Search

Copyright of Acta Prataculturae Sinica is the property of Acta Prataculturae Sinica Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Squamous promoter binding protein-like (SPL) genes encode plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) that play essential roles in modulating plant growth, development, and stress response. Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a coarse grain crop of great importance in food production, biodiversity conservation and molecular genetic research, providing genetic information and nutritional resources for improving agricultural production and promoting human health. However, only limited researches on the structure and functions of SPL genes exist in pea (PsSPLs). In this study, we identified 22 PsSPLs and conducted a genome-wide analysis of their physical characteristics, chromosome distribution, gene structure, phylogenetic evolution and gene expression patterns. As a result, the PsSPLs were unevenly distributed on the seven chromosomes of pea and harbored the SBP domain, which is composed of approximately 76 amino acid residues. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the PsSPLs clustered into eight subfamilies and showed high homology with SPL genes in soybean. Further analysis showed the presence of segmental duplications in the PsSPLs. The expression patterns of 22 PsSPLs at different tissues, developmental stages and under various stimulus conditions were evaluated by qRT-PCR method. It was found that the expression patterns of PsSPLs from the same subfamily were similar in different tissues, the transcripts of most PsSPLs reached the maximum peak value at 14 days after anthesis in the pod. Abiotic stresses can cause significantly up-regulated PsSPL19 expression with spatiotemporal specificity, in addition, four plant hormones can cause the up-regulated expression of most PsSPLs including PsSPL19 in a time-dependent manner. Therefore, PsSPL19 could be a key candidate gene for signal transduction during pea growth and development, pod formation, abiotic stress and plant hormone response. Our findings should provide insights for the elucidating of development regulation mechanism and breeding for resistance to abiotic stress pea.

Main conclusion: Overexpression of MdLBD3 in Arabidopsis reduced sensitivity to salt and drought stresses and was instrumental in promoting early flowering. Salt and drought stresses have serious effects on plant growth. LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARY DOMAIN (LBD) proteins are a plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) family and play important roles in plants in resisting to abiotic stress. However, about the function of LBDs in apple and other woody plants is little known. In this study, protein sequences of the LBD family TFs in apples were identified which contained conserved LOB domains. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that the MdLBD3 gene was widely expressed in various tissues and organs. The subcellular localization assay showed that the MdLBD3 protein was localized in the nucleus. Ectopic expression of MdLBD3 in Arabidopsis positively regulated its salt and drought resistance, and promoted early flowering. Collectively, these results showed that MdLBD3 improved the abiotic stress resistance, plant growth and development. Overall, this study provided a new gene for breeding that can increase the abiotic stress tolerance in apple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calmodulin-binding protein 60 (CBP60) family is a gene family unique to plants, and its members play a crucial role in plant defense responses to pathogens and growth and development. Considering that cotton is the primary source of natural cotton textile fiber, the functional study of its CBP60 gene family members is critical. In this research, we successfully identified 162 CBP60 members from the genomes of 21 species. Of these, 72 members were found in four cotton species, divided into four clades. To understand the function of GhCBP60B in cotton in depth, we conducted a detailed analysis of its sequence, structure, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Research results show that GhCBP60B is located in the nucleus and plays a crucial role in cotton growth and development and response to salt and drought stress. After using VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) technology to conduct gene silencing experiments, we found that the plants silenced by GhCBP60B showed dwarf plants and shortened stem nodes, and the expression of related immune genes also changed. In further abiotic stress treatment experiments, we found that GhCBP60B-silenced plants were more sensitive to drought and salt stress, and their POD (peroxidase) activity was also significantly reduced. These results imply the vital role of GhCBP60B in cotton, especially in regulating plant responses to drought and salt stress. This study systematically analyzed CBP60 gene family members through bioinformatics methods and explored in depth the biological function of GhCBP60B in cotton. These research results lay a solid foundation for the future use of the GhCBP60B gene to improve cotton plant type and its drought and salt resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as undesirable by‐products of metabolism in various cellular compartments, especially in response to unfavorable environmental conditions, throughout the life cycle of plants. Stress‐induced ROS production disrupts normal cellular function and leads to oxidative damage. To cope with excessive ROS, plants are equipped with a sophisticated antioxidative defense system consisting of enzymatic and non‐enzymatic components