-
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024The necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungus (Pers., 1794), the causative agent of gray mold disease, causes significant losses in agricultural production. Control of this... (Review)
Review
The necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungus (Pers., 1794), the causative agent of gray mold disease, causes significant losses in agricultural production. Control of this fungal pathogen is quite difficult due to its wide host range and environmental persistence. Currently, the management of the disease is still mainly based on chemicals, which can have harmful effects not only on the environment and on human health but also because they favor the development of strains resistant to fungicides. The flexibility and plasticity of in challenging plant defense mechanisms and its ability to evolve strategies to escape chemicals require the development of new control strategies for successful disease management. In this review, some aspects of the host-pathogen interactions from which novel and sustainable control strategies could be developed (e.g., signaling pathways, molecules involved in plant immune mechanisms, hormones, post-transcriptional gene silencing) were analyzed. New biotechnological tools based on the use of RNA interference (RNAi) are emerging in the crop protection scenario as versatile, sustainable, effective, and environmentally friendly alternatives to the use of chemicals. RNAi-based fungicides are expected to be approved soon, although they will face several challenges before reaching the market.
Topics: Botrytis; RNA Interference; Plant Diseases; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Fungicides, Industrial
PubMed: 38928507
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126798 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Melatonin (MEL), a hormone primarily known for its role in regulating sleep and circadian rhythms in animals, has emerged as a multifaceted molecule in plants. Recent... (Review)
Review
Melatonin (MEL), a hormone primarily known for its role in regulating sleep and circadian rhythms in animals, has emerged as a multifaceted molecule in plants. Recent research has shed light on its diverse functions in plant growth and defense mechanisms. This review explores the intricate roles of MEL in plant growth and defense responses. MEL is involved in plant growth owing to its influence on hormone regulation. MEL promotes root elongation and lateral root formation and enhances photosynthesis, thereby promoting overall plant growth and productivity. Additionally, MEL is implicated in regulating the circadian rhythm of plants, affecting key physiological processes that influence plant growth patterns. MEL also exhibits antioxidant properties and scavenges reactive oxygen species, thereby mitigating oxidative stress. Furthermore, it activates defense pathways against various biotic stressors. MEL also enhances the production of secondary metabolites that contribute to plant resistance against environmental changes. MEL's ability to modulate plant response to abiotic stresses has also been extensively studied. It regulates stomatal closure, conserves water, and enhances stress tolerance by activating stress-responsive genes and modulating signaling pathways. Moreover, MEL and nitric oxide cooperate in stress responses, antioxidant defense, and plant growth. Understanding the mechanisms underlying MEL's actions in plants will provide new insights into the development of innovative strategies for enhancing crop productivity, improving stress tolerance, and combating plant diseases. Further research in this area will deepen our knowledge of MEL's intricate functions and its potential applications in sustainable agriculture.
Topics: Melatonin; Plant Development; Antioxidants; Stress, Physiological; Plants; Circadian Rhythm; Plant Growth Regulators; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
PubMed: 38928504
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126799 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024In recent years, heavy metal pollution has become increasingly prominent, severely damaging ecosystems and biodiversity, and posing a serious threat to human health.... (Review)
Review
In recent years, heavy metal pollution has become increasingly prominent, severely damaging ecosystems and biodiversity, and posing a serious threat to human health. However, the results of current methods for heavy metal restoration are not satisfactory, so it is urgent to find a new and effective method. Peptides are the units that make up proteins, with small molecular weights and strong biological activities. They can effectively repair proteins by forming complexes, reducing heavy metal ions, activating the plant's antioxidant defense system, and promoting the growth and metabolism of microorganisms. Peptides show great potential for the remediation of heavy metal contamination due to their special structure and properties. This paper reviews the research progress in recent years on the use of peptides to remediate heavy metal pollution, describes the mechanisms and applications of remediation, and provides references for the remediation of heavy metal pollution.
Topics: Metals, Heavy; Peptides; Biodegradation, Environmental; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Humans; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 38928423
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126717 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024The () gene family plays a crucial role in the regulation of plant growth, development, and stress response through activities such as acyltransferases in plant...
The () gene family plays a crucial role in the regulation of plant growth, development, and stress response through activities such as acyltransferases in plant secondary metabolism pathways. Although genes have been identified in various plant species, their specific functions and characteristics in soybean () have not yet been studied. We identified and characterized 73 genes, grouped into three subgroups based on gene structure and phylogenetic relationships. These genes are distributed unevenly across 20 soybean chromosomes and show varied codon usage patterns influenced by both mutation and selection pressures. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment suggests these genes are involved in plant cell wall regulation and stress responses. Expression analysis in various tissues and under stress conditions, including the presence of numerous stress-related cis-acting elements, indicated that these genes have varied expression patterns. This suggests that they play specialized roles such as modulating plant defense mechanisms against nematode infections, enhancing tolerance to drought and high salinity, and responding to cold stress, thereby helping soybean adapt to environmental stresses. Moreover, the expression of specific was significantly affected following exposure to nematode infection, drought, high salt (NaCl), and cold stresses. Our findings underscore the potential of genes in enhancing stress resistance in soybean, providing a valuable resource for future genetic improvement and breeding strategies.
