Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2024 Dec , V37 (1) doi: 10.1093/plcell/koae290
The transcription factor TGA2 orchestrates salicylic acid signal to regulate cold-induced proline accumulation in Citrus.
National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation & Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.; College of Life Sciences, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou 341000, China.; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China.
Plants subjected to cold stress have been observed to accumulate proline, but the underlying regulatory mechanism remains to be elucidated. In this study, we identified a pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS)-encoding gene (CtrP5CS1) from trifoliate orange (Citrus trifoliata L.), a cold-hardy citrus species, as a critical gene for cold-induced proline accumulation. CtrTGA2 bound directly to the TGACG motif of the CtrP5CS1 promoter and activated its expression. Moreover, CtrTGA2 functioned positively in cold tolerance via modulation of proline synthesis by regulating CtrP5CS1 expression. Up-regulation of CtrP5CS1 and CtrTGA2 under cold stress was dependent on salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis. CtrTGA2 directly regulated the expression of CtrICS1, a gene encoding isochorismate synthase (ICS) involved in SA biosynthesis, forming a positive feedback loop to intensify the CtrTGA2-mediated transcriptional activation of CtrP5CS1. The cold-induced SA receptor NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES3 (CtrNPR3) interacted with CtrTGA2 to inhibit its transcriptional activation activity; however, the inhibition was released by SA. Our results uncover the CtrTGA2-CtrP5CS1/CtrICS1 regulatory module that orchestrates the SA signal to regulate proline synthesis, giving important insights into the transcriptional mechanism underlying proline accumulation in plants under cold stress.
PMID: 39656997
Plant Cell , IF:11.277 , 2024 Dec , V37 (1) doi: 10.1093/plcell/koae323
Temperature-driven changes in membrane fluidity differentially impact FILAMENTATION TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE H2-mediated photosystem II repair.
Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China.
The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) yellow variegated2 (var2) mutant, lacking functional FILAMENTATION TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE H2 (FtsH2), an ATP-dependent zinc metalloprotease, is a powerful tool for studying the photosystem II (PSII) repair process in plants. FtsH2, forming hetero-hexamers with FtsH1, FtsH5, and FtsH8, plays an indispensable role in PSII proteostasis. Although abiotic stresses like cold and heat increase chloroplast reactive oxygen species (ROS) and PSII damage, var2 mutants behave like wild-type plants under heat stress but collapse under cold stress. Our study on transgenic var2 lines expressing FtsH2 variants, defective in either substrate extraction or proteolysis, reveals that cold stress causes an increase in membrane viscosity, demanding more substrate extraction power than proteolysis by FtsH2. Overexpression of FtsH2 lacking substrate extraction activity does not rescue the cold-sensitive phenotype, while overexpression of FtsH2 lacking protease activity does in var2, with other FtsH isomers present. This indicates that FtsH2's substrate extraction activity is indispensable under cold stress when membranes become more viscous. As temperatures rise and membrane fluidity increases, substrate extraction activity from other isomers suffices, explaining the var2 mutant's heat stress resilience. These findings underscore the direct effect of membrane fluidity on the functionality of the thylakoid FtsH complex under stress. Future research should explore how membrane fluidity impacts proteostasis, potentially uncovering strategies to modulate thermosensitivity.
PMID: 39665689
New Phytol , IF:10.151 , 2024 Dec doi: 10.1111/nph.20333
MdHY5 positively regulates cold tolerance in apple by integrating the auxin and abscisic acid pathways.
State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Apple, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.; College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550000, China.
Low-temperature stress causes various types of physiological and biochemical damage to plants. The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family transcription factor HY5 plays a significant role in multiple stress responses in plants. Here, cold stress was found to induce the upregulation of MdHY5 expression, which, in turn, positively regulates the cold tolerance of apple (Malus domestica). MdHY5 directly interacts the promoters of MdGH3-2/12 (auxin-amido synthetase) and inhibits their expression. However, low-temperature stress inhibits the regulation of MdGH3-2/12 by MdHY5, which suppresses the increase in indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) mediated by the MdHY5-MdGH3-2/12 module. Alternatively, MdHY5 directly interacts with the promoter of MdNCED2, a crucial enzyme in the biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA), thereby activating its expression. Additionally, cold stress enhances the regulation of MdNCED2 by MdHY5, which leads to the promotion of the increase in ABA mediated by the MdHY5-MdNCED2 module. Therefore, under low-temperature stress, MdHY5 reduces the ratio of IAA : ABA within apple plants by regulating MdGH3-2/12 and MdNCED2, thereby indirectly promoting the accumulation of anthocyanins, which further improves the cold tolerance of apple. This study establishes a theoretical framework for the multiple roles and regulatory mechanisms of HY5 in integrating the IAA and ABA pathways under cold stress.
PMID: 39655490
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Dec , V197 (1) doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae604
WD40 protein OsTTG1 promotes anthocyanin accumulation and CBF transcription factor-dependent pathways for rice cold tolerance.
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rice Genetics and Breeding, Rice Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, China.; College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.; Institute of Microbiology, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, China.
Temperature is a critical abiotic factor affecting rice (Oryza sativa L.) yields, and cold stress at the seedling stage can inhibit plant growth or even be fatal. Antioxidants such as anthocyanins accumulate in a variety of plants during cold stress, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we report that rice TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA 1 (OsTTG1), a major regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in rice, responds to short- and long-term cold stress at both the transcriptional and protein levels. Metabolomic and transcriptomic data indicate that OsTTG1 activates the expression of anthocyanidin synthase (OsANS) genes under cold stress. Our data also suggest that OsTTG1 forms a MYB-bHLH-WD (MBW) complex with Basic helix-loop-helix 148 (OsbHLH148) and Myb-related S3 (OsMYBS3), and this complex activates the expression of Dehydration-responsive element-binding protein 1 (OsDREB1) and OsANS genes. Together, our findings reveal the mechanisms by which OsTTG1 coordinates both anthocyanin biosynthesis and the expression of cold-responsive genes in colored rice, providing genetic resources for future cold resistance breeding in rice.
PMID: 39589910
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Dec , V197 (1) doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae578
A role for aquaporins in the modulation of cold stress tolerance in oriental melon.
Horticultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA.; Assistant Feature Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.
PMID: 39484985
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Dec , V197 (1) doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae579
Memories that last: epigenetic regulation of cold stress response prepares plants for subsequent stress events.
Assistant Features Editor, Plant Physiology, American Society of Plant Biologists.; CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.; Plant Environmental Signalling and Development, Institute of Biology III, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79104, Germany.
PMID: 39471478
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Dec , V196 (4) : P2625-2637 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae503
The nuclear exosome subunit HEN2 acts independently of the core exosome to assist transcription in Arabidopsis.
Umea Plant Science Centre, Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90187 Umea, Sweden.
Regulation of gene expression is at the frontier of plant responses to various external stimuli including stress. RNA polymerase-based transcription and post-transcriptional degradation of RNA play vital roles in this regulation. Here, we show that HUA ENHANCER 2 (HEN2), a co-factor of the nuclear exosome complex, influences RNAPII transcription elongation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) under cold conditions. Our results demonstrate that a hen2 mutant is cold sensitive and undergoes substantial transcriptional changes compared to wild type when exposed to cold conditions. We found an accumulation of 5' fragments from a subset of genes (including C-repeat binding factors 1-3 [CBF1-3]) that do not carry over to their 3' ends. In fact, hen2 mutants have lower levels of full-length mRNA for a subset of genes. This distinct 5'-end accumulation and 3'-end depletion was not observed in other NEXT complex members or core exosome mutants, highlighting HEN2's distinctive role. We further used RNAPII-associated nascent RNA to confirm that the transcriptional phenotype is a result of lower active transcription specifically at the 3' end of these genes in a hen2 mutant. Taken together, our data point to the unique role of HEN2 in maintaining RNAPII transcription dynamics especially highlighted under cold stress.
PMID: 39321187
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Dec , V196 (4) : P2871-2889 doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae483
VvbHLH036, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor regulates the cold tolerance of grapevine.
CAS Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture/Center of Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens/Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Wuhan Botanical Garden, 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.; School of Agriculture, Food, and Wine, Waite Research Precinct, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia.; 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.; Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
Cold stress is an adverse environmental factor that limits the growth and productivity of horticulture crops such as grapes (Vitis vinifera). In this study, we identified a grapevine cold-induced basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor (VvbHLH036). Overexpression and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) of VvbHLH036 enhanced and decreased cold tolerance in grapevine roots, respectively. Transcriptome analysis of VvbHLH036-overexpressed roots identified threonine synthase (VvThrC1) as a potential downstream target of VvbHLH036. We confirmed that VvbHLH036 could bind the VvThrC1 promoter and activate its expression. Both the transcripts of VvThrC1 and the content of threonine were significantly induced in the leaves and roots of grapevine under cold treatment compared to controls. Conversely, these dynamics were significantly suppressed in the roots of CRISPR/Cas9-induced KO of VvbHLH036. These observations support the regulation of threonine accumulation by VvbHLH036 through VvThrC1 during cold stress in grapevine. Furthermore, overexpression and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated KO of VvThrC1 also confirmed its role in regulating threonine content and cold tolerance in transgenic roots at low temperature. Exogenous threonine treatment increased cold tolerance and reduced the accumulation of superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide in grapevine leaves. Together, these findings point to the pivotal role of VvbHLH036 and VvThrC1 in the cold stress response in grapes by regulating threonine biosynthesis.
PMID: 39259659
Plant Physiol , IF:8.34 , 2024 Dec , V197 (1) doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiae477
Aquaporin CmPIP2;3 links H2O2 signal and antioxidation to modulate trehalose-induced cold tolerance in melon seedlings.
College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China.; Key Laboratory of Protected Horticulture of Education of Ministry and Liaoning Province, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Northern Horticultural Facilities Design & Application Technology, Shenyang 110866, China.
Cold stress severely restricts the growth and development of cold-sensitive crops. Trehalose (Tre), known as the "sugar of life", plays key roles in regulating plant cold tolerance by triggering antioxidation. However, the relevant regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Here, we confirmed that Tre triggers apoplastic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production and thus plays key roles in improving the cold tolerance of melon (Cucumis melo var. makuwa Makino) seedlings. Moreover, Tre treatment can promote the transport of apoplastic H2O2 to the cytoplasm. This physiological process may depend on aquaporins. Further studies showed that a Tre-responsive plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2;3 (CmPIP2;3) had strong H2O2 transport function and that silencing CmPIP2;3 significantly weakened apoplastic H2O2 transport and reduced the cold tolerance of melon seedlings. Yeast library and protein-DNA interaction technology were then used to screen 2 Tre-responsive transcription factors, abscisic acid-responsive element (ABRE)-binding factor 2 (CmABF2) and ABRE-binding factor 3 (CmABF3), which can bind to the ABRE motif of the CmPIP2;3 promoter and activate its expression. Silencing of CmABF2 and CmABF3 further dramatically increased the ratio of apoplastic H2O2/cytoplasm H2O2 and reduced the cold tolerance of melon seedlings. This study uncovered that Tre treatment induces CmABF2/3 to positively regulate CmPIP2;3 expression. CmPIP2;3 subsequently enhances the cold tolerance of melon seedlings by promoting the transport of apoplastic H2O2 into the cytoplasm for conducting redox signals and stimulating downstream antioxidation.
PMID: 39250755
Food Chem , IF:7.514 , 2025 Feb , V466 : P142198 doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.142198
Preharvest phenylalanine spraying alleviates chilling injury in harvested muskmelons by maintaining reactive oxygen species homeostasis.
College of Food Science and Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.; Department of Postharvest and Food Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.; College of Food Science and Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China. Electronic address: biyang@gsau.edu.cn.
In this study, muskmelon plant and fruit were sequentially sprayed with 8 mM phenylalanine (Phe) four times during fruit development. The effect of preharvest Phe spraying on chilling injury (CI) of harvested muskmelons was assessed and the mechanism involved was investigated. We found that Phe spray activated NADPH oxidase (NOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR), and increased glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AsA) levels during fruit chilling. The spray increased endogenous Phe, total phenolic and flavonoid content, and DPPH and ABTS(+) scavenging capacity. In addition, the spray decreased O(2)(.-) production rate, H(2)O(2) levels, cell membrane permeability and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and significantly reduced CI index in fruit, which was 16.5 %, 16.6 %, 13.5 %, 20.2 % and 26.5 % lower than the control after 28 d, respectively. In conclusion, Phe spraying alleviates CI in harvested muskmelons by maintaining ROS homeostasis.
