搜索结果：Molecular plant

Digitalis purpurea (foxglove) is a widely distributed ornamental plant. Here, we present a long read sequencing-based genome sequence of a magenta flowering D. purpurea plant and a corresponding prediction of gene models. The high assembly continuity is indicated by the N50 of 4.3 Mbp and the completeness is supported by discovery of about 96% complete BUSCO genes. This genomic resource paves the way for an in-depth investigation of the flower pigmentation of D. purpurea. Structural genes of the anthocyanin biosynthesis and the corresponding transcriptional regulators were identified. The comparison of magenta and white flowering plants revealed a large insertion in the anthocyanidin synthase gene in white flowering plants that most likely renders this gene non-functional and could explain the loss of anthocyanin pigmentation. Furthermore, we found a large insertion in the DpTFL1/CEN gene to be likely responsible for the development of large terminal flowers.

Medicinal plants are widely used for applications in agriculture, food, medicine, and cosmetics due to their abundant bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs) such as terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and alkaloids. The biosynthesis and accumulation of SMs are highly associated with multiple environmental factors. Among these abiotic stresses, drought plays a pivotal role in regulating the quality of medicinal plants. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of medicinal plants in response to drought is beneficial for (i) cultivating high-quality traditional Chinese medicinal plants via targeted water management strategies; (ii) screening candidate marker genes to breed high-quality novel cultivars with enhanced bioactive compound accumulation under drought conditions, thereby addressing the adverse impacts of drought induced by global climate change; (iii) mining dual-functional genes that confer drought tolerance while maintaining high bioactive compound content, thus ensuring both the yield and quality of medicinal plants. To summarize the latest advances in the transcriptional regulation of SM biosynthesis with a focus on terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and alkaloids in medicinal plants under drought conditions. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in three electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using the search terms "regulatory mechanism", "secondary metabolites", "medicinal plants", "drought stress", "transcription factor", "bioactive compound", "synthetic biology", "smart irrigation", "terpenoid biosynthesis", "phenylpropanoid biosynthesis", "phenolic biosynthesis" and "alkaloid biosynthesis". All the retrieved data were then critically reviewed and summarized. Drought affects secondary metabolite biosynthesis via a complex molecular regulatory network, including shifts in microbial community composition, epigenetic remodeling, changes in global gene expression profiles, altered catalytic activity of core biosynthetic enzymes, as well as modifications of transcription factors. This review offers novel insights into unraveling the underlying transcriptional regulatory networks, and practical implications for researchers in the fields of medicinal plant biology, natural product chemistry, and crop stress physiology.

Traditional agricultural delivery methods, such as foliar spray and soil application, suffer from low uptake efficiency, environmental contamination, and short-term effects, whereas nanoparticle-mediated delivery platforms face issues of stability, cytotoxicity, and regulatory concerns. Recently, microneedle (MN) technology has emerged as a promising alternative for precise, minimally invasive delivery of agrochemicals and biomolecules. In this opinion article, we explore the evolution of MN-based delivery systems in agriculture. We discuss the structure-function relationships of MNs (solid, hollow, dissolving, and coated MNs) and highlight their applications in nutrient delivery, pathogen control, and genome editing for plants. We conclude with challenges and future directions for integrating MNs into precision agriculture to improve crop productivity, sustainability, and genetic manipulation.

Plants are subject to constant exposure to mechanical vibrations due to wind, rainfall, soil movement, and biological processes, yet the ability of plants to detect airborne sound remains under active investigation. Here, we synthesize cellular, molecular, and biophysical evidence to argue that mechanotransduction pathways more parsimoniously explain the reported sound-induced plant responses, rather than invoking sound-specific sensing mechanisms. More recent findings of mechanosensitive ion channels (e.g., MCA, MSL, PIEZO, OSCA) and receptor-like kinases, including FERONIA, suggest plausible molecular components of the connection between vibration-induced membrane deformation and Ca2 + influx, electrical signaling, reactive oxygen species formation, and downstream transcriptional reprogramming. Nonetheless, we critically assess substantial methodological discrepancies, inadequate control of non-acoustic factors, and a lack of sound-specific genetic mutants that currently restrict causal reasoning. We suggest a shift from phenomenological sound-effect studies toward rigorously calibrated and genetically grounded experiments to better characterize how vibrations generated by airborne sound are transmitted and processed within plant tissues. Such approaches are essential to determine whether acoustic stimuli are a specific ecological signal or a contextual expression of plant mechanosensitivity.