Topics: Glycine max; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Stress, Physiological; Carboxypeptidases; Phylogeny; Plant Proteins; Droughts; Genome, Plant; Genome-Wide Association Study; Chromosomes, Plant
PubMed: 38928417
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126712 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Our study investigates the genetic mechanisms underlying the spotted leaf phenotype in rice, focusing on the mutant. This mutant is characterized by persistent...
Our study investigates the genetic mechanisms underlying the spotted leaf phenotype in rice, focusing on the mutant. This mutant is characterized by persistent reddish-brown leaf spots from the seedling stage to maturity, leading to extensive leaf necrosis. Using map-based cloning, we localized the responsible locus to a 330 Kb region on chromosome 2. We identified , named , as the causative gene. A point mutation in , substituting valine for glutamic acid, was identified as the critical factor for the phenotype. Functional complementation and the generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout lines in the IR64 background confirmed the central role of OsRPT5A in controlling this trait. The qPCR results from different parts of the rice plant revealed that is constitutively expressed across various tissues, with its subcellular localization unaffected by the mutation. Notably, we observed an abnormal accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mutants by examining the physiological indexes of leaves, suggesting a disruption in the ROS system. Complementation studies indicated OsRPT5A's involvement in ROS homeostasis and catalase activity regulation. Moreover, the mutant exhibited enhanced resistance to pv. (), highlighting OsRPT5A's role in rice pathogen resistance mechanisms. Overall, our results suggest that OsRPT5A plays a critical role in regulating ROS homeostasis and enhancing pathogen resistance in rice.
Topics: Oryza; Plant Leaves; Plant Proteins; Chromosome Mapping; Xanthomonas; Plant Diseases; Reactive Oxygen Species; Disease Resistance; Mutation; Phenotype; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
PubMed: 38928342
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126637 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in plant defense mechanisms under adverse environmental conditions, but its metabolism and perception in response to heavy...
Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in plant defense mechanisms under adverse environmental conditions, but its metabolism and perception in response to heavy metals are largely unknown. In exposed to CdCl, an accumulation of free ABA was detected in leaves at different developmental stages (A, youngest, unexpanded; B1, youngest, fully expanded; B2, mature; C, old), with the highest content found in A and B1 leaves. In turn, the content of ABA conjugates, which was highest in B2 and C leaves under control conditions, increased only in A leaves and decreased in leaves of later developmental stages after Cd treatment. Based on the expression of , (9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase), (aldehyde oxidase) and (ABA-UDP-glucosyltransferase), and the activity of PsAOγ, B2 and C leaves were found to be the main sites of Cd-induced de novo synthesis of ABA from carotenoids and ABA conjugation with glucose. In turn, β-glucosidase activity and the expression of genes encoding ABA receptors (, , , ) suggest that in A and B1 leaves, Cd-induced release of ABA from inactive ABA-glucosyl esters and enhanced ABA perception comes to the forefront when dealing with Cd toxicity. The distinct role of leaves at different developmental stages in defense against the harmful effects of Cd is discussed.
Topics: Abscisic Acid; Pisum sativum; Plant Leaves; Cadmium; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins; Dioxygenases; beta-Glucosidase
PubMed: 38928288
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126582 -
Cytoprotective Role of Autophagy in CDIP1 Expression-Induced Apoptosis in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells.International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Cell death-inducing p53-target protein 1 (CDIP1) is a proapoptotic protein that is normally expressed at low levels and is upregulated by genotoxic and endoplasmic...
Cell death-inducing p53-target protein 1 (CDIP1) is a proapoptotic protein that is normally expressed at low levels and is upregulated by genotoxic and endoplasmic reticulum stresses. CDIP1 has been reported to be localized to endosomes and to interact with several proteins, including B-cell receptor-associated protein 31 (BAP31) and apoptosis-linked gene 2 (ALG-2). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying CDIP1 expression-induced apoptosis remain unclear. In this study, we first demonstrated that CDIP1 was upregulated after treatment with the anticancer drug adriamycin in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells but was degraded rapidly in the lysosomal pathway. We also demonstrated that treatment with the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) inhibitor roscovitine led to an increase in the electrophoretic mobility of CDIP1. In addition, a phosphomimetic mutation at Ser-32 in CDIP1 resulted in an increase in CDIP1 expression-induced apoptosis. We also found that CDIP1 expression led to the induction of autophagy prior to apoptosis. Treatment of cells expressing CDIP1 with SAR405, an inhibitor of the class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase VPS34, caused a reduction in autophagy and promoted apoptosis. Therefore, autophagy is thought to be a defense mechanism against CDIP1 expression-induced apoptosis.