that scavenge ROS or inhibit their harmful effects on biomolecules. Nonetheless, when maintained at relatively low levels, ROS act as signaling molecules that regulate plant growth, development, and adaptation to adverse conditions. Here, we provide an overview of current approaches for detecting ROS. We also discuss recent advances in understanding ROS signaling, ROS metabolism, and the roles of ROS in plant growth and responses to various abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal (HM) toxicity is a severe abiotic stress that can cause significant harm to plant development and breeding, posing a challenge to sustainable agriculture. Various factors, including cellular toxicity, oxidative stress, osmotic stress, imbalance in the membrane, and metabolic homeostasis cause negative impacts on plant molecular, physiology and biochemistry. Some heavy metals (HMs) are essential micronutrients that play important roles in various plant processes, while excessive amounts can be harmful and have negative impacts on plant growth, metabolism, physiology, and senescence. Phytotoxicity with HMs and the deposition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and methylglyoxal (MG), can lead to lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, enzyme inactivation, DNA damage, and harm to other vital components of plant cells. Generally, HM toxicity as environmental stress led to response of plant with different mechanisms, first, the stimulus to external stress, secondly all signals transduction to plant cell and finally it beginning to find appropriate actions to mitigate the adverse stress in terms of physiological, biochemical, and molecular in the cell to survive plant. The purpose of this review is to better understand how plants respond physiologically and biochemically to abiotic HM stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytohormone is a key regulator of plant growth and development. It has important effects on plant under biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the dose control of phytohormone is always a difficult problem in the application process, which limits the application range of phytohormone. Nanotechnology, because of its characteristics of controlled release, targeted therapy, non-pollution, high adsorption, lower volatilization of active substances, and low dosage of drug, comes into researchers' vision. Nanomaterials were directly applicated on crops at the early stage, and then active substances, such as pesticides, were encapsulated with nanomaterials, also achieved good results in the field. Currently, more and more attentions have been paid to nano-enabled delivery of phytohormones to plants, and formed a new field in agriculture. In present work, we reviewed the existing literatures, focused on the important regulatory roles of phytohormones in plant growth and development and their application potential, and the development and application prospect of nanomaterials combined with phytohormones were also have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfin-like (AL) proteins are an important class of transcription factor (TF) widely distributed in eukaryotes and play vital roles in many aspects of plant growth and development. AL proteins contain an Alfin-like domain and a specific PHD-finger structure domain at the N-terminus and C-terminus, respectively. The PHD domain can bind to a specific (C/A) CAC element in the promoter region and affect plant growth and development by regulating the expression of functional genes. This review describes a variety of AL transcription factors that have been isolated and characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica rapa, Zea mays, Brassica oleracea, Solanum lycopersicum, Populus trichocarpa, Pyrus bretschenedri, Malus domestica, and other species. These studies have focused mainly on plant growth and development, different abiotic stress responses, different hormonal stress responses, and stress responses after exposure to pathogenic bacteria. However, studies on the molecular functional mechanisms of Alfin-like transcription factors and the interactions between different signaling pathways are rare. In this review, we performed phylogenetic analysis, cluster analysis, and motif analysis based on A. thaliana sequences. We summarize the structural characteristics of AL transcription factors in different plant species and the diverse functions of AL transcription factors in plant development and stress regulation responses. The aim of this study was to provide a reference for further application of the functions and mechanisms of action of the AL protein family in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a traditional Chinese flower with significant ornamental and medicinal value. Its growth and development process is regulated by some internal and external factors, and the related regulatory mechanism is largely unknown. Myelocytomatosis transcription factors (MYCs) play significant roles in various processes such as plant growth and development, the phytohormone response, and the stress response. As the identification and understanding of the MYC family in tree peony remains limited, this study aimed to address this gap by identifying a total of 15 PsMYCs in tree peony and categorizing them into six subgroups based on bioinformatics methods. Furthermore, the gene structure, conservative domains, cis-elements, and expression patterns of the PsMYCs were thoroughly analyzed to provide a comprehensive overview of their characteristics. An analysis in terms of gene structure and conserved motif composition suggested that each subtribe had similarities in function. An analysis of the promoter