De novo root regeneration (DNRR) is essential for plant survival under mechanical damage and agricultural productivity, and plant hormones play a pivotal role in this process. While auxin, jasmonate (JA), and ethylene are known to be involved in DNRR, the role of brassinosteroids (BR) remains unreported. This study reveals that the reduced BR signaling promotes DNRR, whereas elevated BR signaling suppresses DNRR. Then we further validate that this mechanism is conserved across diverse plant species, including Brassica napus, Nicotiana benthamiana, and Solanum lycopersicum. Studies on the regulatory mechanism indicate that BR regulates DNRR by modulating auxin-related pathways. BR induces the transcription factor BZR1, which directly represses auxin transporter genes (PIN1, PIN3), thereby reducing auxin levels at the wound sites of leaf explants and inhibiting root primordia formation. Besides, BZR1 also transcriptionally suppresses root meristem initiation-related genes (WOX5 and LBD16) to inhibit DNRR. This study demonstrates BR function in plant DNRR, refines the network of hormonal regulation of DNRR, and provides an important clue for improving plant rooting efficiency in agriculture.

Biogenic nanoparticles (BNPs), produced by various biological systems such as plants, bacteria, fungi, and algae, provide a sustainable alternative to traditional physical and chemical processes. This study encapsulates contemporary methodologies for nanoparticle synthesis via microorganisms and flora, highlighting its benefits for cost-effectiveness, safety, and environmental sustainability. It highlights the role of BNPs in facilitating plant resilience against abiotic stressors, including salinity, drought, heavy metals, and extreme temperatures. These materials enhance stress resilience by modulating essential physiological, antioxidant, and molecular mechanisms. This work provides a multi-scale investigation linking BNP synthesis routes to physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to abiotic stresses, therefore advancing mechanistic and comparative insights beyond prior assessments. Beyond agronomic benefits, we critically discuss the environmental fate and transformation of BNPs in agroecosystems, along with implications for ecotoxicity and trophic transfer. We also outline key data gaps and a risk‑assessment roadmap needed for safe‑by‑design deployment of BNPs in sustainable agriculture.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-secreted phospholipid bilayer vesicles that play a key role in intercellular communication by transporting molecular cargo and engaging in surface-level signaling. Due to their intrinsic biological features, EVs not only reflect the functional attributes of their originating cells but also hold promise as both therapeutic agent and natural carriers for targeted delivery. In recent years, plant-derived nanovesicles (PDNVs) containing bioactive molecules have attracted the attention of researchers because of their better biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, wide range of sources, and ability to act as natural therapeutic agents for diseases. PDNVs play an increasingly important role in human-plant interactions, as they are able to enter the human system and deliver effector molecules to cells, which in turn modulate cellular signaling pathways. PDNVs play a critical role in human health and disease. This review provides a comprehensive overview of PDNVs, encompassing their biogenesis, methods of isolation and purification, physicochemical characterization, stability, and storage strategies. It further explores their routes of administration, internalization, and biodistribution as therapeutic agents, highlighting their potential in the treatment of conditions such as inflammation, cancer, tissue regeneration, viral infections, liver and brain disorders, and osteoporosis. Lastly, the review examines current clinical applications of PDNVs and the key challenges hindering their broader implementation. We look forward to further exploration of the functions of PDNVs to facilitate their clinical translation and increase their benefits in humans.

Propiconazole (PPC), as a highly effective triazole fungicide, is widely used in disease management in Panax notoginseng. However, residues resulting from its improper application pose a serious threat to the quality and safety of the medicinal herb. Brassinosteroids (BRs) have been proven to effectively mitigate pesticide stress and facilitate its degradation, but their molecular regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play a key role in plant detoxification and stress response. This study aims to decipher the functional roles and regulatory networks of the GST gene family in the BR-mediated degradation of PPC in P. notoginseng. Based on transcriptome analysis, 47 GST genes were identified in P. notoginseng, of which 17 possess complete conserved domains. The key differentially expressed gene PnGSTU2, which responds to both PPC and BR treatments, was identified. The tobacco transgenic line with overexpression of PnGSTU2 was successfully constructed. Physiological and molecular experiments showed that overexpression of PnGSTU2 significantly promotes the transport and degradation of PPC, increases endogenous BR content, improves photosynthetic parameters, and enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the expression of glutathione metabolism-associated genes. Field trials further confirmed that BR treatment could reduce residues of multiple pesticides. This study provides the first systematic elucidation of the molecular mechanism by which PnGSTU2 promotes PPC degradation in P. notoginseng through positively modulating the BR signaling pathway and coordinated activation of antioxidant and detoxification metabolic pathways, offering novel strategies and genetic resources for the safe production of P. notoginseng and the green control of pesticide residues.