PMID: 39612840
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Dec doi: 10.1111/pce.15336
ScDREBA5 Enhances Cold Tolerance by Regulating Photosynthetic and Antioxidant Genes in the Desert Moss Syntrichia caninervis.
State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Plant Gene Resources, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.
Extreme cold events, becoming more frequent, affect plant growth and development. Much is known about C-repeat binding transcription factor (CBF)-dependent cold-signaling pathways in plants. However, the CBF-independent regulatory pathway in angiosperms is unclear, and the cold-signaling pathways in non-angiosperms lacking CBFs, such as the extremely cold-tolerant desert moss Syntrichia caninervis, are largely unknown. In this study, we determined that fully hydrated S. caninervis without cold acclimation could tolerate a low-temperature of -16 degrees C. Transcriptome analysis of S. caninervis under 4 degrees C and -4 degrees C treatments revealed that sugar and energy metabolism, lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity were altered in response to cold stress, and surprisingly, most photosynthesis-related genes were upregulated under cold treatment. Transcription factors analysis revealed that A-5 DREB genes, which share a common origin with CBFs, are the hubs in the freezing-stress response of S. caninervis, in which ScDREBA5 was upregulated ~1000-fold. Overexpressing ScDREBA5 significantly enhanced freezing tolerance in both S. caninervis and Physcomitrium patens by upregulating genes involved in photosynthetic and antioxidant pathways. This is the first study to uncover the mechanism regulating the cold-stress response in S. caninervis. Our findings increase our understanding of different cold-stress response strategies in non-angiosperms and provide valuable genetic resources for breeding cold-tolerant crops.
PMID: 39723616
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Dec doi: 10.1111/pce.15324
Transcriptional Reprogramming Deploys a Compartmentalized 'Timebomb' in Catharanthus roseus to Fend Off Chewing Herbivores.
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences and Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.; Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.; Pomology Institute, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, China.; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.; Department of Entomology, School of Integrative Biology, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
The evolutionary arms race between plants and insects has led to key adaptive innovations that drive diversification. Alkaloids are well-documented anti-herbivory compounds in plant chemical defences, but how these specialized metabolites are allocated to cope with both biotic and abiotic stresses concomitantly is largely unknown. To examine how plants prioritize their metabolic resources responding to herbivory and cold, we integrated dietary toxicity bioassay in insects with co-expression analysis, hierarchical clustering, promoter assay, and protein-protein interaction in plants. Catharanthus roseus, a medicinal plant known for its insecticidal property against chewing herbivores, produces two terpenoid indole alkaloid monomers, vindoline and catharanthine. Individually, they exhibited negligible toxicity against Manduca sexta, a chewing herbivore; their condensed product, anhydrovinblastine; however, was highly toxic. Such a unique insecticidal mode of action demonstrates that terpenoid indole alkaloid 'timebomb' can only be activated when the two spatially isolated monomeric precursors are dimerized by herbivory. Without initial selection pressure and apparent fitness costs, this adaptive chemical defence against herbivory is innovative and sustainable. The biosynthesis of insecticidal terpenoid indole alkaloids is induced by herbivory but suppressed by cold. Here, we identified a transcription factor, herbivore-induced vindoline-gene Expression (HIVE), that coordinates the production of terpenoid indole alkaloids in response to herbivory and cold stress. The HIVE-mediated transcriptional reprogramming allows this herbaceous perennial to allocate its metabolic resources for chemical defence at a normal temperature when herbivory pressure is high, but switches to cold tolerance under a cooler temperature when insect infestation is secondary.
PMID: 39718032
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2025 Jan , V48 (1) : P260-271 doi: 10.1111/pce.15125
Functional and Structural Analysis Reveals Distinct Biological Roles of Plant Synaptotagmins in Response to Environmental Stress.
Area de Mejora y Fisiologia de Plantas, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterranea "La Mayora", Universidad de Malaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.; Departamento de Botanica y Fisiologia Vegetal, Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.; Departamento de Cristalografia y Biologia Estructural, Instituto de Quimica Fisica Blas Cabrera, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IQF-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.; Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences; Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.; Area de Proteccion de Cultivos, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterranea "La Mayora", Universidad de Malaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
Endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane contact sites (ER-PM CSs) are evolutionarily conserved membrane domains found in all eukaryotes, where the ER closely interfaces with the PM. This short distance is achieved in plants through the action of tether proteins such as synaptotagmins (SYTs). Arabidopsis comprises five SYT members (SYT1-SYT5), but whether they possess overlapping or distinct biological functions remains elusive. SYT1, the best-characterized member, plays an essential role in the resistance to abiotic stress. This study reveals that the functionally redundant SYT1 and SYT3 genes, but not SYT5, are involved in salt and cold stress resistance. We also show that, unlike SYT5, SYT1 and SYT3 are not required for Pseudomonas syringae resistance. Since SYT1 and SYT5 interact in vivo via their SMP domains, the distinct functions of these proteins cannot be caused by differences in their localization. Interestingly, structural phylogenetic analysis indicates that the SYT1 and SYT5 clades emerged early in the evolution of land plants. We also show that the SYT1 and SYT5 clades exhibit different structural features in their SMP and Ca(2+ )binding of their C2 domains, rationalizing their distinct biological roles.
PMID: 39253952
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2025 Jan , V48 (1) : P97-108 doi: 10.1111/pce.15144
MYB Transcription Factor CDC5 Activates CBF3 Expression to Positively Regulate Freezing Tolerance via Cooperating With ICE1 and Histone Modification in Arabidopsis.
National Key Laboratory of Wheat Improvement, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China.
The freezing temperature greatly limits the growth, development and productivity of plants. The C-repeat/DRE binding factor (CBF) plays a major role in cold acclimation, enabling plants to increase their freezing tolerance. Notably, the INDUCER OF CBF EXPRESSION1 (ICE1) protein has garnered attention for its pivotal role in bolstering plants' resilience against freezing through transcriptional upregulation of DREB1A/CBF3. However, the research on the interaction between ICE1 and other transcription factors and its function in regulating cold stress tolerance is largely inadequate. In this study, we found that a R2R3 MYB transcription factor CDC5 interacts with ICE1 and regulates the expression of CBF3 by recruiting RNA polymerase II, overexpression of ICE1 can complements the freezing deficient phenotype of cdc5 mutant. CDC5 increases the expression of CBF3 in response to freezing. Furthermore, CDC5 influences the expression of CBF3 by altering the chromatin status through H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 modifications. Our work identified a novel component that regulates CBF3 transcription in both ICE1-dependent and ICE1-independent manner, improving the understanding of the freezing signal transduction in plants.
PMID: 39248548
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Dec , V47 (12) : P4786-4799 doi: 10.1111/pce.15070
CIPK11 phosphorylates GSTU23 to promote cold tolerance in Camellia sinensis.
Key Laboratory of Biology, Genetics and Breeding of Special Economic Animals and Plants, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Center for Tea Plant Improvement, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Cold stress negatively impacts the growth, development, and quality of Camellia sinensis (Cs, tea) plants. CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPK) comprise a pivotal protein family involved in plant development and response to multiple environmental stimuli. However, their roles and regulatory mechanisms in tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) remain unknown. Here we show that CsCBL-interacting protein kinase 11 (CsCIPK11), whose transcript abundance was significantly induced at low temperatures, interacts and phosphorylates tau class glutathione S-transferase 23 (CsGSTU23). CsGSTU23 was also a cold-inducible gene and has significantly higher transcript abundance in cold-resistant accessions than in cold-susceptible accessions. CsCIPK11 phosphorylated CsGSTU23 at Ser37, enhancing its stability and enzymatic activity. Overexpression of CsCIPK11 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in enhanced cold tolerance under freezing conditions, while transient knockdown of CsCIPK11 expression in tea plants had the opposite effect, resulting in decreased cold tolerance and suppression of the C-repeat-binding transcription factor (CBF) transcriptional pathway under freezing stress. Furthermore, the transient overexpression of CsGSTU23 in tea plants increased cold tolerance. These findings demonstrate that CsCIPK11 plays a central role in the signaling pathway to cold signals and modulates antioxidant capacity by phosphorylating CsGSTU23, leading to improved cold tolerance in tea plants.
PMID: 39087790
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Dec , V47 (12) : P4630-4650 doi: 10.1111/pce.15052
FveDREB1B improves cold tolerance of woodland strawberry by positively regulating FveSCL23 and FveCHS.
Liaoning Key Laboratory of Strawberry Breeding and Cultivation, College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.
Cold stress has seriously inhibited the growth and development of strawberry during production. CBF/DREB1 is a key central transcription factor regulating plant cold tolerance, but its regulatory mechanisms are varied in different plants. Especially in strawberry, the molecular mechanism of CBF/DREB1 regulating cold tolerance is still unclear. In this study, we found that FveDREB1B was most significantly induced by cold stress in CBF/DREB1 family of diploid woodland strawberry. FveDREB1B was localized to the nucleus, and DREB1B sequences were highly conserved in diploid and octoploid strawberry, and even similar in Rosaceae. And FveDREB1B overexpressed strawberry plants showed delayed flowering and increased cold tolerance, while FveDREB1B silenced plants showed early flowering and decreased cold tolerance. Under cold stress, FveDREB1B activated FveSCL23 expression by directly binding to its promoter. Meanwhile, FveDREB1B and FveSCL23 interacted with FveDELLA, respectively. In addition, we also found that FveDREB1B promoted anthocyanin accumulation in strawberry leaves by directly activating FveCHS expression after cold treatment and recovery to 25 degrees C. DREB1B genes were also detected to be highly expressed in cold-tolerant strawberry resources 'Fragaria mandschurica' and 'Fragaria nipponica'. In conclusion, our study reveals the molecular mechanism of FveDREB1B-FveSCL23-FveDELLA module and FveDREB1B-FveCHS module to enhance the cold tolerance of woodland strawberry. It provides a new idea for improving the cold tolerance of cultivated strawberry and evaluating the cold tolerance of strawberry germplasm resources.
PMID: 39051467
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Dec , V47 (12) : P4651-4663 doi: 10.1111/pce.15053
The invertase gene PWIN1 confers chilling tolerance of rice at the booting stage via mediating pollen development.
Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.; College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China.
Pollen fertility is a primary regulator of grain yield and is highly susceptible to cold and other environmental stress. We revealed the roles of rice cell wall invertase gene PWIN1 in pollen development and chilling tolerance. We uncovered its preferential expression in microspores and bicellular pollen and identified its knock-down and knock-out mutants. pwin1 mutants produced a higher proportion of abnormal pollen than wild-type plants. The contents of sucrose, glucose, and fructose were increased, while ATP content and primary metabolism activity were reduced in the mutant pollen. Furthermore, the loss of function of PWIN1 coincided with an increase in SnRK1 activity and a decrease in TOR activity. Under chilling conditions, pwin1 mutants displayed significantly reduced pollen viability and seed-setting rate, while overexpressing PWIN1 notably increased pollen viability and seed-setting rate as compared with the wild-type, indicating that PWIN1 is essential for rice pollen development and grain yield under cold stress. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying rice pollen fertility during chilling stress, and a new module to improve chilling tolerance of rice at the booting stage by molecular design.
PMID: 39051263
Plant Cell Environ , IF:7.228 , 2024 Dec , V47 (12) : P5104-5114 doi: 10.1111/pce.15081
SlWRKY51 regulates proline content to enhance chilling tolerance in tomato.
College of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China.; College of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.; College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China.; College of Agriculture and Bioengineering, Heze University, He'ze, China.; Shandong Shike Modern Agriculture Investment Co. Ltd, He'ze, China.