Topics: Humans; Autophagy; Apoptosis; MCF-7 Cells; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Doxorubicin; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Cytoprotection
PubMed: 38928226
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126520 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024An approach based on the heat stress and microbial stress model of the medicinal plant was proposed to elucidate the regulation and mechanism of bioactive phenol...
An approach based on the heat stress and microbial stress model of the medicinal plant was proposed to elucidate the regulation and mechanism of bioactive phenol accumulation. This method integrates LC-MS/MS analysis, 16S rRNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and molecular assays to investigate the regulation of phenolic metabolite biosynthesis in rhizome (SL) under stress. Previous research has shown that the metabolites and genes involved in phenol biosynthesis correlate to the upregulation of genes involved in plant-pathogen interactions. High-temperature and the presence of bacteria were observed alongside SL growth. Under conditions of heat stress or bacteria stress, both the metabolites and genes involved in phenol biosynthesis were upregulated. The regulation of phenol content and phenol biosynthesis gene expression suggests that phenol-based chemical defense of SL is stimulated under stress. Furthermore, the rapid accumulation of phenolic substances relied on the consumption of amino acids. Three defensive proteins, namely Ss4CL, SsC4H, and SsF3'5'H, were identified and verified to elucidate phenol biosynthesis in SL. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the phenol-based chemical defense of SL, indicating that bioactive phenol substances result from SL's responses to the environment and providing new insights for growing the high-phenol-content medicinal herb SL.
Topics: Plants, Medicinal; Heat-Shock Response; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Phenols; Phenol; Plant Proteins; Rhizome; Pseudomonas; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 38928085
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126379 -
Cancers Jun 2024The therapeutic potential of cold physical gas plasma operated at atmospheric pressure in oncology has been thoroughly demonstrated in numerous preclinical studies. The...
The therapeutic potential of cold physical gas plasma operated at atmospheric pressure in oncology has been thoroughly demonstrated in numerous preclinical studies. The cytotoxic effect on malignant cells has been attributed mainly to biologically active plasma-generated compounds, namely, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species interferes strongly with the antioxidant defense system of malignant cells, activating multiple signaling cascades and inevitably leading to oxidative stress-induced cell death. This study aims to determine whether plasma-induced cancer cell death operates through a universal molecular mechanism that is independent of the cancer cell type. Using whole transcriptome data, we sought to investigate the activation mechanism of plasma-treated samples in patient-derived prostate cell cultures, melanoma, breast, lymphoma, and lung cancer cells. The results from the standardized single-cohort gene expression analysis and parallel multi-cohort meta-analysis strongly indicate that plasma treatment globally induces cancer cell death through immune-mediated mechanisms, such as interleukin signaling, Toll-like receptor cascades, and MyD88 activation leading to pro-inflammatory cytokine release and tumor antigen presentation.
PubMed: 38927892
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16122186 -
Cancers Jun 2024Cancer cells show altered antioxidant defense systems, dysregulated redox signaling, and increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Targeting cancer cells... (Review)
Review
Cancer cells show altered antioxidant defense systems, dysregulated redox signaling, and increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Targeting cancer cells through ROS-mediated mechanisms has emerged as a significant therapeutic strategy due to its implications in cancer progression, survival, and resistance. Extensive research has focused on selective generation of HO in cancer cells for selective cancer cell killing by employing various strategies such as metal-based prodrugs, photodynamic therapy, enzyme-based systems, nano-particle mediated approaches, chemical modulators, and combination therapies. Many of these HO-amplifying approaches have demonstrated promising anticancer effects and selectivity in preclinical investigations. They selectively induce cytotoxicity in cancer cells while sparing normal cells, sensitize resistant cells, and modulate the tumor microenvironment. However, challenges remain in achieving selectivity, addressing tumor heterogeneity, ensuring efficient delivery, and managing safety and toxicity. To address those issues, HO-generating agents have been combined with other treatments leading to optimized combination therapies. This review focuses on various chemical agents/approaches that kill cancer cells via HO-mediated mechanisms. Different categories of compounds that selectively generate HO in cancer cells are summarized, their underlying mechanisms and function are elucidated, preclinical and clinical studies as well as recent advancements are discussed, and their prospects as targeted therapeutic agents and their therapeutic utility in combination with other treatments are explored. By understanding the potential of these compounds, researchers can pave the way for the development of effective and personalized cancer treatments.
PubMed: 38927877
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16122171