Land plants underpin civilization and planetary health, yet their genomic diversity remains largely uncharted. Current resources are unstandardized and scarce, lacking reference genomes for 95% of genera, 70% of families, and 51% of orders, impeding evolutionary and functional insight. We thus propose the PLANeT initiative, an international effort to generate high-quality, standardized genomes across the plant tree of life. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with genomics, we will decode conserved principles to advance fundamental plant biology, biodiversity conservation, crop improvement, and natural product discovery. Engaging around 100 labs to train 1,000 scientists, we will tackle pivotal questions for a sustainable future.

Citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), caused by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), has a detrimental effect on plants and can be a factor in citrus decline, a major threat worldwide to the citrus industry. The reactions of different Citrus species to post-HLB infection are still enigmatic. Therefore, nine prominent Citrus species (Citrus reticulata, C. sinensis, C. limonia, C. karna, C. trifoliata, C. jambhiri, C. volkameriana, C. maxima, and C. latipes) were studied in the field experiment to understand their physiological, biochemical, nutritional, and enzymatic responses to HLB infection. Based on the morphological appearance of the plants, the incidence of CLas was confirmed using gene-based DNA markers OI1/OI2c (1160 bp) and A2/J5 (703 bp). The result showed that HLB incidence ranged from 0 to 100% across different Citrus species (PCR-based). Interestingly, C. latipes showed no typical symptoms and tested negative by PCR. Contrastingly, the incidence in other species was 91.7% in C. maxima, 80.0% in C. trifoliata, and 100% in the remaining cCitrus species. The severity of the symptoms ranged from 61.08 ± 7.5% (C. sinensis) to 0.69 ± 0.2% (C. latipes). In the infected species, C. trifoliata and C. maxima recorded the least reduction in chlorophyll (Chl), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), nutrients, and enzyme activities. Comparative analysis revealed that the HLB-infected species exhibited lower Chl, Pn, gs, nutrient levels, and antioxidant enzyme activities. In contrast, potassium, protein, stress biomarkers (proline, H2O2, MDA), and starch content were higher in the HLB-infected plants. Therefore, C. latipes and C. trifoliata are immune to HLB and can be utilised in breeding and as rootstocks for commercial citrus cultivars.

Plants constantly experience partial hypoxia due to varying external oxygen availability and the existence of hypoxic niches, such as the shoot apical meristem, phloem or root nodules. Waterlogging experiments indicate that hypoxic stress at the root does not only lead to a local metabolic response, such as the accumulation of hypoxia-related metabolites, but also causes metabolic alterations in the normoxic shoot. Moreover, hypoxia-related metabolites are exported from the hypoxic root towards the normoxic shoot, where they can be recycled. Maintaining import of glycolytic substrates from the normoxic shoot into the hypoxic root is suggested to play a crucial role in managing hypoxic stress in waterlogged roots. These findings indicate that locally confined hypoxic stress induces systemic responses. The apparent metabolic interplay between hypoxic and normoxic tissue can facilitate the plant to endure differing oxygen availabilities between tissues and organs without active oxygen circulation. Here, we define this mechanism as 'metabolic snorkeling'. Beyond waterlogging, metabolic snorkeling might also occur between hypoxic niches and the adjacent normoxic tissue. In this review, the role of metabolic snorkeling in waterlogging-endurance and its applicability to hypoxic niches is described and discussed.

Cbl-b, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is a critical negative regulator of T-cell activation and an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. Current small-molecule inhibitors largely rely on hydrophobic π-π stacking interactions with the gatekeeper residue Tyr363, which restricts the structural diversity of Cbl-b inhibitors and hinders the discovery of inhibitors with novel scaffolds. This study reports the stepwise optimization of the cyclic carbamate lead compound 5, eventually leading to the discovery of novel, representative alkylamine-based Cbl-b inhibitors. Our optimization process comprised three stages: (1) conformational restriction via lactamization, which yielded initial hit 12 (IC50 = 31.99 ± 3.88 μM); (2) hydrophobic cavity filling, which provided the improved analog 22 (IC50 = 8.58 ± 0.25 μM); and (3) SeeSAR-guided scaffold hopping, which ultimately identified the representative lead compound 27 (IC50 = 6.83 ± 0.51 μM). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations confirmed that 27 binds to the TKB-LH interface and stabilizes the inactive conformation of Cbl-b. Notably, MD simulations revealed that 27 engages Tyr363 through a unique polar interaction mode dominated by hydrogen bonds and water bridges, a distinct departure from traditional hydrophobic stacking. This novel alkylamine scaffold provides a new approach for developing structurally diverse Cbl-b inhibitors.