Chilling stress is a major environmental factor that significantly reduces crop production. To adapt to chilling stress, plants activate a series of cellular responses and accumulate an array of metabolites, particularly proline. Here, we report that the transcription factor SlWRKY51 increases proline contents in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under chilling stress. SlWRKY51 expression is induced under chilling stress. Knockdown or knockout of SlWRKY51 led to chilling-sensitive phenotypes, with lower photosynthetic capacity and more reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation than the wild type (WT). The proline contents were significantly reduced in SlWRKY51 knockdown and knockout lines under chilling stress, perhaps explaining the phenotypes of these lines. D-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), which catalyses the rate-limiting step of proline biosynthesis, is encoded by two closely related P5CS genes (P5CS1 and P5CS2). We demonstrate that SlWRKY51 directly activates the expression of P5CS1 under chilling stress. In addition, the VQ (a class of plant-specific proteins containing the conserved motif FxxhVQxhTG) family member SlVQ10 physically interacts with SlWRKY51 to enhance its activation of P5CS1. Our study reveals that the chilling-induced transcription factor SlWRKY51 enhances chilling tolerance in tomato by promoting proline accumulation.
PMID: 39148214
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Dec , V292 : P139058 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.139058
Identification of the cysteine-rich transmembrane module CYSTM family in upland cotton and functional analysis of GhCYSTM5_A in cold and drought stresses.
Institute of Cotton, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology and Genetic breeding in Huanghuaihai Semiarid Area, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shijiazhuang 050051, Hebei, China.; Institute of Cotton, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology and Genetic breeding in Huanghuaihai Semiarid Area, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shijiazhuang 050051, Hebei, China. Electronic address: mhszjh@163.com.
Abiotic stress poses adverse impacts on cotton production, raising demands for a better understanding of stress-response mechanisms and developing strategies to improve plant performance to cope with stress. CYSTM (Cysteine-rich transmembrane module) is a widely distributed and conserved family in eukaryotes that performs potential functions in stress tolerance. However, CYSTM genes and their role in stress response is uncharacterized in cotton. Herein, we identified a total of 23 CYSTM genes from upland cotton. They underwent mainly segmental duplications and experienced purifying selection during evolution. Expression profiles revealed GhCYSTMs were closely related to abiotic stress response. Furthermore, GhCYSTM5_A overexpression enhanced the cold and drought tolerance of cotton, while RNAi-mediated knockdown of GhCYSTM5_A decreased stress tolerance. Transcriptome analysis revealed GhCYSTM5_A may contribute to cold and drought tolerance by regulating the expression of oxidative stress-related genes through MAPK signaling. GhCYSTM5_A, localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm interacted with a secreted cysteine-rich peptide GhGASA14. Moreover, GhGASA14 silencing rendered cotton plants vulnerable to cold and drought. These results suggested the potential functions of GhCYSTM genes in abiotic stress and a positive role of GhCYSTM5_A in cold and drought tolerance. This study sheds light on comprehensive characteristics of GhCYSTM, and provides candidate genes for genetic breeding.
PMID: 39710036
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Dec , V290 : P138882 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138882
Comprehensive analysis of amino acid/auxin permease family genes reveal the positive role of GhAAAP128 in cotton tolerance to cold stress.
National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China. Electronic address: wangyb@henu.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China. Electronic address: sunlr9208@henu.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China. Electronic address: haofsh@henu.edu.cn.
Amino acid/auxin permeases (AAAPs) play crucial roles in plant development and response to environmental stimuli. They have been characterized at genome-wide levels in several plant species. However, little is known about the AAAP genes in Gossypium. Here, we identified 149, 141, 73, and 70 AAAPs from G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii, respectively. All the AAAPs were categorized into eight subfamilies (Groups I-VIII). Moreover, we found that 182 and 179 AAAP paralogous gene pairs existed within G. hirsutum and G. barbadense genomes, respectively, and whole genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplication contributed to the expansion of these AAAPs during evolution. Additionally, many cis-elements related to abiotic stress responses were detected in the promoter regions of GhAAAPs and GbAAAPs. Consistently, the expression of multiple AAAPs was significantly induced by NaCl, polyethylene glycol 6000, and especially cold stress. Among these GhAAAPs, GhAAAP128 had clearly positive roles in cotton and Arabidopsis seedling tolerance to cold stress. It may improve plant cold tolerance by up-regulating the expression of some anthocyanin synthesis genes rather than CBF (C-repeat binding factor) signaling genes. Our findings provide important information for further functional analysis of GhAAAPs in response to stressful cues, particularly cold stress in cotton plants.
PMID: 39706393
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Dec : P138271 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138271
CaNAC76 enhances lignin content and cold resistance in pepper by regulating CaCAD1.
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.; College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. Electronic address: lihuanxiu@sicau.edu.cn.
Low temperature restricts the growth, development, and yield of peppers, significantly limiting the development of the pepper industry. NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors (TFs) are implicated in plant responses to cold stress, but their specific mechanisms in peppers are unclear. In this study, we isolated a cold-induced NAC transcription factor, CaNAC76, from pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). CaNAC76 is localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm and exhibits transcriptional activation activity. Silencing CaNAC76 expression reduced the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase enzymes, resulting in decreased cold tolerance in peppers. Conversely, overexpressing CaNAC76 increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the expression of cold stress-responsive genes (ICE-CBF-COR) in Arabidopsis, enhancing the plant's freezing tolerance. Transcriptional regulation analysis showed that CaNAC76 directly binds to the promoter region of CaCAD1 and induces its expression. Similarly, low temperatures induced the expression of CaCAD1. Ectopic expression of CaCAD1 improved Arabidopsis freezing tolerance, whereas silencing CaCAD1 expression increased sensitivity to low temperatures. Furthermore, we observed that CaNAC76 overexpression enhanced CAD activity and lignin content in Arabidopsis, leading to lignin deposition in the xylem and interfascicular fibers. In summary, the results demonstrate that CaNAC76 can enhance cold tolerance in peppers by affecting both CBF-dependent (ICE-CBF-COR) and CBF-independent pathways (promoting CaCAD1 expression).
PMID: 39631584
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Dec , V283 (Pt 4) : P137952 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.137952
The high-affinity pineapple sucrose transporter AcSUT1B, regulated by AcCBF1, exhibited enhanced cold tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Institute of South Subtropical Crops, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524091, Guangdong, China.; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Innovative Development and Utilization of Forest Plant Germplasm, Key Laboratory of Biology and Germplasm Enhancement of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: liuchaoyang@scau.edu.cn.
Sucrose transporter (SUT) plays essential roles in plant growth and development, as well as responses to diverse abiotic stresses. However, limited information about the function of SUT was available in pineapple, an important tropical fruit crop with crassulacean acid metabolism. Here, four AcSUT genes were identified in pineapple genome, and divided into three clades according to the phylogenetic analysis. The expression profiles of AcSUTs were systemically examined, and they were all localized to plasma membrane. Transport activity assay by two-electrode voltage clamp of Xenopus oocytes showed that AcSUT1A and AcSUT1B were capable of transporting a range of glucosides, and they were exhibited high affinity for sucrose with Km value of 0.09 mM and 0.41 mM at pH 5.0, respectively. Overexpression of the cold-induced AcSUT1B conferred enhanced cold tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. DNA-protein interaction analysis further demonstrated that AcCBF1 directly binds the CRT/DRE element of the AcSUT1B promoter and activated its expression. Heterologous expression of AcCBF1 in Arabidopsis also increased cold tolerance. In this study, we investigated the transport activities of AcSUTs in pineapple and identified the AcCBF1-AcSUT1B module involved in cold stress, which provided new insights into the molecular mechanism of the cold response in pineapple.
PMID: 39579829
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Dec , V282 (Pt 2) : P136668 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136668
Structural insights to the RRM-domain of the glycine-rich RNA-binding protein from Sorghum bicolor and its role in cold stress tolerance in E. coli.
Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India.; Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, Maharashtra, India.; Theoretical Physics and Centre for Biophysics, Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany.; Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005, Punjab, India.; Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, Maharashtra, India. Electronic address: ashutoshk@iitb.ac.in.; Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, Gottingen, Germany. Electronic address: vmithu@mpinat.mpg.de.
Sorghum bicolor Glycine-rich RNA-binding protein (SbGRBP), exhibit the ability to bind both single-stranded and double-stranded DNA. The expression of SbGRBP is regulated by heat stress, with the protein localizing to the nucleus and cytosol. The present study delves into the structure and ssDNA binding ability of its truncated version (SbGRBP1-119) which lacks glycine rich domain (GR). This protein has the ability to bind ssDNA Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we have revealed the secondary structure of SbGRBP1-119, highlighting the typical configuration of GRBPs with four beta-sheets and two alpha-helices. Notably, we found two additional alpha-helices at the N-terminal region that seem to interact with ssDNA, a novel observation for GRBPs. Key residues crucial for ssDNA binding were identified, suggesting a specific interaction with the oligonucleotide sequence 5'-TTCTGG-3'. Preliminary assays hinted that SbGRBP1-119 might bolster E. coli resilience to cold stress, indicating a potential chaperone-like role under stress conditions. This study sheds light on the structural basis of SbGRBP1-119's interaction with nucleic acids, deepening our understanding about the role of GRBPs' in RNA metabolism and regulation.
PMID: 39442831
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Dec , V282 (Pt 1) : P136584 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.136584
Structural feature of RrGGP2 promoter and functional analysis of RrNAC56 regulating RrGGP2 expression and ascorbate synthesis via stress-inducible cis-elements in Rosa roxburghii Tratt.
Guizhou Engineering Research Center for Fruit Crops, Agricultural College, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, People's Republic of China.; Guizhou Engineering Research Center for Fruit Crops, Agricultural College, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: hman@gzu.edu.cn.
Rosa roxburghii Tratt is a well-known horticultural crop that produces fruits with extremely high l-ascorbic acid (AsA) levels, and GDP-l-galactose phosphorylase2 (RrGGP2) encodes a major enzyme operating in AsA biosynthesis. This study aims to elucidate the transcriptional mechanism of RrGGP2 underlying AsA overproduction under abiotic stress. Herein, the sequence of RrGGP2 promoter (PRrGGP2) was isolated. The analysis of the PRrGGP2 detected an upstream open reading frame encoding a 64-amino acid peptide as well as a number of cis-acting elements responsive to environmental factors and hormones. Several truncated promoter fragments were constructed for dual-luciferase assays which revealed a critical promoter region (-1949 to -2089 bp) for PRrGGP2 activity. Overexpressing beta-glucuronidase (GUS) and RrGGP2 under the control of PRrGGP2 in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana increased the GUS activity and AsA content, respectively. Furthermore, the extent of the increases was significantly influenced by temperature and abscisic acid. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays indicated that RrNAC56 could activate PRrGGP2. Cold stress significantly increased the transcription of RrNAC56 and RrGGP2 in R. roxburghii fruits, which resulted in AsA accumulation. These findings offer a theoretical foundation for understanding the transcriptional regulation of RrGGP2, while also uncover a novel mechanism of RrNAC56-RrGGP2 module-mediated abiotic stress response via regulating AsA synthesis.
PMID: 39419162
Int J Biol Macromol , IF:6.953 , 2024 Dec , V290 : P138748 doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138748
The banana MaFLA27 confers cold tolerance partially through modulating cell wall remodeling.
College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; College of Horticulture, Xinyang Agriculture and Forestry University, Xinyang, China.; College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.; College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Electronic address: chxxu@scau.edu.cn.
Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins (FLAs) have been shown to improve plant tolerance to salt stress. However, their role in cold tolerance (CT) remains unclear. Here, we report that banana MaFLA27 positively regulates CT in Arabidopsis. MaFLA27-overexpression (OE) caused the upregulation of differentially expressed arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and genes involved in the biosynthesis of cellulose, lignin, and xylan, as well as the degradation of pectin and xyloglucan. Correspondingly, MaFLA27-OE plants exhibited increased cell wall thickness, enhanced cellulose lignin and starch granule content, elevated levels of partially homogalacturonans recognized by JIM5 and JIM7 antibodies, xyloglucan components recognized by CCRC-M39/104 and LM15 antibodies, LM14 antibody binding AGPs. In contrast, transgenic plants showed a decreased degree of pectin methyl-esterification and accumulated less reactive oxygen species after cold acclimation when compared to wild-type plants. A higher number of pectin methylesterases and cellulose and xylan biosynthesis genes were elevated after cold acclimation. Additionally, both Arabidopsis mutant cesa8 and cellulose inhibitor-treated plants displayed decreased freezing tolerance. Our data suggested that MaFLA27-OE in Arabidopsis may perceive and transmit low-temperature stress signals to the cellulose synthase complexes, activating cellulose synthesis and enhancing cold tolerance. These findings reveal a previously unreported cold-tolerance function of FLAs and highlight associated cell wall-mediated tolerance mechanisms.