sequence revealed the presence of numerous cis-elements associated with plant growth and development, the hormone response, and the stress response. qRT-PCR results and the protein interaction network further demonstrated the potential functions of PsMYCs in the growth and development process. While in comparison to the control, only PsMYC2 exhibited a statistically significant variation in expression levels in response to exogenous hormone treatments and abiotic stress. A promoter activity analysis of PsMYC2 revealed its sensitivity to Flu and high temperatures, but exhibited no discernible difference under exogenous GA treatment. These findings help establish a basis for comprehending the molecular mechanism by which PsMYCs regulate the growth and development of tree peony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytokinins (CKs) are among the hormones that regulate plants' growth and development, and the CKX and IPT genes, which are CK degradation and biosynthesis genes, respectively, play important roles in fine-tuning plants' cytokinin levels. However, the current research on the function of IPT and CKX in cucumber's growth, development, and response to abiotic stress is not specific enough, and their regulatory mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we focused on the IPT and CKX genes in cucumber, analyzed the physiological and biochemical properties of their encoded proteins, and explored their expression patterns in different tissue parts and under low light, salt stress, and drought stress. Eight CsCKX and eight CsIPT genes were identified from the cucumber genome. We constructed a phylogenetic tree from the amino acid sequences and performed prediction analyses of the cis-acting elements of the CsCKX and CsIPT promoters to determine whether CsCKXs and CsIPTs are responsive to light, abiotic stress, and different hormones. We also performed expression analysis of these genes in different tissues, and we found that CsCKXs and CsIPTs were highly expressed in roots and male flowers. Thus, they are involved in the whole growth and development process of the plant. This paper provides a reference for further research on the biological functions of CsIPT and CsCKX in regulating the growth and development of cucumber and its response to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a class of transcription factors consisting of NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC subunits, which are widely distributed in eukaryotes. The NF-YC subunit regulates plant growth and development and plays an important role in the response to stresses. However, there are few reports on this gene subfamily in tea plants. In this study, nine CsNF-YC genes were identified in the genome of 'Longjing 43'. Their phylogeny, gene structure, promoter cis-acting elements, motifs and chromosomal localization of these gene were analyzed. Tissue expression characterization revealed that most of the CsNF-YCs were expressed at low levels in the terminal buds and at relatively high levels in the flowers and roots. CsNF-YC genes responded significantly to gibberellic acid (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. We further focused on CsNF-YC6 because it may be involved in the growth and development of tea plants and the regulation of response to abiotic stresses. The CsNF-YC6 protein is localized in the nucleus. Arabidopsis that overexpressed CsNF-YC6 (CsNF-YC6-OE) showed increased seed germination and increased root length under ABA and GA treatments. In addition, the number of cauline leaves, stem lengths and silique numbers were significantly higher in overexpressing Arabidopsis lines than wild type under long-day growth conditions, and CsNF-YC6 promoted primary root growth and increased flowering in Arabidopsis. qPCR analysis showed that in CsNF-YC6-OE lines, flowering pathway-related genes were transcribed at higher levels than wild type. The investigation of the CsNF-YC gene has unveiled that CsNF-YC6 plays a pivotal role in plant growth, root and flower development, as well as responses to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene is an essential plant hormone, critical in various physiological processes. These processes include seed germination, leaf senescence, fruit ripening, and the plant's response to environmental stressors. Ethylene biosynthesis is tightly regulated by two key enzymes, namely 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACO). Initially, the prevailing hypothesis suggested that ACS is the limiting factor in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence from various studies has demonstrated that ACO, under specific circumstances, acts as the rate-limiting enzyme in ethylene production. Under normal developmental processes, ACS and ACO collaborate to maintain balanced ethylene production, ensuring proper plant growth and physiology. However, under abiotic stress conditions, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, or pathogen attack, the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis becomes critical for plants' survival. This review highlights the structural characteristics and examines the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational regulation of ACS and ACO and their role under abiotic stress conditions. Reviews on the role of ethylene signaling in abiotic stress adaptation are available. However, a review delineating the role of ACS and ACO in abiotic stress acclimation is unavailable. Exploring how particular ACS and ACO isoforms contribute to a specific plant's response to various abiotic stresses and understanding how they are regulated can guide the development of focused strategies. These strategies