The widespread coexistence of microplastics (MPs) and organic pollutants in water presents the challenges for advanced oxidation processes. Although the O3/H2O2 system demonstrated efficient degradation of various pollutants, its effectiveness with the background of microplastics (MPs), particularly those subjected to environmental aging, remains poorly understood and inadequately quantified. This work systematically investigated the inhibitory effects of pristine and aged MPs on the O3/H2O2 system and elucidated the underlying mechanisms through experimental and theoretical analyses. The findings revealed pollutant-specific dual oxidation pathways: electron-rich compounds underwent concurrent •OH-mediated oxidation and direct O3 molecular oxidation, whereas electron-deficient pollutants were degraded exclusively via •OH attack. Pristine MPs mainly suppressed degradation through physical adsorption. In contrast, aged MPs with oxygen-rich surfaces induced stronger inhibition by stabilizing O3, altering interfacial electron transfer and promoting inefficient surface consumption. Crucially, the O3/H2O2 system maintained high pollutant removal efficiency in real water matrices despite MPs-induced inhibition, and also exhibited no ecotoxicity in plant growth assays and yielded favorable life cycle outcomes. This study establishes a mechanistic foundation for optimizing advanced oxidation in microplastic-coexisted environments and demonstrated the practical feasibility of the O3/H2O2 system for such applications.

Drought stress is a significant environmental challenge impacting plant growth and productivity. This study investigates the drought tolerance mechanisms of Lespedeza davurica, a drought-tolerant legume, by analyzing root physiological responses and conducting RNA-Seq analysis under controlled drought conditions. Plants were subjected to drought stress for ten days and then rewatered to assess recovery. We measured key physiological parameters such as proline accumulation, antioxidative enzymes activity, and electrolyte leakage. RNA-Seq identified 6482 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under drought stress, with upregulated genes primarily involved in antioxidant processes (e.g., glutathione and ascorbate metabolism) and downregulated genes were linked to carbon metabolism. Following rewatering, gene expression was restored, with significant upregulation in nitrogen metabolism and amino sugar metabolism pathways, reflecting enhanced energy metabolism and accelerated recovery. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified 50 core drought-tolerance genes, with LdALDH2-19 selected for functional analysis. Overexpression of LdALDH2-19 in hairy roots (OE-LdALDH2-19) significantly alleviated oxidative damage under osmotic stress, as indicated by reduced MDA levels accompanied by increased antioxidant enzyme activity compared to the control (EV). These findings suggest that LdALDH2-19 plays a critical role in drought tolerance by mitigating oxidative stress and contributing ROS homeostasis, offering insights for improving drought resistance in leguminous crop breeding.

The formation of xylem vessels depends on a balance between transcription factors SACLs and LHW, whose translation is controlled by thermospermine. A recent study shows that a conserved rRNA methylation by OVERACHIEVER enables thermospermine binding, allowing ribosomes to oppositely regulate SACL and LHW translation to direct plant xylem cell fate.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a major horticultural crop and an important model for studying fruit development and stress adaptation. Climate-induced stresses, including drought, salinity, heat, and oxidative damage, pose significant challenges to tomato productivity, emphasizing the need to understand molecular mechanisms that integrate stress responses with developmental processes. Bcl-2-associated athanogene (BAG) proteins, highly conserved co-chaperones, have emerged as key regulators at the intersection of proteostasis, signaling, and programmed cell death. However, despite their emerging importance, comprehensive studies reviewing BAG co-chaperones in tomato are still limited. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on BAG proteins in tomato, focusing on their structural features, evolutionary divergence from animal BAGs, and functional roles in development and stress tolerance. We examined how SlBAGs interact with Hsp70 chaperones, MAPK signaling cascades, calcium/calmodulin pathways, and the ubiquitin-proteasome system to coordinate cellular responses under diverse abiotic stresses. Special attention is given to their involvement in reactive oxygen species regulation, programmed cell death, senescence, and fruit ripening. Furthermore, we highlighted the gaps in functional characterization, post-translational regulation, and field-level validation of SlBAGs. Finally, we discussed the emerging strategies, including multi-omics approaches, genome editing, and translational breeding, to harness the genetic potential of SlBAGs for developing climate-resilient, high-yielding, and quality-enhanced tomato cultivars.

