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Frontiers in Plant Science 2024Global warming has led to increased environmental stresses on plants, notably drought. This affects plant distribution and species adaptability, with some medicinal...
INTRODUCTION
Global warming has led to increased environmental stresses on plants, notably drought. This affects plant distribution and species adaptability, with some medicinal plants showing enhanced drought tolerance and increased medicinal components. In this pioneering study, we delve into the intricate tapestry of , a medicinal plant renowned for its resilience in arid environments. By fusing a rich historical narrative with cutting-edge analytical methodologies, this research endeavors to demystify the plant's intricate response to drought stress, illuminating its profound implications for medicinal valorization.
METHODS
The methodology includes a comprehensive textual research and resource investigation of , regionalization studies, field sample distribution analysis, transcriptome and metabolome profiling, rhizosphere soil microbiome analysis, and drought stress experiments. Advanced computational tools like ArcGIS, MaxEnt, and various bioinformatics software were utilized for data analysis and modeling.
RESULTS
The study identified significant genetic variations among samples from different regions, correlating with environmental factors, particularly precipitation during the warmest quarter (BIO18). Metabolomic analysis revealed marked differences in metabolite profiles, including shikonin content, which is crucial for the plant's medicinal properties. Soil microbial community analysis showed variations that could impact plant metabolism and stress response. Drought stress experiments demonstrated 's resilience and its ability to modulate metabolic pathways to enhance drought tolerance.
DISCUSSION
The findings underscore the complex interplay between genetic makeup, environmental factors, and microbial communities in shaping 's adaptability and medicinal value. The study provides insights into how drought stress influences the synthesis of active compounds and suggests that moderate stress could enhance the plant's medicinal properties. Predictive modeling indicates future suitable growth areas for , aiding in resource management and conservation efforts. The research contributes to the sustainable development of medicinal resources and offers strategies for improving the cultivation of .
PubMed: 38938629
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1395046 -
PeerJ 2024Tungsten (W) is an emerging heavy metal pollutant, yet research remains scarce on the biomonitor and sensitive biomarkers for W contamination.
BACKGROUND
Tungsten (W) is an emerging heavy metal pollutant, yet research remains scarce on the biomonitor and sensitive biomarkers for W contamination.
METHODS
In this study, celery and pepper were chosen as study subjects and subjected to exposure cultivation in solutions with five different levels of W. The physiological and biochemical toxicities of W on these two plants were systematically analyzed. The feasibility of utilizing celery and pepper as biomonitor organisms for W contamination was explored and indicative biomarkers were screened.
RESULTS
The results indicated that W could inhibit plants' root length, shoot height, and fresh weight while concurrently promoting membrane lipid peroxidation. Additionally, W enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) to counteract oxidative damage. From a physiological perspective, pepper exhibited potential as a biomonitor for W contamination. Biochemical indicators suggested that SOD could serve as a sensitive biomarker for W in celery, while TAOC and POD were more suitable for the roots and leaves of pepper. In conclusion, our study investigated the toxic effects of W on celery and pepper, contributing to the understanding of W's environmental toxicity. Furthermore, it provided insights for selecting biomonitor organisms and sensitive biomarkers for W contamination.
Topics: Apium; Capsicum; Tungsten; Lipid Peroxidation; Superoxide Dismutase; Antioxidants; Catalase; Biomarkers; Ecotoxicology; Plant Roots; Plant Leaves; Oxidative Stress
PubMed: 38938608
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17601 -
PeerJ 2024Glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), and nitrate reductase (NR) are key enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation and metabolism in plants. However,...
BACKGROUND
Glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), and nitrate reductase (NR) are key enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation and metabolism in plants. However, the systematic analysis of these gene families lacked reports in soybean ( (L.) Merr.), one of the most important crops worldwide.
METHODS
In this study, we performed genome-wide identification and characterization of , , and genes in soybean under abiotic and nitrogen stress conditions.
RESULTS
We identified a total of 10 genes, six genes, and four genes in the soybean genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of multiple isoforms for each gene family, indicating their functional diversification. The distribution of these genes on soybean chromosomes was uneven, with segmental duplication events contributing to their expansion. Within the nitrogen assimilation genes (NAGs) group, there was uniformity in the exon-intron structure and the presence of conserved motifs in NAGs. Furthermore, analysis of cis-elements in NAG promoters indicated complex regulation of their expression. RT-qPCR analysis of seven soybean NAGs under various abiotic stresses, including nitrogen deficiency, drought-nitrogen, and salinity, revealed distinct regulatory patterns. Most NAGs exhibited up-regulation under nitrogen stress, while diverse expression patterns were observed under salt and drought-nitrogen stress, indicating their crucial role in nitrogen assimilation and abiotic stress tolerance. These findings offer valuable insights into the genomic organization and expression profiles of , , and genes in soybean under nitrogen and abiotic stress conditions. The results have potential applications in the development of stress-resistant soybean varieties through genetic engineering and breeding.