aim to enhance a plant's ability to cope with environmental challenges more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic/helix‑loop‑helix (bHLH) transcription factor represents the second largest family of transcription factors in the plant kingdom. It is widely distributed across the genomes of various plants and plays crucial regulatory roles in plant growth, development, secondary metabolism, and responses to abiotic stresses. Here, we present a comprehensive review focusing on the structural characteristics, taxonomic rules, and biological functions of the bHLH gene family, with particular emphasis on its involvement in plant growth, development, responses to abiotic stresses (such as drought, low temperature, salt, and heavy metals), and its significant role in the biosynthesis and dynamic accumulation of secondary metabolites. This thorough investigation allows for a deeper understanding of the contributions of bHLH to growth, development, stress resistance, and quality formation in plants. Moreover, it provides valuable insights for future research concerning the molecular regulatory mechanisms of bHLH in plant growth, development, stress resistance, quality formation, and the exploration of germplasm resources. Furthermore, bHLH has emerged as a prominent focus in the realms of molecular biopharmacology and ecological agriculture of Chinese medicine due to its extensive involvement in regulating the synthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants. We also summarize recent progress on the bHLH gene family and its members within two medicinal plants, namely Salvia miltiorrhiza and Artemisia annua. This investigation aims to offer valuable references for in‑depth studies on the bHLH gene family in medicinal plants and to propose novel ideas for the advancement of molecular breeding and anthropomorphic cultivation of medicinal plants, as well as the development of ecological agriculture for Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRKY transcription factors are a class of trans-acting factors unique to plants. WRKY gene family has many members and is one of the largest families of transcription factors in plants. At present, the WRKY transcription factor family has been genome-wide identified in various horticultural plants. A large number of studies have shown that WRKY transcription factors are involved in various biological processes in plants, such as nutrient deprivation, embryogenesis, seed development, trichome development, leaf senescence, and other developmental and hormonal regulation processes. They are important components of many regulatory signal networks. WRKY transcription factors play an important role in the transcriptional regulation mechanism of plant adaptation to various stress environments. It has been shown to play an important role in biological stress response and participate in plant defense mechanisms. Its important role in the regulation of plant defense against pathogens, viruses and pests is gradually being revealed. In addition, the role of WRKY transcription factors in plant response to environmental abiotic stresses has been continuously analyzed. WRKY transcription factors are involved in regulating plant response to drought, temperature, salt and osmosis, and plays a positive or negative regulatory role in this process. Based on the relevant research results in recent years, the roles and regulatory mechanisms of WRKY transcription factors in the growth and development, stress response and metabolic synthesis of horticultural plants are reviewed in this paper. Meanwhile, the important biological functions of WRKY transcription factors in horticultural plants are further clarified as well. Furthermore, the transcriptional regulation network mediated by WRKY transcription factors is elucidated, which will provide theoretical supports for genetic resources and molecular breeding related to excellent traits of horticultural plants.

The calmodulin-binding protein 60 (CBP60) family is a gene family unique to plants, and its members play a crucial role in plant defense responses to pathogens and growth and development. Considering that cotton is the primary source of natural cotton textile fiber, the functional study of its CBP60 gene family members is critical. In this research, we successfully identified 162 CBP60 members from the genomes of 21 species. Of these, 72 members were found in four cotton species, divided into four clades. To understand the function of GhCBP60B in cotton in depth, we conducted a detailed analysis of its sequence, structure, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Research results show that GhCBP60B is located in the nucleus and plays a crucial role in cotton growth and development and response to salt and drought stress. After using VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) technology to conduct gene silencing experiments, we found that the plants silenced by GhCBP60B showed dwarf plants and shortened stem nodes, and the expression of related immune genes also changed. In further abiotic stress treatment experiments, we found that GhCBP60B-silenced plants were more sensitive to drought and salt stress, and their POD (peroxidase) activity was also significantly reduced. These results imply the vital role of GhCBP60B in cotton, especially in regulating plant responses to drought and salt stress. This study systematically analyzed CBP60 gene family members through bioinformatics methods and explored in depth the biological function of GhCBP60B in cotton. These research results lay a solid foundation for the future use of the GhCBP60B gene to improve cotton plant type and its drought and salt resistance.

