher chilling tolerance than wild-type (WT) lines at both seedling and booting stages, while KO lines showed lower chilling tolerance than WT lines. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzyme activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and Rubisco activity of four rice lines under chilling stress were measured, and it was found that OE lines had stronger antioxidant and photosynthetic capacities, while KO lines had the opposite effects. This study validated that OsRBCS3 plays an important role in rice chilling tolerance at the booting stage, providing new molecular tools and a theoretical basis for rice chilling tolerance breeding.
PMID: 38375792
Genes Genomics , IF:1.839 , 2024 Jun doi: 10.1007/s13258-024-01529-3
Identification and expression analysis of nuclear factor Y transcription factor genes under drought, cold and Eldana infestation in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrid).
Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa.; South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI), KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X02, Mount Edgecombe, Durban, 4300, South Africa.; Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa. cvdv@sun.ac.za.
BACKGROUND: The Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) transcription factor (TF) gene family plays a crucial role in plant development and response to stress. Limited information is available on this gene family in sugarcane. OBJECTIVES: To identify sugarcane NF-Y genes through bioinformatic analysis and phylogenetic association and investigate the expression of these genes in response to abiotic and biotic stress. METHODS: Sugarcane NF-Y genes were identified using comparative genomics from functionally annotated Poaceae and Arabidopsis species. Quantitative PCR and transcriptome analysis assigned preliminary functional roles to these genes in response to water deficit, cold and African sugarcane borer (Eldana saccharina) infestation. RESULTS: We identify 21 NF-Y genes in sugarcane. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three main branches representing the subunits with potential discrepancies present in the assignment of numerical names of some NF-Y putative orthologs across the different species. Gene expression analysis indicated that three genes, ShNF-YA1, A3 and B3 were upregulated and two genes, NF-YA4 and A7 were downregulated, while three genes were upregulated, ShNF-YB2, B3 and C4, in the plants exposed to water deficit and cold stress, respectively. Functional involvement of NF-Y genes in the biotic stress response were also detected where three genes, ShNF-YA6, A3 and A7 were downregulated in the early resistant (cv. N33) response to Eldana infestation whilst only ShNF-YA6 was downregulated in the susceptible (cv. N11) early response. CONCLUSIONS: Our research findings establish a foundation for investigating the function of ShNF-Ys and offer candidate genes for stress-resistant breeding and improvement in sugarcane.
PMID: 38877289
Genetica , IF:1.082 , 2024 Jun , V152 (2-3) : P119-132 doi: 10.1007/s10709-024-00209-0
Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the universal stress protein (USP) gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa.
College of Life Sciences and Engineering, Shenyang University, Shenyang, 110000, China. fan_mingxia@foxmail.com.; College of Life Sciences and Engineering, Shenyang University, Shenyang, 110000, China.; Shenyang Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Shenyang, 110161, China.; Shenyang Rural Revitalization and Development Center, Shenyang, 110121, China.; Zea Mays Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang, 110161, China.
The Universal Stress Protein (USP) primarily participates in cellular responses to biotic and abiotic stressors, playing a pivotal role in plant growth, development, and Stress responses to adverse environmental conditions. Totals of 23, 26 and 26 USP genes were recognized in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa, respectively. According to USP genes physicochemical properties, proteins from USP I class were identified as hydrophilic proteins with high stability. Based on phylogenetic analysis, USP genes family were classified into nine groups, USP II were rich in motifs. Additionally, members of the same subgroup exhibited similar numbers of introns/exons, and shared conserved domains, indicating close evolutionary relationships. Motif analysis results demonstrated a high degree of conservation among USP genes. Chromosomal distribution suggested that USP genes might have undergone gene expansion through segmental duplication in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa. Most Ka/Ks ratios were found to be less than 1, suggesting that USP genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays, and Oryza sativa have experienced purifying selection. Expression profile analysis revealed that USP genes primarily respond to drought stress in Oryza sativa, temperature, and drought stress in Zea mays, and cold stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene collinearity analysis can reveal correlations between genes, aiding subsequent in-depth investigations. This study sheds new light on the evolution of USP genes in monocots and dicots and lays the foundation for a better understanding of the biological functions of the USP genes family.
PMID: 38789817
Cryo Letters , IF:1.066 , 2024 Jul-Aug , V45 (4) : P221-230
Potential of fructans as natural cryoprotectant agents in plant cryopreservation: concept validation on Arabidopsis thaliana L.