Topics: Glycine max; Nitrogen; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Phylogeny; Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase; Stress, Physiological; Glutamate Synthase; Nitrate Reductase; Genome, Plant; Plant Proteins; Chromosomes, Plant; Droughts
PubMed: 38938604
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17590 -
Journal of Microbiology and... Jun 2024It remains to be determined whether there is a geographical distribution pattern and phylogenetic signals for the strains with seed germination of the orchid plant ....
It remains to be determined whether there is a geographical distribution pattern and phylogenetic signals for the strains with seed germination of the orchid plant . This study analyzed the community composition and phylogenetics of 72 strains associated with varieties (. f. and . f. ) using multiple gene fragments (ITS+nLSU+SSU). We found that (1) these diverse phylogenetically belong to the Basidiospore amyloid group. (2) There is a phylogenetic signal of for germination of . Those strains phylogenetically close to , , and an unclassified had significantly higher germination rates than those to . (3) The distribution depends on geographic site and variety. Both unclassified group 1 and the group were dominant for the two varieties of ; in contrast, the group was dominant in f. but absent in f. . Our results indicate that the community composition of numerous resources in the Zhaotong area varies by geographical location and variety. Importantly, our results also indicate that 's phylogenetic status is correlated with its germination rate.
Topics: Gastrodia; Phylogeny; Germination; DNA, Fungal; Seeds; Basidiomycota
PubMed: 38938004
DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2401.01009 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Amorphophallus is a perennial monocotyledonous herbaceous plant native to the southwestern region of China, widely used in various fields such as food processing,...
Amorphophallus is a perennial monocotyledonous herbaceous plant native to the southwestern region of China, widely used in various fields such as food processing, biomedicine and chemical agriculture. However, Amorphophallus is a typical thermolabile plant, and the continuous high temperature in summer have seriously affected the growth, development and economic yield of Amorphophallus in recent years. Calmodulin (CaM), a Ca sensor ubiquitous in eukaryotes, is the most important multifunctional receptor protein in plant cells, which affects plant stress resistance by participating in the activities of a variety of signaling molecules. In this study, the key gene AaCaM3 for the Ca-CaM regulatory pathway was obtained from A. albus, the sequence analysis confirmed that it is a typical calmodulin. The qRT-PCR results demonstrated that with the passage of heat treatment time, the expression of AaCaM3 was significantly upregulated in A. albus leaves. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that AaCaM3 localized on the cytoplasm and nucleus. Meanwhile, heterologous transformation experiments have shown that AaCaM3 can significantly improve the heat tolerance of Arabidopsis under heat stress. The promoter region of AaCaM3 was sequenced 1,338 bp by FPNI-PCR and GUS staining assay showed that the promoter of AaCaM3 was a high-temperature inducible promoter. Yeast one-hybrid analysis and Luciferase activity reporting system analysis showed that the AaCaM3 promoter may interact with AaHSFA1, AaHSFA2c, AaHSP70, AaDREB2a and AaDREB2b. In conclusion, this study provides new ideas for further improving the signal transduction network of high-temperature stress in Amorphophallus.
Topics: Calmodulin; Plant Proteins; Arabidopsis; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Heat-Shock Response; Hot Temperature; Fabaceae; Plants, Genetically Modified; Stress, Physiological; Promoter Regions, Genetic
PubMed: 38937722
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05283-2 -
BMC Microbiology Jun 2024This study investigated the influence of bacterial cyclic lipopeptides (LP; surfactins, iturins, fengycins) on microbial interactions. The objective was to investigate...