This study evaluated the polyphenol content of leaf extracts from Artemisia monosperma (AM) and investigated their antioxidant properties, cytotoxic effects, and potential to induce DNA damage in human cancer cell lines. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quantified polyphenols in methanolic (AMM), ethanolic (AME), and aqueous (AMA) extracts, identifying 13 compounds in AME and 12 in AMA. AMM exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 24 µg/ml). Both AME and AMM demonstrated potent anticancer activity against HCT-116 (IC₅₀ = 0.38 µg/mL for AMM) and HUH-7 (IC₅₀ = 21.95 µg/mL for AMM) cells, while exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity toward normal skin fibroblast cells (BJ-1; IC₅₀ = 13.05 µg/mL for AMM), with AMM demonstrating particular selectivity for HCT-116 cells. AMM induced DNA fragmentation and modulated apoptosis-related gene expression (Bax, Bcl-2, p53) in HUH-7 cells and caused cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in HCT-116 cells. Molecular docking further supported AMM's apoptosis activity. These results position A. monosperma as a rich source of bioactive polyphenols and antioxidants, with AMM showing promise as a therapeutic agent, especially for colorectal cancer.

Novel invasive genotypes can arise through polyploidisation, hybridisation, or gene flow between populations of distinct origins or related species. Solidago gigantea, a notorious European invader, has long been reported exclusively as tetraploid in its invasive range. Recently, mixed-ploidy populations, including tetraploid and pentaploid plants, were discovered; yet the potential role of the novel pentaploid cytotype (and its progeny) in S. gigantea invasions remains poorly understood. This study aims to elucidate the origin of pentaploids and the cytotype and genetic structure of mixed-ploidy populations, characterise the reproductive mode and mating interactions of pentaploid plants, and assess their fitness and potential contribution to invasiveness using relative DNA content screening, ddRADseq population genetics, and reproductive potential and fitness assessments. Molecular analyses revealed that pentaploids constitute a genetically distinct lineage within S. gigantea. Our results rule out both an autopolyploid origin from the common tetraploid cytotype and an allopolyploid origin via hybridisation with co-occurring native or invasive Solidago species. The pentaploid cytotype reproduces exclusively through clonal propagation; its low genetic variability suggests that the two studied populations may belong to a single extensive clonal genet. Pentaploids produce viable gametes but appear to exhibit strict self-incompatibility, preventing the formation of offspring within the same genotype. However, pentaploid S. gigantea engages in bidirectional mating with co-occurring tetraploid plants, yielding well-developed seeds with offspring ploidy ranging from 4x to 5x (predominantly aneuploid). Despite this cytological variability, progeny from mixed-ploidy populations displayed germination rates and early growth comparable to those from pure tetraploid populations. Notably, at least some tetraploid offspring from 4x-5x crosses successfully established, flowered, and backcrossed with pentaploid plants to produce viable seeds of subsequent introgressed generations. The pentaploid cytotype of S. gigantea introduces a new post-invasion dynamic to its invasive populations. Rather than being an evolutionary dead-end, this cytotype may potentially enhance the species' invasiveness through three evolutionary pathways: (1) a highly successful clonal life strategy enabling both local and long-distance spread; (2) genetic enrichment of tetraploid populations via ongoing interploidy crosses; and (3) establishment of novel aneuploid genotypes due to the remarkable tolerance of chromosomal instability observed in S. gigantea.

Nitrate acts as both a nutrient and a signaling molecule to regulate root growth, and this process is closely associated with protein abundance and protein phosphorylation within the nitrogen metabolism pathway. However, the relationship between nitrate-regulated root growth, protein expression and protein phosphorylation remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the function and underlying molecular mechanisms of the calcineurin B-like (CBL)-interacting protein kinase OsCIPK18 in nitrate-modulated rice root growth using phenotypic analyses together with quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiling of wild-type (WT) plants and cipk18 mutants. Knockdown of OsCIPK18 significantly inhibited rice root growth compared with WT plants. In contrast, 2 mM nitrate significantly promoted root growth in the cipk18 mutant, increasing lateral root length by 65% and radicle length by 24%, whereas these effects were not observed in WT plants. Consistently, knockdown of OsCIPK18 altered the accumulation of nitrogen-related proteins (including GS1;2, OsGS2, OsNADH-GOGAT2 and OsbetaCA2) and the phosphorylation status of the high-affinity nitrate transporter OsNRT2.2 in response to nitrate. Together, these findings reveal a central regulatory role of OsCIPK18 in nitrogen signaling and root development and provide a potential molecular target and theoretical basis for breeding rice varieties with improved nitrogen use efficiency.