PMID: 39708882
Hortic Res , IF:6.793 , 2024 Dec , V11 (12) : Puhae253 doi: 10.1093/hr/uhae253
TOR balances plant growth and cold tolerance by orchestrating amino acid-derived metabolism in tomato.
Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.; Joint Center for Single Cell Biology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is a central signaling hub that plays a crucial role in precisely orchestrating plant growth, development, and stress responses. This suggests that TOR is intricately involved in maintaining the balance between plant growth and stress responses. Nevertheless, despite the observed effects, the specific mechanisms through which TOR operates in these processes remain obscure. In this study, we investigated how the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) TOR (SlTOR) affects plant growth and cold responses. We demonstrated that SlTOR inhibition transcriptionally primes cold stress responses, consequently enhancing tomato cold tolerance. A widely targeted metabolomics analysis revealed the disruption of amino acid metabolism homeostasis under cold stress upon SlTOR inhibition, which led to the accumulation of two important cryoprotective metabolites: salicylic acid (SA) and putrescine (Put). Next, we discovered SlPGH1 (2-PHOSPHO-D-GLYCERATE HYDRO-LYASE 1) as a direct substrate of SlTOR. Inhibiting SlTOR led to increased SlCBF1 (C-REPEAT-BINDING FACTOR 1) expression via SlPGH1, potentially triggering the activation of cold-responsive genes and subsequent metabolic alterations. Our study provides a mechanistic framework that elucidates how SlTOR modulates amino acid-related metabolism to enhance tomato cold tolerance, which sheds light on the complex interplay between growth and stress responses orchestrated by TOR.
PMID: 39664689
Int J Mol Sci , IF:5.923 , 2024 Dec , V25 (23) doi: 10.3390/ijms252313031
The Identification and Characterization of WOX Family Genes in Coffea arabica Reveals Their Potential Roles in Somatic Embryogenesis and the Cold-Stress Response.
School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China.; Dehong Tropical Agriculture Research Institute, Dehong 678600, China.
WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) genes play significant roles in plant development and stress responses. Difficulties in somatic embryogenesis are a significant constraint on the uniform seedling production and genetic modification of Coffea arabica, hindering efforts to improve coffee production in Yunnan, China. This study comprehensively analyzed WOX genes in three Coffea species. A total of 23 CaWOXs, 12 CcWOXs, and 10 CeWOXs were identified. Transcriptomic profile analysis indicated that about half of the CaWOX genes were actively expressed during somatic embryogenesis. The most represented CaWOXs were CaWOX2a, CaWOX2b, CaWOX8a, and CaWOX8b, which are suggested to promote the induction and development of the embryogenic callus, whereas CaWOX13a and CaWOX13b are suggested to negatively impact these processes. Co-expression analysis revealed that somatic embryogenesis-related CaWOXs were co-expressed with genes involved in embryo development, post-embryonic development, DNA repair, DNA metabolism, phenylpropanoid metabolism, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and several epigenetic pathways. In addition, qRT-PCR showed that four WOX genes responded to cold stress. Overall, this study offers valuable insights into the functions of CaWOX genes during somatic embryogenesis and under cold stress. The results suggest that certain WOX genes play distinct regulatory roles during somatic embryogenesis, meriting further functional investigation. Moreover, the cold-responsive genes identified here are promising candidates for further molecular analysis to assess their potential to enhance cold tolerance.
PMID: 39684742
Front Plant Sci , IF:5.753 , 2024 , V15 : P1460914 doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1460914
Study on the changes of miRNAs and their target genes in regulating anthocyanin synthesis during purple discoloration of cauliflower curd under low temperature stress.
Department of Vegetables, College of Horticulture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.; State Key Laboratory of Vegetable Biobreeding, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China.; College of Life Sciences, Ganzhou Key Laboratory of Greenhouse Vegetable, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, China.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.
INTRODUCTION: Cauliflower is widely cultivated all over the world is attributed to its palatable flavor, high levels of anti-cancer compounds, and diverse array of nutrients. Exposure to extremely cold stress during production can result in a more frequent occurrence of purple discoloration in cauliflower curds. In response to cold stress, plants naturally produce anthocyanins to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated as a defense mechanism. METHODS: This research involved conducting mRNA sequencing analysis on cauliflower curds both before and after exposure to cold stress treatment. RESULTS: It was determined that the up-regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes CHS, CHI, DFR, ANS, UGFT, PAP1/2, and MYBL2 occurred significantly in response to cold stress, resulting in a significant increase in total anthocyanin content. Subsequently, miRNA sequencing was employed to identify miRNAs in cauliflower curds, followed by differential expression analysis. The results showed that Bna-miR289 and Ath-miR157a may play a key role in regulating the accumulation of anthocyanin in cauliflower curds. Furthermore, we utilized degradome sequencing data to predict the target genes of the identified miRNAs, resulting in the identification of BolK_3g48940.1, BolK_9g11680.1, BolK_7g41780.1, BolK_3g68050.1, and BolK_3g729700.1 as targets. Subsequently, the expression patterns of the miRNAs and their target genes were validated using qRT-PCR, the results showed that Ath-miR157a and its target genes BolK_3g68050.1 and BolK_3g72970.1 may be the key to the purple of cauliflower curds under cold stress. DISCUSSION: Our preliminary findings identified key miRNAs and their target genes that may be involved in regulating anthocyanin synthesis, thereby enhancing the cold tolerance of cauliflower through mRNA, miRNA, and degradome sequencing. Overall, our study sheds light on the activation of anthocyanin synthesis in flower curds under cold stress conditions as a mechanism to enhance resilience to adverse environmental conditions.
PMID: 39691485
Genomics , IF:5.736 , 2024 Dec , V117 (1) : P110978 doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110978
SlAN2 overexpression improves cold resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) by regulating glycolysis and ascorbic acid metabolism.
College of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.; College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China.; Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Biological Breeding, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China. Electronic address: qintengfeisam@163.com.; College of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China. Electronic address: 596088683@qq.com.; College of Life Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China. Electronic address: guoshangjing@qau.edu.cn.; College of Agriculture and Biology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China. Electronic address: wbj8258033@163.com.
Chilling stress seriously affects the growth and yield of tomato. Anthocyanin is a typical chilling-induced metabolite with strong antioxidant activity and photoprotective capacity. Here, we found that anthocyanin was also involved in ascorbic acid biosynthesis and glycolysis under chilling stress. SlAN2 is an important positive gene in anthocyanin biosynthesis. The results of physiological indicators showed that SlAN2 overexpression lines (A189) had a greater ability to tolerate cold stress than wild-type (WT) plants. Conjoint analysis of transcriptomics and metabonomics of A189 lines and WT plants was used to analyze the metabolic difference and the cold resistance mechanisms caused by anthocyanin under chilling stress. The anthocyanin accumulated more in A189 than that in WT under chilling stress at 4 degrees C for 24 h, which led to hexoses and ascorbic acid increased significantly. Results indicate that SlAN2 overexpression reduces the expression of key enzyme genes in glycolytic pathway such as phosphofructokinase (PFK) and pyruvate kinase (PK) genes, weakens glycolysis ability, and promotes accumulation of hexoses in A189 lines at 4 degrees C for 24 h compared with wild lines. Additionally, ascorbic acid content is increased by up-regulated the genes of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR). The increased hexose content can reduce cell osmotic potential, freezing point and synthesize more ascorbic acid, while the increased ascorbic acid content can enhance the ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species, so improves the cold resistance of tomato. The glycolysis and ascorbic acid metabolism pathway mediated by SlAN2 provides a new insight for the molecular mechanism of anthocyanins in improving the cold resistance of tomato and provides a new theoretical basis for cultivating new cold-tolerant tomato varieties.
PMID: 39674420
Microbiol Res , IF:5.415 , 2024 Dec , V289 : P127908 doi: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127908
The seed endophytic microbe Microbacterium testaceum M15 enhances the cold tolerance and growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.).
Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, TERRA - Teaching & Research Center, Plant Sciences, Gembloux 5030, Belgium; Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.; Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.; Rice Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gongzhuling, Jilin 136100, China.; Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.; Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China; Sanya Institute, Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya 572000, China.; Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, TERRA - Teaching & Research Center, Plant Sciences, Gembloux 5030, Belgium.; Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address: tianjian@caas.cn.
The potential of seed endophytic microbes to enhance plant growth and resilience is well recognized, yet their role in alleviating cold stress in rice remains underexplored due to the complexity of these microbial communities. In this study, we investigated the diversity of seed endophytic microbes in two rice varieties, the cold-sensitive CB9 and the cold-tolerant JG117. Our results revealed significant differences in the abundance of Microbacteriaceae, with JG117 exhibiting a higher abundance under both cold stress and room temperature conditions compared to CB9. Further analysis led to the identification of a specific cold-tolerant microbe, Microbacterium testaceum M15, in JG117 seeds. M15-inoculated CB9 plants showed enhanced growth and cold tolerance, with a germination rate increase from 40 % to 56.67 % at 14℃ and a survival rate under cold stress (4℃) doubling from 22.67 % to 66.67 %. Additionally, M15 significantly boosted chlorophyll content by over 30 %, increased total protein by 16.31 %, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels by 37.76 %, and increased catalase activity by 26.15 %. Overall, our study highlights the potential of beneficial endophytic microbes like M. testaceum M15 in improving cold tolerance in rice, which could have implications for sustainable agricultural practices and increased crop productivity in cold-prone regions.
PMID: 39321593
Plant Cell Physiol , IF:4.927 , 2024 Dec , V65 (11) : P1873-1887 doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcae111
Light-chilling Stress Causes Hyper-accumulation of Iron in Shoot, Exacerbating Leaf Oxidative Damage in Cucumber.
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawaoiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan.; Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585 Japan.
Iron availability within the root system of plants fluctuates depending on various soil factors, which directly impacts plant growth. Simultaneously, various environmental stressors, such as high/low temperatures and high light intensity, affect plant photosynthesis in the leaves. However, the combined effects of iron nutrient conditions and abiotic stresses have not yet been clarified. In this study, we analyzed how iron nutrition conditions impact the chilling-induced damage on cucumber leaves (Cucumis sativus L.). When cucumbers were grown under different iron conditions and then exposed to chilling stress, plants grown under a high iron condition exhibited more severe chilling-induced damage than the control plants. Conversely, plants grown under a low-iron condition showed an alleviation of the chilling-induced damages. These differences were observed in a light-dependent manner, indicating that iron intensified the toxicity of reactive oxygen species generated by photosynthetic electron transport. In fact, plants grown under the low-iron condition showed less accumulation of malondialdehyde derived from lipid peroxidation after chilling stress. Notably, the plants grown under the high iron condition displayed a significant accumulation of iron and an increase in lipid peroxidation in the shoot, specifically after light-chilling stress, but not after dark-chilling stress. This indicated that increased root-to-shoot iron translocation, driven by light and low temperature, exacerbated leaf oxidative damage during chilling stress. These findings also highlight the importance of managing iron nutrition in the face of chilling stress and will facilitate crop breeding and cultivation strategies.
PMID: 39330878
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2025 Jan , V350 : P112293 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112293
VvbZIP22 regulates quercetin synthesis to enhances cold resistance in grape.
College of Life Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.; College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.; College of Life Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China. Electronic address: liuxin6080@126.com.