Gebze Technical University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Kocaeli, Turkey.; KU Leuven, Sugar Metabolism Lab and KU Leuven Plant Institute, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.; IBSB, Department of Bioengineering, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.; Gebze Technical University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Kocaeli, Turkey; Gebze Technical University, Smart Agriculture Research and Application Center, Kocaeli, Turkey; Gebze Technical University, Central Research Laboratory (GTU-MAR), 41400, Kocaeli, Turkey.
BACKGROUND: Today, synthetic chemicals are used in vitrification solutions for cryopreservation studies to mimic natural cryoprotectants that supply tolerance to organisms in nature against freezing stress. In the case of plants, PVS2, containing glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO), ethylene glycol and sucrose, is considered as the golden standard for successful cryopreservation. However, Me2SO can generally cause toxicity to certain plant cells, adversely affecting viability after freezing and/or thawing. Hence, the replacement (or substantial reduction) of Me2SO by cheap, non-toxic and natural cryoprotectants became a matter of high priority to vitrification solutions or reducing their content gained escalating importance for the cryopreservation of plants. Fructans, sucrose derivatives mainly consisting of fructose residues, are candidate cryoprotectants. OBJECTIVE: Inspired by their protective role in nature, we here explored, for the first time, the potential of an array of 8 structurally different fructans as cryoprotectants in plant cryopreservation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Arabidopsis thaliana L. seedlings were used as a model system with a one-step vitrification method. PVS2 solutions with different Me2SO and fructan contents were evaluated. RESULTS: It was found that branched low DP graminan, extracted from milky stage wheat kernels, led to the highest recovery (85%) among tested fructans with 12.5% Me2SO after cryopreservation, which was remarkably close to the viability (90%) observed with the original PVS2 containing 15% Me2SO. Moreover, its protective efficacy could be further optimized by addition of vitamin C acting as an antioxidant. CONCLUSION: Such novel formulations offer great perspectives for cryopreservation of various crop species. Doi.org/10.54680/fr24410110512.
PMID: 38809786
J Genet Eng Biotechnol , 2024 Jun , V22 (2) : P100376 doi: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2024.100376
Whole genome resequencing unveils low-temperature stress tolerance specific genomic variations in jute (Corchorus sp.).
Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh.; Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Institute of Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.; Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Electronic address: haseena@du.ac.bd.; Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Electronic address: mriazulislam@du.ac.bd.
Jute (Corchorus sp.), a commercially important and eco-friendly crop, is widely cultivated in Bangladesh, India, and China. Some varieties of this tropical plant such as the Corchorus olitorius. Variety accession no. 2015 (acc. 2015) has been found to be low-temperature tolerant. The current study was designed to explore the genome-wide variations present in the tolerant plant acc. 2015 in comparison to the sensitive farmer popular variety Corchorus olitorius var. O9897 using the whole genome resequencing technique. Among different variations, intergenic Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) and Insertion-Deletion (InDels) were found in the highest percentage whereas approximately 3% SNPs and 2% InDels were found in exonic regions in both plants. Gene enrichment analysis indicated the presence of acc. 2015 specific SNPs in the genes encoding peroxidase, ER lumen protein retaining receptor, and hexosyltransferase involved in stress response (GO:0006950) which were not present in sensitive variety O9897. Besides, distinctive copy number variation regions (CNVRs) comprising 120 gene loci were found in acc. 2015 with a gain of function from multiple copy numbers but absent in O9897. Gene ontology analysis revealed these gene loci to possess different receptors like kinases, helicases, phosphatases, transcription factors especially Myb transcription factors, regulatory proteins containing different binding domains, annexin, laccase, acyl carrier protein, potassium transporter, and vesicular transporter proteins that are responsible for low temperature induced adaptation pathways in plants. This work of identifying genomic variations linked to cold stress tolerance traits will help to develop successful markers that will pave the way to develop genetically modified cold-resistant jute lines for year-round cultivation to meet the demand for a sustainable fiber crop economy.
PMID: 38797551
Data Brief , 2024 Jun , V54 : P110319 doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110319
Reference field spectrometric data of albino rice plants.
Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Research Center for Irrigation and Water Management, Anna-liget str. 35, Szarvas, H-5540, Hungary.; Department of Biotechnology, Cereal Research Non-Profit Ltd., P.O. Box 391, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
Remote sensing is the process of detecting and monitoring a plant's characteristics by measuring its reflected and emitted radiation at a distance, typically from a satellite or aircraft. The handheld leaf spectrometers help validate these images at the field scale. This dataset was captured by the CI-710 s SpectraVue Leaf Spectrometer (Cid-Bioscience, Camas, WA, U.S.A.). The absorbance, reflectance, and transmittance of albino plants were measured under natural cold stress in a temperate rice-growing area [1]. The experiment was carried out in field conditions at the seedling stage. The chlorophyll degradation takes place, starting with the yellowing of the leaf until plant death. Albinos and different level of leaf colour mutants are very useful for research and as well as breeding [2]. The symptoms of cool-temperature-induced chlorosis (CTIC) are widely examined in higher plants, especially in rice [3]. Beside laboratory induction, CTIC is appearing natural low temperature in early spring, especially cold-sensitive genotypes, such as indica rice cultivars (e.g. 'Dular') [4]. The dataset contains raw data from 400 nm to 1100 nm with the wavelength data increment of 0.6 nm [5]. These data may provide reliable support to researcher and breeder to make a simple comparison of the extent of chlorophyll degradation.
PMID: 38550228
Dokl Biol Sci , 2024 Jun , V516 (1) : P21-26 doi: 10.1134/S0012496624700935
Potato Solanum tuberosum L. Phytoene Synthase Genes (StPSY1, StPSY2, and StPSY3) Are Involved in the Plant Response to Cold Stress.
Institute of Bioengineering, Federal Research Center "Fundamentals of Biotechnology," Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia. kulakova_97@mail.ru.; Institute of Bioengineering, Federal Research Center "Fundamentals of Biotechnology," Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia.
The structure and phylogeny of the Solanum tuberosum L. phytoene synthase genes StPSY1, StPSY2, and StPSY3 were characterized. Their expression was studied in potato seedlings exposed to cold stress in the dark phase of the diurnal cycle to simulate night cooling. All of the three genes were activated as the temperature decreased, and the greatest response was observed for StPSY1. StPSY3 was for the first time shown to respond to cold stress and photoperiod. A search for cis-regulatory elements was carried out in the promoter regions and 5'-UTRs of the StPSY genes, and the regulation of all three genes proved associated with the response to light. A high level of cold-induced activation of StPSY1 was tentatively attributed to the presence of cis elements associated with sensitivity to cold and ABA.
PMID: 38538824
Mol Breed , 2024 Jun , V44 (6) : P43 doi: 10.1007/s11032-024-01475-8
The AaERF64-AaTPPA module participates in cold acclimatization of Actinidia arguta (Sieb. et Zucc.) Planch ex Miq.
College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040 China. ROR: https://ror.org/02yxnh564. GRID: grid.412246.7. ISNI: 0000 0004 1789 9091; School of Life Sciences, Kim Il Sung University, Pyongyang, 999093 Democratic People's Republic of Korea. GRID: grid.440968.7. ISNI: 0000 0001 0709 8686; Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040 China. ROR: https://ror.org/02yxnh564. GRID: grid.412246.7. ISNI: 0000 0004 1789 9091; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040 China. ROR: https://ror.org/02yxnh564. GRID: grid.412246.7. ISNI: 0000 0004 1789 9091; Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040 China. ROR: https://ror.org/02yxnh564. GRID: grid.412246.7. ISNI: 0000 0004 1789 9091
Actinidia arguta (A. arguta, kiwiberry) is a perennial deciduous vine with a strong overwintering ability. We hypothesized that trehalose metabolism, which plays a pivotal role in the stress tolerance of plants, may be involved in the cold acclimatization of A. arguta. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of AaTPPA, which encodes a trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP), was upregulated in response to low temperatures. AaTPPA expression levels were much higher in lateral buds, roots, and stem cambia than in leaves in autumn. In AaTPPA-overexpressing (OE) Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana), trehalose levels were 8-11 times higher than that of the wild type (WT) and showed different phenotypic characteristics from WT and OtsB (Escherichia coli TPP) overexpressing lines. AaTPPA-OE A. thaliana exhibited significantly higher freezing tolerance than WT and OtsB-OE lines. Transient overexpression of AaTPPA in A. arguta leaves increased the scavenging ability of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the soluble sugar and proline contents. AaERF64, an ethylene-responsive transcription factor, was induced by ethylene treatment and bound to the GCC-box of the AaTPPA promoter to activate its expression. AaTPPA expression was also induced by abscisic acid. In summary, the temperature decrease in autumn is likely to induce AaERF64 expression through an ethylene-dependent pathway, which consequently upregulates AaTPPA expression, leading to the accumulation of osmotic protectants such as soluble sugars and proline in the overwintering tissues of A. arguta. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01475-8.
PMID: 38836186