This study investigated the influence of bacterial cyclic lipopeptides (LP; surfactins, iturins, fengycins) on microbial interactions. The objective was to investigate whether the presence of bacteria inhibits fungal growth and whether this inhibition is due to the release of bacterial metabolites, particularly LP. Selected endophytic bacterial strains with known plant-growth promoting potential were cultured in the presence of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae (Fos), which was applied as model fungal organism. The extracellular metabolome of tested bacteria, with a focus on LP, was characterized, and the inhibitory effect of bacterial LP on fungal growth was investigated. The results showed that Bacillus velezensis GB03 and FZB42, as well as B. subtilis BSn5 exhibited the strongest antagonism against Fos. Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN, on the other hand, tended to have a slight, though non-significant growth promotion effect. Crude LP from strains GB03 and FZB42 had the strongest inhibitory effect on Fos, with a significant inhibition of spore germination and damage of the hyphal structure. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry revealed the production of several variants of iturin, fengycin, and surfactin LP families from strains GB03, FZB42, and BSn5, with varying intensity. Using plate cultures, bacillomycin D fractions were detected in higher abundance in strains GB03, FZB42, and BSn5 in the presence of Fos. Additionally, the presence of Fos in dual plate culture triggered an increase in bacillomycin D production from the Bacillus strains. The study demonstrated the potent antagonistic effect of certain Bacillus strains (i.e., GB03, FZB42, BSn5) on Fos development. Our findings emphasize the crucial role of microbial interactions in shaping the co-existence of microbial assemblages.
Topics: Fusarium; Lipopeptides; Bacillus; Antibiosis; Antifungal Agents; Peptides, Cyclic; Microbial Interactions; Burkholderiaceae; Spores, Fungal; Hyphae
PubMed: 38937715
DOI: 10.1186/s12866-024-03386-2 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024In acidic soils, aluminum (Al) toxicity inhibits the growth and development of plant roots and affects nutrient and water absorption, leading to reduced yield and...
In acidic soils, aluminum (Al) toxicity inhibits the growth and development of plant roots and affects nutrient and water absorption, leading to reduced yield and quality. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate and identify candidate genes for Al tolerance and elucidate their physiological and molecular mechanisms under Al stress. In this study, we identified a new gene OsAlR3 regulating Al tolerance, and analyzed its mechanism from physiological, transcriptional and metabolic levels. Compared with the WT, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (HO) content were significantly increased, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and citric acid (CA) content were significantly decreased in the osalr3 mutant lines when exposed to Al stress. Under Al stress, the osalr3 exhibited decreased expression of antioxidant-related genes and lower organic acid content compared with WT. Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis showed the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway plays an important role in OsAlR3-mediated Al tolerance. Exogenous CA and oxalic acid (OA) could increase total root length and enhance the antioxidant capacity in the mutant lines under Al stress. Conclusively, we found a new gene OsAlR3 that positively regulates Al tolerance by promoting the chelation of Al ions through the secretion of organic acids, and increasing the expression of antioxidant genes.
Topics: Aluminum; Oryza; Antioxidants; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins; Citric Acid; Plant Roots; Genes, Plant
PubMed: 38937693
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05298-9 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Caryodaphnopsis, a group of tropical trees (ca. 20 spp.) in the family Lauraceae, has an amphi-Pacific disjunct distribution: ten species are distributed in Southeast...
BACKGROUND
Caryodaphnopsis, a group of tropical trees (ca. 20 spp.) in the family Lauraceae, has an amphi-Pacific disjunct distribution: ten species are distributed in Southeast Asia, while eight species are restricted to tropical rainforests in South America. Previously, phylogenetic analyses using two nuclear markers resolved the relationships among the five species from Latin America. However, the phylogenetic relationships between the species in Asia remain poorly known.
RESULTS
Here, we first determined the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome), plastome, and the nuclear ribosomal cistron (nrDNA) sequences of C. henryi with lengths of 1,168,029 bp, 154,938 bp, and 6495 bp, respectively. We found 2233 repeats and 368 potential SSRs in the mitogenome of C. henryi and 50 homologous DNA fragments between its mitogenome and plastome. Gene synteny analysis revealed a mass of rearrangements in the mitogenomes of Magnolia biondii, Hernandia nymphaeifolia, and C. henryi and only six conserved clustered genes among them. In order to reconstruct relationships for the ten Caryodaphnopsis species in Asia, we created three datasets: one for the mitogenome (coding genes and ten intergenic regions), another for the plastome (whole genome), and the other for the nuclear ribosomal cistron. All of the 22 Caryodaphnopsis individuals were divided into four, five, and six different clades in the phylogenies based on mitogenome, plastome, and nrDNA datasets, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The study showed phylogenetic conflicts within and between nuclear and organellar genome data of Caryodaphnopsis species. The sympatric Caryodaphnopsis species in Hekou and Malipo SW China may be related to the incomplete lineage sorting, chloroplast capture, and/or hybridization, which mixed the species as a complex in their evolutionary history.