Grapes are one of the important fruit crops widely cultivated in the world, with high nutritional and economic value. However, with the intensification of global warming, extreme low temperature has seriously affected the development of the grape industry. Quercetin is a highly antioxidant active substance that can enhance the tolerance of plants to external environmental stress, but its function and mechanism in response to low-temperature stress in grapes are still unclear. Here, we found that grapes accumulate more quercetin under low-temperature stress, and exogenous quercetin can significantly improve the cold resistance of grapes. The key quercetin synthesis gene VvFLS1 (flavanol synthase 1) is up-regulated after low-temperature treatment, and overexpression of VvFLS1 increases quercetin content and enhances the cold resistance of grape. Yeast one-hybrid and dual luciferase reporter systems demonstrate that VvbZIP22 (basic-leucine zipper 22) directly binds to the VvFLS1 promoter, and VvbZIP22 has cold-induced expression characteristics. Overexpression of VvbZIP22 significantly improves the cold resistance of grape. The above results indicate that quercetin plays an important role in the response of grapes to low-temperature stress. Under low temperature, VvbZIP22 can mediate quercetin synthesis through regulating VvFLS1, alleviate oxidative damage, and improve the cold resistance of grapes.
PMID: 39414149
Plant Sci , IF:4.729 , 2024 Dec , V349 : P112260 doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112260
Lack of Arabidopsis chloroplastic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (G6PD1) affects lipid synthesis during cold stress response.
Università di Napoli ''Federico II'', Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Cinthia, Napoli I-80126, Italy.; Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), CNR, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli, Napoli 80078, Italy.; Università di Napoli ''Federico II'', Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Cinthia, Napoli I-80126, Italy; Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), CNR, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli, Napoli 80078, Italy.; Università di Napoli ''Federico II'', Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Cinthia, Napoli I-80126, Italy. Electronic address: sergio.esposito@unina.it.
Cold stress represents one of the major constraints for agricultural systems and crops productivity, inducing a wide range of negative effects. Particularly, long-term cold stress affects lipid metabolism, modifying the lipids/proteins ratio, the levels of phospholipids and glycolipids, and increasing lipids' unsaturation in bio-membranes. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) reported prominent roles as NADPH suppliers in response to oxidative perturbations. Cytosolic G6PDH was suggested as the main isoform involved in cold stress response, while a down-regulation of the chloroplastic P1-G6PDH was observed. We thus investigated an Arabidopsis mutant defective for the P1-G6PDH (KO-P1) using integrated approaches to verify a possible role of this isoform in low temperature tolerance. KO-P1 genotype showed an improved tolerance to cold stress, highlighting a better photosynthetic efficiency, a reduction in stress markers content and a different regulation of genes involved in stress response. Intriguingly, the lack of P1-G6PDH induced modification in the levels of the main fatty acid and lipid species affecting the morphology of chloroplasts and mitochondria, which was restored under cold. Globally, these results indicate a priming effect induced by the absence of P1-G6PDH able to improve the tolerance to abiotic stress. Our results suggest novel and specific abilities of P1-G6PDH, highlighting its central role in different aspects of plant physiology and metabolism.
PMID: 39277046
Sci Rep , IF:4.379 , 2024 Dec , V14 (1) : P31213 doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82551-z
Dynamic transcriptomics unveils parallel transcriptional regulation in artemisinin and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways under cold stress in Artemisia annua.
National & Local United Engineering Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Medicine Breeding and Cultivation, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China.; Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yanbian, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China.; National & Local United Engineering Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Medicine Breeding and Cultivation, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. jianyou@jlu.edu.cn.; National & Local United Engineering Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Medicine Breeding and Cultivation, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. Cbs1981@163.com.; National & Local United Engineering Laboratory for Chinese Herbal Medicine Breeding and Cultivation, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. chenxiajlu@163.com.
Cold stress, a major abiotic factor, positively modulates the synthesis of artemisinin in Artemisia annua and influences the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites. To elucidate the changes in the synthesis of secondary metabolites under low-temperature conditions, we conducted dynamic transcriptomic and metabolite quantification analyses of A. annua leaves. The accumulation of total organic carbon (TOC) in leaves under cold stress provided ample precursors for secondary metabolite synthesis. Short-term exposure to low temperature induced a transient increase in jasmonic acid synthesis, which positively regulates the artemisinin biosynthetic pathway, contributing to artemisinin accumulation. Additionally, transcripts of genes encoding key enzymes and transcription factors in both the phenylpropanoid and artemisinin biosynthetic pathways, including PAL, C4H, ADS, and DBR2, exhibited similar expression patterns, suggesting a coordinated effect between these pathways. Prolonged exposure to low temperature sustained high levels of phenylpropanoid synthesis, leading to significant increases in lignin, flavonoids, and anthocyanin. Conversely, the final stage of the artemisinin biosynthetic pathway is inhibited under these conditions, resulting in elevated levels of dihydroartemisinic acid and artemisinic acid. Collectively, our study provides insights into the parallel transcriptional regulation of artemisinin and phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathways in A. annua under cold stress.
PMID: 39732992
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V219 : P109459 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109459
Integrated comparative physiological and transcriptomic analyses of Elymus sibiricus L. reveal the similarities and differences in the molecular mechanisms in response to drought and cold stress.
College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China; School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, China; Sichuan Academy of Grassland Science, Chengdu, 610097, China.; Sichuan Provincial Work Station of Grassland, Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Forestry and Grassland, Chengdu, 610081, China.; Sichuan Academy of Grassland Science, Chengdu, 610097, China.; School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, China.; College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.; School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, China. Electronic address: baishiqie@126.com.; College of Grassland Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China. Electronic address: pengyanlee@163.com.
Drought and cold crucially affect plant growth and distribution. Plants have evolved complex molecular mechanisms to adapt to such adverse environmental conditions. This study examines two Elymus sibiricus (Es) germplasms differing in resilience to these stresses. Analyzing physiological responses and gene expression changes under drought and cold, it reveals the similarities and differences in their molecular mechanisms that underlie these responses. The results indicate that both drought stress and cold stress severely damage the integrity of the cell membrane in Es. Notably, under cold stress, the accumulation of osmotic regulation substances in Es is more significant, which may be related to the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism (CM)-related genes in cold environments. Furthermore, the response to oxidative stress triggered by cold stress in Es is partially inhibited. The enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs responsive to drought stress in Es were mainly related to the pathway of photosynthesis, whereas the DEGs responsive to cold stress were more associated with the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum (PPER), highlighting distinct molecular responses. In addition, we discovered that the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling transduction plays a dominant role in mediating the drought resistance mechanism of Es. We have identified 86 key candidate genes related to photosynthesis, Phst, CM, and PPER, including 5 genes that can respond to both drought and cold stress. This study provides a foundation for the molecular mechanisms underlying cold and drought resistance in Es, with insight into its future genetic improvement for stress resistance.
PMID: 39736257
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V219 : P109454 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109454
Enhancement of cold tolerance in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) by glycine betaine accumulation through CsBADH overexpression.
College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China.; State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.; College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266109, China. Electronic address: zhaolei_tea@163.com.
Cold stress significantly limits the growth and yield of tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze), particularly in northern China, may lead to huge economic losses. Glycine betaine (GB), an osmotic regulator, is widely applied in crop resistance to abiotic stress. This study investigates the role of GB and its biosynthetic enzyme CsBADH in enhancing cold tolerance in tea plants. Two cultivars, 'Shuchazao' (cold-resistant) and 'Baiye 1' (cold-sensitive), were subjected to low temperature stress (0 degrees C). GB accumulation was measured, revealing that 'Shuchazao' exhibited 1.4-fold higher GB levels than 'Baiye 1', suggesting a link between higher GB accumulation and cold tolerance. Exogenous GB treatment improved cold resistance, especially in the cold-sensitive cultivar 'Baiye 1'. The CsBADH gene, a key enzyme in GB biosynthesis, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, confirming its activity. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana tabacum, and C. sinensis plants overexpressing CsBADH showed increased GB levels (1.5- to 2.4-fold), proline content, peroxidase (POD) activities, and enhanced cold tolerance, while silencing CsBADH decreased GB accumulation and cold resistance. These findings demonstrate that CsBADH plays a critical role in cold stress response by promoting GB accumulation, offering potential strategies for improving the resilience of tea and other leaf crops to cold stress.
PMID: 39731981
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V219 : P109431 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109431
High-throughput identification of Prunus mume freezing-tolerance genes based on yeast screening system and functional verification of PmRCI2-3 in Arabidopsis.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, 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.; Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation & Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, 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. Electronic address: zhengtangchun@bjfu.edu.cn.
Prunus mume tops the ten most famous flowers of China with high ornamental value, and low temperature is the main factor limiting its northward migration. Cold resistance improvement is one of the important breeding directions of Rosaceae ornamental plants, especially the Prunus mume. Here, 29 genes from P. mume were screened by yeast screening system under -20 degrees C for 96 h. Based on GO and KEGG analysis, rare cold-inducible 2 family gene member PmRCI2-3 was first cloned for functional verification. Subcellular localization results showed the PmRCI2-3 was located in the membrane structure, and GUS staining showed that the activity of the PmRCI2-3 promoter was spatiotemporally specific. Overexpression PmRCI2-3 in Arabidopsis thaliana can reduce plant damage at low temperatures. The expression levels of endogenous genes (AtCBF1, AtCBF2, AtCBF3, AtCOR15A, and AtRD29A) related to cold response were all up-regulated, except AtKIN was down-regulated. These results lay the foundation for further providing key candidate genes for cold resistance breeding of P. mume and other Prunus species.
PMID: 39721189
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V219 : P109413 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109413
Genome-wide identification, classification, and expression profiling of the aldehyde dehydrogenase gene family in pepper.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh.; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh. Electronic address: aghosh-bmb@sust.edu.
Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the most significant vegetable crops worldwide which is known for its pungency and nutritional value. The aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily encompasses enzymes critical for the detoxification of toxic aldehydes into non-toxic carboxylic acids. A comprehensive genome-wide approach in pepper identified a total of 27 putative ALDH genes grouped into ten families based on the criteria of the ALDH gene nomenclature committee. Both segmental and tandem duplication assisted in the enhancement of CaALDH gene family members. The identified CaALDH members were found to be more closely related to the dicot plants, however, the members were distributed across the phylogenetic tree suggesting the pre-eudicot-monocot separation of the ALDH superfamily members. The gene structure and protein domain were found to be mostly conserved in separate phylogenetic classes, indicating that each family played an important role in evolution. Expression analysis revealed that CaALDHs were expressed in various tissues, developmental stages, and in response to abiotic stresses, indicating that they can play roles in plant growth, development, and stress adaptation. Interestingly, the majority of the CaALDH genes were found to be highly responsive to salinity stress, and only the CaALDH11A1 transcript showed upregulation in cold stress conditions. The presence of cis-acting elements in the promoter region of these genes might have a significant role in abiotic stress tolerance. Overall, these findings add to the current understanding, evolutionary history, and contribution of CaALDHs in stress tolerance, and smooth the path of further functional validation of these genes.
PMID: 39705863
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V219 : P109398 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109398
BcWRKY53 promotes chlorophyll biosynthesis and cold tolerance of non-heading Chinese cabbage under cold stress.
National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Institute of Economic Crops, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, 050051, China. Electronic address: 2019204020@njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Nanjing Suman Plasma Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd., Nanjing, 211162, China. Electronic address: 2021204025@stu.njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. Electronic address: 2018204024@njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. Electronic address: 2019204024@njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Nanjing Suman Plasma Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd., Nanjing, 211162, China. Electronic address: 2022104060@stu.njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. Electronic address: 2022104057@stu.njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. Electronic address: 2022104062@stu.njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. Electronic address: 2022104074@stu.njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. Electronic address: changweizh@njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China. Electronic address: yingli@njau.edu.cn.; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Innovation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops (East China), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Engineering Research Center of Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China; Nanjing Suman Plasma Engineering Research Institute Co., Ltd., Nanjing, 211162, China. Electronic address: hxl@njau.edu.cn.
WRKY transcription factors are widely involved in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, including cold stress. However, they have not been well studied in the regulation of chlorophyll synthesis and cold tolerance. So it is meaningful to analyze the mechanism under cold stress in non-heading Chinese cabbage. Here, BcWRKY53, a transcriptional activator WRKY-III gene, was identified by a screen upstream of the key chlorophyll synthesis genes BcCHLH and BcGUN4. BcWRKY53 was localized in the cell nucleus and induced to a significant extent by cold treatment. Ectopic expression of BcWRKY53 in Arabidopsis not only increased the chlorophyll content under cold stress, but also improved the cold tolerance. After silencing of BcWRKY53, there was a decrease in chlorophyll content and an increase in cold sensitivity. BcWRKY53 could inhibit self-expression by binding W-boxes in its own promoter. In addition, histone deacetylase 9 (BcHDA9) interacted with BcWRKY53 to inhibit BcWRKY53-mediated transcriptional activation. When ectopically overexpressed, BcHDA9 negatively regulates chlorophyll content and cold tolerance under cold treatment. Taken together, this study demonstrated that the cold-inducible transcription factor BcWRKY53 positively regulates BcCHLH and BcGUN4 under the regulation of self-regulation and BcHDA9 interactions. In this way, BcWRKY53 is actively involved in chlorophyll synthesis and the establishment of cold tolerance, which providing practical theoretical support in molecular characterization of cold tolerance and variety selection of non-heading Chinese cabbage.
PMID: 39673938
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V219 : P109397 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109397
Ethylene negatively regulates cold tolerance through HbEIN3-HbICE2 regulatory module in Hevea brasiliensis.
National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Sanya, 572025, China; Key Laboratory of Banana Genetic Improvement of Hainan Province , Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.; National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Sanya, 572025, China.; National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Sanya, 572025, China. Electronic address: yuanhongmei@hainanu.edu.cn.
Cold stress can result in reduced growth rates, decreased latex production, and restricted areas for the Para rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). However, the molecular mechanisms governing the response of Hevea brasiliensis to cold stress remain elusive. Here, we found that ethylene plays a negative role in Hevea brasiliensis responses to cold stress. Treatment with the ethylene synthesis precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) decreased the cold tolerance of Hevea brasiliensis, while exogenous treatment with Ag(+) (an ethylene signal inhibitor) had the opposite effect. Additionally, overexpressing HbEIN3 decreased cold stress tolerance in Arabidopsis and Taraxacum koksaghyz plants. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that HbEIN3-1 and HbEIN3-2 repress the expression of the cold-responsive genes HbCBF1-3 in Hevea brasiliensis. Moreover, HbEIN3-1 and HbEIN3-2 directly bind to the HbCBF1 promoter to suppress its transcription. Further investigation revealed that HbEIN3s interact with and dampen the transcriptional activity of HbICE2, a crucial transcription factor that positively regulates the cold signaling pathway, thereby attenuating the expression of HbICE2-targeted genes. Collectively, these findings indicate that HbEIN3s play a crucial role in ethylene-regulated cold tolerance through the repression of HbCBF1 expression and HbICE2 transcriptional activity.
PMID: 39671782
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2025 Jan , V218 : P109320 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109320
Gene expression modules during the emergence stage of upland cotton under low-temperature stress and identification of the GhSPX9 cold-tolerance gene.
State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, China.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, China. Electronic address: wxx1991@126.com.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, China. Electronic address: maxf_caas@163.com.
Cotton originates from tropical and subtropical regions, and low temperatures are one of the main stress factors restricting its growth, particularly during the seedling stage. However, the mechanism of cold resistance is complex, and the research on gene expression modules under low temperatures during the seedling emergence stage of cotton remains unexplored, and identified vital cold-tolerant genes remain scarce. Here, we revealed the dynamic changes of differentially expressed genes during seed germination under cold stress through transcriptome analysis, with 5140 genes stably differentiating across more than five time points, among which 2826 genes are up-regulated, and 2314 genes are down-regulated. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of transcriptome profiles revealed three major cold-responsive modules and identified 98 essential node genes potentially involved in cold response. Genome-wide association analysis further confirmed that the hub gene GhSPX9 is crucial for cold tolerance. Virus-induced gene silencing in cotton demonstrated that GhSPX9 is a positive regulator of cold tolerance in cotton, with interference in its expression significantly enhancing sensitivity to cold stress in germination and seedlings. These results can be applied to identify cold tolerance loci and genes in cotton, promoting research into cold tolerance mechanisms.
PMID: 39579718
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V217 : P109297 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109297
Integrating physiological and transcriptomic analyses explored the regulatory mechanism of cold tolerance at seedling emergence stage in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).
Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China.; Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China. Electronic address: chypang@163.com.; State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China. Electronic address: shenqian429@126.com.
Cold stress is one of the major abiotic stressor that profoundly impacts plant growth. Cotton, a widely cultivated variety, is particularly susceptible to cold stress. Unraveling the responses to cold stress is critical for cotton demand. In this investigation, we conducted comparative physiological and transcriptomic analyses of the cold-tolerant variety XLZ16 and cold-sensitive variety XLZ84 at seedling emergence stage under cold stress. Following exposure to cold stress, XLZ16 exhibited a markedly higher growth phenotype and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, while simultaneously showing reduced cellular oxidative damage and apoptosis. Furthermore, the levels of auxin (IAA), cytokinin (CTK), and salicylic acid (SA) significantly increased during cold stress, whereas the contents of catendorsterol (TY), brassinosterone (CS), and jasmonic acid (JA) significantly decreased. Integrated with stoichiometric analysis, these findings definitively demonstrated significant differences in antioxidant capacity and hormone content between the two varieties during their response to cold stress. A total of 6207 potential cold-responsive differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through transcriptome sequencing analysis. Enrichment analyses of these DEGs revealed that pathways related to "hormones biosynthesis and signaling" as well as "circadian rhythm" were associated with cold response. Notably, the hub gene Gh_D12G2567 (GhJAZ3), encoding jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins, was found to influence the JA signal transduction pathway and regulate cotton growth under cold stress within the MEred module network. Furthermore, suppressing the expression level of GhJAZ3 by virus-induced gene silencing led to the reduction of cold resistance, implying GhJAZ3 as a positive regulator of cold tolerance. This study provides valuable insights into the response mechanisms of cotton under cold stress. It also serves as a reference and foundation for further enhancing cold tolerance of new cotton varieties.
PMID: 39561684
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V217 : P109215 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109215
Genome-wide identification of the Dof gene family: How it plays a part in mediating cold stress response in Prunus mume.
State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, 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, School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.; State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, 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, School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China. Electronic address: sunlidan@bjfu.edu.cn.
DNA binding with a finger transcription factor (Dof) takes part in several plant physiological activities such as seed germination, flowering time, cold and drought resistance. Although the function, molecular phylogeny and expression pattern of Dof genes in Prunus mume was not clear yet. Here, the gene structure, motif, chromosome location and phylogenetic relationship of the Dof gene family in Prunus species was explored. We identified 24 members of the Dof gene family from P. mume, which were divided into 3 different subgroups. All these PmDof genes can be mapped to the pseudochromosome. Only one pair of tandem duplication genes are located in Chr3, whereas 8 pairs of segmentally duplicated PmDof genes located in Chr1, Chr2, Chr4, Chr5, and Chr7. Motif and gene structure analysis showed that each group had a similar conservative motif and similar exon/intron composition. Cis-acting elements analysis indicate that PmDofs may be involved in regulating abiotic stress response. Gene expression patterns showed that most PmDofs genes were specifically expressed in different tissues and at different stages. We next found that PmDofs genes display an obvious expression preference or specificity in cold stress response according to qRT-PCR analysis. We further observe a great cold resistance in PmDof10/11/20 OE lines, they showed lower electrolyte leakage rate, MDA content and higher soluble sugar/protein, POD/SOD/proline content than WT after -5 degrees C 6h freezing treatment. This research offers fresh perspectives on the development of PmDofs, enhancing our comprehension of the structure and role of plant Dof gene families.
PMID: 39515001
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V217 : P109214 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109214
Exogenous glucose irrigation alleviates cold stress by regulating soluble sugars, ABA and photosynthesis in melon seedlings.
College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, Henan, China; College of Horticulture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China; Henan Research Center of Protected Horticulture Engineering Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China.; College of Horticulture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China; Henan Research Center of Protected Horticulture Engineering Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China.; College of Horticulture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China; Henan Research Center of Protected Horticulture Engineering Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China. Electronic address: xhj234@126.com.; College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, Henan, China. Electronic address: fudeshang@henu.edu.cn.
Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is an important economic crop and widely planted around the world. Cold stress severely limits its development and yield. Carbohydrates play multiple roles in plant cold tolerance. However, little is known in melon. Based on the metabolome analysis, a total of 635 metabolites were identified upon cold stress in melon seedlings. KEGG analysis shows that differential metabolites were mainly enriched in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway and pentose phosphate pathway, with glucose being one of the most prominent metabolites. To further investigate the role of glucose in cold tolerance of melon seedlings. We found that root irrigation was more effective than foliar spraying for exogenous glucose application, with optimal concentrations of 0.5% and 1% for cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive genotypes, respectively. Glucose irrigation mainly promoted soluble sugar accumulation to reduce cold damage in melon seedlings. For cold-sensitive genotype, only the sucrose content could be increased, while for cold-tolerant genotype, sucrose, fructose and glucose content could be simultaneously increased. Meanwhile, glucose irrigation recruited ABA not antioxidant enzyme system to cope with cold stress. Hence, glucose watering could improve the maximum photochemical efficiency of seedling photosystem II (Fv/Fm), alleviate physiological drought, reduce the accumulation of malondialdehyde, and accelerated the photosynthetic efficiency of melon seedlings. Based on coefficient of variation and principal component analysis, it was confirmed again that glucose irrigation did alter the strategies for withstanding cold stress and enhance the cold tolerance of melon seedlings. Thus, the results would provide a theoretical basis and feasible measures to protect melon seedings from cold damage.
PMID: 39454537
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V217 : P109222 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109222
Functional characterization of CaSOC1 at low temperatures and its role in low-temperature escape.
College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.; College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China. Electronic address: lihuanxiu@sicau.edu.cn.
Environmental factors such as light and temperature tightly regulate plant flowering time. Under stressful conditions, plants inhibit vegetative growth and accelerate flowering as an emergency response. This adaptive mechanism benefits the survival of species and enhances their reproductive success. This phenomenon is often referred to as stress escape. However, the signaling pathways between low-temperature signals and flowering time are poorly understood. In this study, the MIKC transcription factor, CaSOC1, was isolated from pepper (Capsicum annuum), which showed suppressed expression under low-temperature conditions. Silencing the expression of CaSOC1 in pepper plants resulted in reduced photosynthetic capacity, inhibited vegetative growth, and increased sensitivity to low temperatures. In contrast, overexpression of CaSOC1 increased the biomass of tomato plants under normal growth conditions but suppressed their antioxidant enzyme activity at low temperatures, which negatively regulated their cold tolerance. Furthermore, intermittent low-temperature treatment with CaSOC1 overexpression promoted early flowering in tomato plants. Our findings demonstrate that CaSOC1 reduced the cold tolerance of pepper plants under short term low-temperature conditions, whereas intermittent low-temperature treatment enhanced flower bud differentiation, enabling stress escape and adaptation to long low-temperature environments.
PMID: 39437668
Plant Physiol Biochem , IF:4.27 , 2024 Dec , V219 : P109423 doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.109423
BnaHSFA2, a heat shock transcription factor interacting with HSP70 and MPK11, enhances freezing tolerance in transgenic rapeseed.
State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China.; State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China. Electronic address: lzgworking@163.com.
Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) play important roles in plant developmental regulations and various abiotic stress responses. However, their evolutionary mechanism of freezing tolerance remains poorly understood. In our previous transcriptomics study based on DNA methylation sequencing, the BnaHsfA2 was found to be significantly accumulated in winter rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.) under freezing stress, and the expression levels of BnaHsfA2 showed a gradual increasing trend over three years. In this study, BnaHsfA2 was isolated and characterized. Its' encoding protein has a relatively high phylogenetic relationship with the AtHsfA2; Subcellular localization results indicated that BnaHsfA2 was a nuclear protein; BnaHsfA2 exhibited higher expression levels in mature seed coats and seeds, seedling leaves, flowering filaments as well as anthers. The transcription level of BnaHsfA2 in leaves of rapeseed seedling was significantly increased at -4 degrees C stress for 12h and 24h. BnaHsfA2 promoter has many stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements. beta-glucuronidase (GUS) staining assays indicated that the BnaHsfA2 promoter was induced under freezing stress, and it's 5'-deletion fragment from 465 to 1284 was essential for the transcriptional expression in response to freezing stress. The BnaHsfA2-transgenic rapeseed lines showed greater freezing resistance in comparison with the wild type (WT); the BnaHsfA2 overexpression lines showed increased antioxidant enzyme activities, decreased level of lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation compared to the WT. Finally, yeast two-hybrid assay demonstrated that BnaHsfA2 interacted with rapeseed mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (BnaMPK11) and heat shock factor-binding protein (BnaHsp70). The study will pave the way for further understanding the regulatory networks of BnaHsfA2 in plants under abiotic stress.