Topics: Phylogeny; Genome, Mitochondrial; Lauraceae; Genome, Plant
PubMed: 38937691
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05050-3 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Ichang papeda (Citrus ichangensis), a wild perennial plant of the Rutaceae family, is a cold-hardy plant. WRKY transcription factors are crucial regulators of plant...
BACKGROUND
Ichang papeda (Citrus ichangensis), a wild perennial plant of the Rutaceae family, is a cold-hardy plant. WRKY transcription factors are crucial regulators of plant growth and development as well as abiotic stress responses. However, the WRKY genes in C. ichangensis (CiWRKY) and their expression patterns under cold stress have not been thoroughly investigated, hindering our understanding of their role in cold tolerance.
RESULTS
In this study, a total of 52 CiWRKY genes identified in the genome of C. ichangensis were classified into three main groups and five subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis. Comprehensive analyses of motif features, conserved domains, and gene structures were performed. Segmental duplication plays a significant role in the CiWRKY gene family expansion. Cis-acting element analysis revealed the presence of various stress-responsive elements in the promoters of the majority of CiWRKYs. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and protein-protein interaction predictions indicate that the CiWRKYs exhibit crucial roles in regulation of both development and stress response. Expression profiling analysis demonstrates that 14 CiWRKYs were substantially induced under cold stress. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) assay confirmed that CiWRKY31, one of the cold-induced WRKYs, functions positively in regulation of cold tolerance.
CONCLUSION
Sequence and protein properties of CiWRKYs were systematically analyzed. Among the 52 CiWRKY genes 14 members exhibited cold-responsive expression patterns, and CiWRKY31 was verified to be a positive regulator of cold tolerance. These findings pave way for future investigations to understand the molecular functions of CiWRKYs in cold tolerance and contribute to unravelling WRKYs that may be used for engineering cold tolerance in citrus.
Topics: Transcription Factors; Citrus; Cold-Shock Response; Plant Proteins; Phylogeny; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genome, Plant; Gene Expression Profiling; Genes, Plant; Cold Temperature
PubMed: 38937686
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05320-0 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Salt is an important factor that affects crop productivity. Plant hexokinases (HXKs) are key enzymes in the glycolytic pathway and sugar signaling transduction pathways...
BACKGROUND
Salt is an important factor that affects crop productivity. Plant hexokinases (HXKs) are key enzymes in the glycolytic pathway and sugar signaling transduction pathways of plants. In previous studies, we identified and confirmed the roles of GmHXK2 in salt tolerance.
RESULTS
In this study, we analyzed the tissue-specific expression of GmHXK2 at different growth stages throughout the plant's life cycle. The results showed that GmHXK2 was expressed significantly in all tissues at vegetative stages, including germination and seedling. However, no expression was detected in the pods, and there was little expression in flowers during the later mature period. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the GmHXK2 (OE) had more lateral roots. The OE seedlings also produced higher levels of auxin and ascorbic acid (AsA). Additionally, the expression levels of genes PMM, YUC4/YUC6/YUC8, and PIN/LAX1,LAX3, which are involved respectively in the synthesis of AsA and auxin, as well as polar auxin transport, were upregulated in OE plants. This upregulation occurred specifically under exogenous glucose treatment. AtHKT1, AtSOS1, and AtNHX1 were up-regulated in OE plants under salt stress, suggesting that GmHXK2 may modulate salt tolerance by maintaining ion balance within the cells and alleviating damage caused by salt stress. Additionally, we further confirmed the interaction between GmHXK2 and the protein GmPMM through yeast two-hybridization and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The expression of GmHXK2 gene in plants is organ-specific and developmental stage specific. GmHXK2 not only regulates the synthesis of AsA and the synthesis and distribution of auxin, but also promotes root elongation and induces lateral root formation, potentially enhancing soil water absorption. This study reveals the crosstalk between sugar signaling and hormone signaling in plants, where GmHXK2 acts as a glucose sensor through its interaction with GmPMM, and sheds light on the molecular mechanism by which GmHXK2 gene is involved in salt tolerance in plants.
Topics: Seedlings; Indoleacetic Acids; Salt Tolerance; Glycine max; Ascorbic Acid; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins; Arabidopsis; Plants, Genetically Modified
PubMed: 38937682
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05301-3