PMID: 39719774
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2024 Dec , V24 (1) : P1241 doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05993-7
Genome-wide identification and characterization of Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase (CDPK) gene family in autotetraploid cultivated alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa) and expression analysis under abiotic stresses.
State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China.; National Center of Pratacultural Technology Innovation (Under Preparation), Hohhot, 010070, China.; State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China. lzp@lzu.edu.cn.; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, People's Republic of China. yanlf@lzu.edu.cn.
BACKGROUND: Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), play multiple roles in plant development, growth and response to bio- or abiotic stresses. Calmodulin-like domains typically contain four EF-hand motifs for Ca(2)(+) binding. The CDPK gene family can be divided into four subgroups in Arabidopsis, and it has been identified in many plants, such as rice, tomato, but has not been investigated in alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa) yet. RESULTS: In our study, 38 non-redundant MsCDPK genes were identified from the "XinJiangDaYe" alfalfa genome. They can be divided into four subgroups which is the same as in Arabidopsis and Medicago truncatula, and there were 15, 12,10 and 1 in CDPK I, II, III and IV, respectively. RNA-seq analysis revealed tissue-specificity of 38 MsCDPK genes. After researching the transcriptome data, we found these 38 MsCDPK members responsive to drought, salt, and cold stress treatments. Further analysis showed that the expression of almost all the MsCDPKs is regulated by abiotic stresses. In addition, we chose MsCDPK03, MsCDPK26, MsCDPK31 and MsCDPK36 for RT-qPCR validation which was from CDPK I-IV subgroups respectively. The result showed that the expression of these four genes was significantly induced by drought, salt and cold treatments. The subcellular location experiment showed that these four proteins were all located in nucleus. CONCLUSION: In our study, we identified 38 distinct MsCDPK genes within the alfalfa genome, which were classified into four groups. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of various gene features, including physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, exon-intron structures, conserved motifs, chromosomal locations, gene duplication events, cis-regulatory elements, 3D structures, and tissue-specific expression patterns, as well as responses to drought, salt, and cold stresses. These results also provide a solid foundation for further investigations into the functions of MsCDPKs aimed at improving drought tolerance in autotetraploid cultivated alfalfa through genetic engineering.
PMID: 39716096
BMC Plant Biol , IF:4.215 , 2024 Dec , V24 (1) : P1204 doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05913-9
The GRAS gene family and its roles in pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) developmental regulation and cold tolerance.
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.; Horticulture Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning Investigation Station of South Subtropical Fruit Trees, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanning, 530004, China.; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China. liuruoyu13@mails.ucas.ac.cn.; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China. yuanqin@fafu.edu.cn.; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Haixia Applied Plant Systems Biology, Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China. zhengping13@mails.ucas.ac.cn.
BACKGROUND: Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) is a major tropical fruit crop with considerable economic importance, and its growth and development are significantly impacted by low temperatures. The plant-specific GRAS gene family plays crucial roles in diverse processes, including flower and fruit development, as well as in stress responses. However, the role of the GRAS family in pineapple has not yet been systematically analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, 43 AcGRAS genes were identified in the pineapple genome; these genes were distributed unevenly across 19 chromosomes and 6 scaffolds and were designated as AcGRAS01 to AcGRAS43 based on their chromosomal locations. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into 14 subfamilies: OS19, HAM-1, HAM-2, SCL4/7, LISCL, SHR, PAT1, DLT, LAS, SCR, SCL3, OS43, OS4, and DELLA. Gene structure analysis revealed that 60.5% of the AcGRAS genes lacked introns. Expression profiling demonstrated tissue-specific expression, with most AcGRAS genes predominantly expressed in specific floral organs, fruit tissues, or during particular developmental stages, suggesting functional diversity in pineapple development. Furthermore, the majority of AcGRAS genes were induced by cold stress, but different members seemed to play distinct roles in short-term or long-term cold adaptation in pineapple. Notably, most members of the PAT1 subfamily were preferentially expressed during late petal development and were upregulated under cold stress, suggesting their special roles in petal development and the cold response. In contrast, no consistent expression patterns were observed among genes in other subfamilies, suggesting that various regulatory factors, such as miRNAs, transcription factors, and cis-regulatory elements, may contribute to the diverse functions of AcGRAS members, even within the same subfamily. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of GRAS genes in pineapple, offers valuable insights for further functional investigations of AcGRASs and provides clues for improving pineapple cold resistance breeding.
PMID: 39701971
Tree Physiol , IF:4.196 , 2024 Dec , V44 (12) doi: 10.1093/treephys/tpae149
CsCBF2 contributes to cold repression of chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis in albino Camellia sinensis cv. Baiye 1.
Anhui Agricultural Universtiy, No. 130 of Changjiang West Road, Hefei, 230036, Anhui, China.; Summit Angeltea Company, Dipu Town, Anji, 313300, Zhejiang, China.
C-repeat binding factors (CsCBFs) play a pivotal role in regulating cold response in higher plants. Camellia sinensis cv. Baiye 1, a representative albino tea cultivar, has been identified as temperature-sensitive based on long-term observations by tea farmers. However, it remains unclear whether CsCBFs are involved in temperature-mediated albinism and seasonal greening in 'Baiye 1', and the mechanisms by which CBFs regulate cold responses in albino leaves are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that CsCBF2 suppresses the seasonal greening of albino leaves by inhibiting chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis under cold stress. In tea plantations, the accumulation of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the albino shoots of 'Baiye 1' is closely correlated with the effective accumulated temperature during its seasonal greening process. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis revealed negative associations between CsCBF expression and chlorophylls, carotenoids, as well as their biosynthetic genes REVEILLE 1 (CsRVE1) and Zeaxanthin epoxidase 1 (CsZEP1) under temperature fluctuations during seasonal greening. Cold-induced upregulation of CsCBF2 expression and decreased chlorophyll and carotenoids under controlled climate conditions. Transient suppression of CsCBF2 by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides elevated expressions of target genes and increased chlorophylls and carotenoids. CBF-binding cis-elements were identified in CsRVE1, Protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase A (CsPORA) and CsZEP1 promoters. Luciferase assays suggested CsCBF2 binding to the CRT/DRE cis-elements and repressing expression of CsRVE1, CsPORA and CsZEP1. These findings highlight CsCBF2 as a key transcriptional repressor involved in the seasonal greening of albino 'Baiye 1' under cold stress by modulating cold responses and inhibiting genes associated with chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis.
PMID: 39566078
Planta , IF:4.116 , 2024 Dec , V261 (1) : P14 doi: 10.1007/s00425-024-04593-x
Characterization of ZAT12 protein from Prunus persica: role in fruit chilling injury tolerance and identification of gene targets.
Centro de Estudios Fotosinteticos y Bioquimicos (CEFOBI), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmaceuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531 (2000), Rosario, Argentina. gismondi468@gmail.com.; Centro de Estudios Fotosinteticos y Bioquimicos (CEFOBI), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmaceuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531 (2000), Rosario, Argentina.; Estacion Experimental San Pedro, Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Ruta Nacional No 9 Km 170, San Pedro, Argentina.; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Centro de Estudios Fotosinteticos y Bioquimicos (CEFOBI), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmaceuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531 (2000), Rosario, Argentina. bustamante@cefobi-conicet.gov.ar.; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. bustamante@cefobi-conicet.gov.ar.
PpZAT12, a transcription factor differentially expressed in peach varieties with distinct susceptibility tochilling injury (CI), is a potential candidate gene for CI tolerance by regulating several identified gene targets. ZAT (zinc finger of Arabidopsis thaliana) proteins play roles in multiple abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis and other species; however, there are few reports on these transcription factors (TFs) in fruit crops. This study aimed to evaluate PpZAT12, a C2H2 TF up-regulated in peach fruit by a heat treatment applied before postharvest cold storage for reducing chilling injury (CI) symptoms. Here, the expression of PpZAT12 in different tissues and fruits subjected to either postharvest heat or cold treatments, was evaluated in peach varieties with differential susceptibility to develop CI. PpZAT12 increased by cold storage in CI-resistant cultivars ('Elegant Lady' and 'Rojo 2'), while it was not modified in a cultivar susceptible to develop CI ('Flordaking'). Besides, we expressed PpZAT12 in Arabidopsis (35S::PpZAT12) and found that these plants show impaired plant growth and development, rendering small plants with senescence delay and aborted seeds. We applied a proteomic approach to decipher the peptides responding to PpZAT12 in Arabidopsis and found 348 differential expressed proteins (DEPs) relative to the wild type. Besides, comparing the DEPs between Arabidopsis plants expressing PpZAT12 or AtZAT12 (35S::AtZAT12) we found common and specific responses to these TFs. Based on the proteomic information obtained here and published data about AtZAT12, we searched ZAT12-targets in peach allowing the identification of a putative ZAT12 regulon in this species. The identified peach ZAT12-protein targets could underlie the differential susceptibility to CI among different peach varieties and can be used as future targets to improve adaptation to refrigeration in fleshy fruits.
PMID: 39672956
Biochimie , IF:4.079 , 2024 Dec doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.12.008
50 years since the concept of homeoviscous adaptation.
K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya street 35, 127276, Moscow, Russia. Electronic address: losda@ippras.ru.; K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya street 35, 127276, Moscow, Russia.
This mini review focuses on the phenomenon of homeoviscous adaptation (HVA). The concept, which dominated for decades, had a significant impact on membrane and lipid research. It includes the functional characterization of biological membranes and their domains, the role of lipids and fatty acids in cell metabolic control, and the characterization of fatty acid desaturases and their roles in membrane properties modulation. This hypothesis led to the discovery of a feed-back manner of desaturase expression and membrane-associated temperature sensors in bacteria.
PMID: 39706250
Plant Mol Biol , IF:4.076 , 2024 Dec , V115 (1) : P12 doi: 10.1007/s11103-024-01535-9
Hydrogen sulfide in plant cold stress: functions, mechanisms, and challenge.
College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.; College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China. licx@gxu.edu.cn.
Cold stress is an environmental factor that seriously restricts the growth, production and survival of plants, and has received extensive attention in recent years. Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is an ubiquitous gas signaling molecule, and its role in alleviating plant cold stress has become a research focus in recent years. This paper reviews for the first time the significant effect of H(2)S on improving plant cold resistance, which makes up for the gaps in the existing literature. In general, H(2)S improves plant tolerance to cold stress by activating antioxidant reaction and promoting the accumulation of metabolic substances such as chlorophyll, flavonoids, proline, sucrose and total soluble sugar in plants. Interestingly, H(2)S also interacts with nitric oxide (NO), auxin, jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and ethylene (ETH) to alleviate cold stress. More importantly, in the process of alleviating cold stress with H(2)S, gene expression related to H(2)S synthesis, cold response and antioxidant is up-regulated or down-regulated, leading to the improvement of plant cold resistance. This paper also points out the problems existing in the current research and the potential of H(2)S in agricultural practice, and provides relevant theoretical references for future research in this field.
PMID: 39718661
Plants (Basel) , IF:3.935 , 2024 Dec , V13 (23) doi: 10.3390/plants13233392
Genome-Wide Identification of the GPAT Family in Medicago sativa L. and Expression Profiling Under Abiotic Stress.
College of Eco-Environmental Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China.; Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China.; College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China.
Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), as a rate-limiting enzyme engaged in lipid synthesis pathways, exerts an important role in plant growth and development as well as environmental adaptation throughout diverse growth stages. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most significant leguminous forages globally; however, its growth process is frequently exposed to environmental stress, giving rise to issues such as impeded growth and decreased yield. At present, the comprehension of the GPAT genes in alfalfa and their reactions to abiotic stresses is conspicuously deficient. This study identified 15 GPATs from the genome of "Zhongmu No. 1" alfalfa, which were phylogenetically categorized into three major groups (Groups I ~ III). Furthermore, Group III is further subdivided into three distinct subgroups. MsGPATs belonging to the same subfamily exhibited similar protein conserved motifs and gene structural characteristics, in which groups with simple conserved motifs had more complex gene structures. A multitude of regulatory cis-elements pertinent to hormones and responses to environmental stress were detected in their promoter regions. In addition, a spatial-temporal expression analysis showed that MsGPATs have significant tissue specificity. Furthermore, the transcriptomic analysis of ABA treatment and the qRT-PCR results under drought, salt, and cold stress demonstrated that the majority of MsGPATs respond to abiotic stress with pronounced timely characteristics. It was also ascertained that these GPAT genes might assume a crucial role in salt and drought stress. This research can further constitute a fundamental basis for the exploration of the alfalfa GPAT family, the screening of key GPATs, and the investigation of their functionalities.
PMID: 39683185
Gene , IF:3.688 , 2025 Feb , V938 : P149161 doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.149161
Evaluation of zma-miR408 and its target genes function on maize (Zea mays) leaf growth response to cold stress by VIGS-based STTM approach.
Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, Turkey.; Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Gebze Technical University, Kocaeli, Turkey. Electronic address: faydinoglu@gtu.edu.tr.
miR408 is a conserved plant miRNA family that is known to regulate genes involved in copper metabolism. However, the function of miR408 in maize leaf growth regulation under cold stress isn't defined. In this study, endogenous maize miR408 was transiently silenced by using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) combined with short tandem target mimic (STTM) approaches. To this end, STTM-miR408a/b was designed, synthesized, and applied to maize seedlings. Subsequently, STTM-miR408a/b (STTM) and mock-treated (M) seedlings were subjected to cold stress (C) and the growth response of the seedlings was monitored. Finally, STTM-miR408a/b-treatment successfully downregulated the expression of endogenous mir408a/b and upregulated their putative targets Basic Blue Protein (BBP) and Blue Copper Protein (BCP) antagonistically in the STTM and STTM_C groups compared to M and M_C groups. On the other hand, their putative target Laccase (LAC22) gene was upregulated in the STTM group compared to the M group, but there were no significant expression differences between the M_C and STTM_C groups. The elongation rate of the STTM-miR408a/b-treated second and third leaves was reduced by 10% and 19% resulting in 19% and 11% shortening, respectively. Furthermore, the activity of catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) was decreased by 57% in STTM, M_C, and STTM_C, and 29% and 28% in the M_C and STTM_C groups and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was increased by 15% in M_C and STTM_C groups, respectively. These findings illuminated the maize leaf growth response to cold via regulation of expression of miR408 and its target genes and antioxidant system.
PMID: 39674290
J Plant Physiol , IF:3.549 , 2024 Dec , V303 : P154352 doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2024.154352
Sucrose synthase: An enzyme with multiple roles in plant physiology.
Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.; Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China. Electronic address: xhqi@yzu.edu.cn.
Sucrose synthase (SuS) is a key enzyme in the regulation of sucrose metabolism in plants and participates in the reversible reaction of sucrose conversion to uridine diphosphate-glucose and fructose. It plays an important role in promoting taproot development, starch synthesis, cellulose synthesis, improving plant nitrogen fixation capacity, sugar metabolism, and fruit and seed development. Recent studies have shown that SuS responds to abiotic stresses such as drought stress, cold stress and waterlogging stress, especially in waterlogging stress. This paper provides a comprehensive review on the basic properties, physiological functions, and signal transduction pathways of SuS, aiming to establish a theoretical foundation for its further research.
PMID: 39332324
Plant Biol (Stuttg) , IF:3.081 , 2025 Jan , V27 (1) : P92-101 doi: 10.1111/plb.13727
Metabolite analysis of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) branches in response to freezing stress.
Changli Research Institute of Fruit Trees, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Hebei, China.
Cold resistance in fruit trees has a direct impact on food production and scientific studies. 'Donghe No.1' is an excellent cold-tolerant peach variety. Metabolomic changes under freezing stress were examined to understand the mechanisms of cold adaptation. The UPLC-MS/MS system was used to identify differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in branches of 'Donghe No.1' under freezing stress for 12 h at -5 degrees C, -20 degrees C, -25 degrees C, or -30 degrees C. In total, 1096 metabolites and 196 DEMs were obtained at -5 degrees C vs -20 degrees C, -25 degrees C, and - 30 degrees C, while 179 DEMs and eight shared DEMs obtained at -5 degrees C vs -20 degrees C, -20 degrees C vs -25 degrees C, and -25 degrees C vs -30 degrees C. KEGG enrichment identified 196 DEMs associated with amino acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and flavonoid biosynthesis under freezing stress. A metabolic network in 1-year-old peach branches under freezing stress is proposed. Moreover, these results enhance understanding of metabolite responses and mechanisms to freezing stress in peach and will help in future breeding of freezing-tolerant varieties and investigating tolerance mechanisms.
PMID: 39476336
GM Crops Food , IF:3.074 , 2025 Dec , V16 (1) : P28-45 doi: 10.1080/21645698.2024.2438421
ZmNF-YB10, a maize NF-Y transcription factor, positively regulates drought and salt stress response in Arabidopsis thaliana.
College of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.; Joint International Research Laboratory of Modern Agricultural Technology, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a major food and feed crop and an important raw material for energy, chemicals, and livestock. The NF-Y family of transcription factors in maize plays a crucial role in the regulation of plant development and response to environmental stress. In this study, we successfully cloned and characterized the maize NF-Y transcription factor gene ZmNF-YB10. We used bioinformatics, quantitative fluorescence PCR, and other techniques to analyze the basic properties of the gene, its tissue expression specificity, and its role in response to drought, salt, and other stresses. The results indicated that the gene was 1209 base pairs (bp) in length, with a coding sequence (CDS) region of 618 bp, encoding a polypeptide composed of 205 amino acid residues. This polypeptide has a theoretical isoelectric point of 5.85 and features a conserved structural domain unique to the NF-Y family. Quantitative fluorescence PCR results demonstrated that the ZmNF-YB10 gene was differentially upregulated under drought and salt stress treatments but exhibited a negatively regulated expression pattern under alkali and cold stress treatments. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana subjected to drought and salt stress in soil showed greener leaves than wild-type A. thaliana. In addition, the overexpression lines showed reduced levels of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), superoxide (O(2-)), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased activities of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Western blot analysis revealed a distinct band at 21.8 kDa. Salt and drought tolerance analyses conducted in E. coli BL21 indicated a positive regulation. In yeast cells, ZmNF-YB10 exhibited a biological function that enhances salt and drought tolerance. Protein interactions were observed among the ZmNF-YB10, ZmNF-YC2, and ZmNF-YC4 genes. It is hypothesized that the ZmNF-YB10, ZmNF-YC2, and ZmNF-YC4 genes may play a role in the response to abiotic stresses, such as drought and salt tolerance, in maize.
PMID: 39718137
Cryobiology , IF:2.487 , 2024 Dec , V117 : P104954 doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2024.104954
Exploring freeze-injury mechanism through ion-specific analysis of leachate from reversibly versus irreversibly injured spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves.
Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. Electronic address: rarora@iastate.edu.
The present study analyzed four cations (K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Fe(2+)) in leachate from freeze-injured spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. 'Reflect') leaves exposed for four freezing-durations (FDs) (0.5, 3.0, 5.5, 10.5 h) at -4.8 degrees C. Comparison of electrolyte leakage from right-after-thaw with that after 6-d recovery revealed that injury at 0.5 or 3 h FDs was recoverable but irreversible at 5.5 or 10.5 h FDs. Data suggests leakage of K(+), the most abundant cation in leachate, can serve as a proxy for total electrolyte-leakage in determining plant freezing-tolerance and an ionic marker discerning moderate vs. severe injury. Quantitative correspondence between Ca(2+)- and K(+)-leakage supports earlier proposition that leaked K(+) induces loss of membrane-Ca(2+), which, in turn, promotes further K(+)-leakage due to weakened membrane. Reduced/undetectable Fe(2+) in leachate at longer FDs suggests activation of Fenton reaction converting soluble Fe(2+) into insoluble Fe(3+). Enhanced Mg(2+)-leakage at greater freeze-injury suggests structural/functional impairment of chlorophyll/chloroplast complex.
PMID: 39151874
Plant Signal Behav , IF:2.247 , 2024 Dec , V19 (1) : P2389496 doi: 10.1080/15592324.2024.2389496
Requirement of two simultaneous environmental signals for activation of Arabidopsis ELIP2 promoter in response to high light, cold, and UV-B stresses.
The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.; Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.; Experimental Plant Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.; RIKEN CSRS, Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
Arabidopsis EARLY LIGH-INDUCIBLE PROTEIN 2 (ELIP2) is a chlorophyll- and carotenoid-binding protein and is involved in photoprotection under stress conditions. Because its expression is induced through high light, cold, or UV-B stressors, its mechanism of induction has been studied. It is known that a functional unit found in the promoter, which is composed of Element B and Element A, is required and sufficient for full activation by these stressors. In this study, the role of each element in the unit was analyzed by introducing weak mutations in each element as synthetic promoters in addition to intensive repeat constructs of each single element. The results suggest that a stressor like cold stress generates two parallel signals in plant cells, and they merge at the promoter region for the activation of ELIP2 expression, which constitutes an "AND" gate and has a potential to realize strong response with high specificity by an environmental trigger.
PMID: 39132719
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
BMC Genom Data , 2024 Dec , V25 (1) : P105 doi: 10.1186/s12863-024-01285-z
Genome-wide identification, characterization and expression profiles of FORMIN gene family in cotton (Gossypium Raimondii L.).
Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, 7408, Bangladesh.; Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh.; Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, 7408, Bangladesh. rauf.gebt@yahoo.com.
BACKGROUND: Gossypium raimondii serves as a widely used genomic model cotton species. Its genetic influence to enhance fiber quality and ability to adapt to challenging environments both contribute to increasing cotton production. The formins are a large protein family that predominately consists of FH1 and FH2 domains. The presence of the formin domains highly regulates the actin and microtubule filament in the cytoskeleton dynamics confronting various abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and cold temperatures. RESULTS: In this study, 26 formin genes were analyzed and characterized in G. raimondii and mostly were found in the nucleus and chloroplast. According to the evolutionary phylogenetic relationship, GrFH were dispersed and classified into seven different groups and shared an ancestry relationship with MtFH. The GrFH gene structure prediction revealed diverse intron-exon arrangements between groups. The FH2 conserved domain was found in all the GrFH distributed on 12 different chromosomes. Moreover, 11 pairs of GrFH transpired segmental duplication. Among them, GrFH4-GrFH7 evolved 35 million years ago (MYA) according to the evolutionary divergence time. Besides, 57 cis-acting regulatory elements (CAREs) motifs were found to play a potential role in plant growth, development, and in response to various abiotic stresses, including cold stress. The GrFH genes mostly exhibited biological processes resulting in the regulation of actin polymerization. The ERF, GATA, MYB, and LBD, major transcription factors (TFs) families in GrFH, regulated expression in abiotic stress specifically salt as well as defense against certain pathogens. The microRNA of GrFH unveiled the regulatory mechanism to regulate their gene expression in abiotic stresses such as salt and cold. One of the most economic aspects of cotton (G.raimondii) is the production of lint due to its use in manufacturing fabrics and other industrial applications. The expression profiles of GrFH in different tissues particularly during the conversion from ovule to fiber (lint), and the increased levels (up-regulation) of GrFH4, GrFH6, GrFH12, GrFH14, and GrFH26 under cold conditions, along with GrFH19 and GrFH26 in response to salt stress, indicated their potential involvement in combating these environmental challenges. Moreover, these stress-tolerant GrFH linked to cytoskeleton dynamics are essential in producing high-quality lint. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study can contribute to elucidating the evolutionary and functional characterizations of formin genes and deciphering their potential role in abiotic stress such as cold and salt as well as in the future implications in wet lab.
PMID: 39695391