Abstract As agricultural production is reaching its limits regarding outputs and land use, the need to further improve crop yield is greater than ever. The limited translatability from in vitro lab results into more natural growth conditions in soil remains problematic. Although considerable progress has been made in developing soil‐growth assays to tackle this bottleneck, the majority of these assays use pots or whole trays, making them not only space‐ and resource‐intensive, but also hampering the individual treatment of plants. Therefore, we developed a flexible and compact screening system named PhenoWell® in which individual seedlings are grown in wells filled with soil allowing single‐plant treatments. The system makes use of an automated image‐analysis pipeline that extracts multiple growth parameters from individual seedlings over time, including projected rosette area, relative growth rate, compactness, and stockiness. Macronutrient, hormone, salt, osmotic, and drought stress treatments were tested in the PhenoWell® system. The system is also optimized for maize with results that are consistent with Arabidopsis while different in amplitude. We conclude that the PhenoWell® system enables a high‐throughput, precise, and uniform application of a small amount of solution to individually soil‐grown plants, which increases the replicability and reduces variability and compound usage.

MYB transcription factors (TFs) have been extensively studied in plant abiotic stress responses and growth and development. However, the role of MYB TFs in the heat stress response and growth and development of Pleurotus ostreatus remains unclear. To investigate the function of PoMYB12, PoMYB15, and PoMYB20 TFs in P. ostreatus, mutant strains of PoMYB12, PoMYB15, and PoMYB20 were generated using RNA interference (RNAi) and overexpression (OE) techniques. The results indicated that the mycelia of OE-PoMYB12, OE-PoMYB20, and RNAi-PoMYB15 mutant strains exhibited positive effects under heat stress at 32 °C, 36 °C, and 40 °C. Compared to wild-type strains, the OE-PoMYB12, OE-PoMYB20, and RNAi-PoMYB15 mutant strains promoted the growth and development of P. ostreatus. These mutant strains also facilitated the recovery of growth and development of P. ostreatus after 24 h of 36 °C heat stress. In conclusion, the expression of PoMYB12 and PoMYB20 supports the mycelium's response to heat stress and enhances the growth and development of P. ostreatus, whereas PoMYB15 produces the opposite effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRKY transcription factors are a class of trans-acting factors unique to plants. WRKY gene family has many members and is one of the largest families of transcription factors in plants. At present, the WRKY transcription factor family has been genome-wide identified in various horticultural plants. A large number of studies have shown that WRKY transcription factors are involved in various biological processes in plants, such as nutrient deprivation, embryogenesis, seed development, trichome development, leaf senescence, and other developmental and hormonal regulation processes. They are important components of many regulatory signal networks. WRKY transcription factors play an important role in the transcriptional regulation mechanism of plant adaptation to various stress environments. It has been shown to play an important role in biological stress response and participate in plant defense mechanisms. Its important role in the regulation of plant defense against pathogens, viruses and pests is gradually being revealed. In addition, the role of WRKY transcription factors in plant response to environmental abiotic stresses has been continuously analyzed. WRKY transcription factors are involved in regulating plant response to drought, temperature, salt and osmosis, and plays a positive or negative regulatory role in this process. Based on the relevant research results in recent years, the roles and regulatory mechanisms of WRKY transcription factors in the growth and development, stress response and metabolic synthesis of horticultural plants are reviewed in this paper. Meanwhile, the important biological functions of WRKY transcription factors in horticultural plants are further clarified as well. Furthermore, the transcriptional regulation network mediated by WRKY transcription factors is elucidated, which will provide theoretical supports for genetic resources and molecular breeding related to excellent traits of horticultural plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) is an upstream component of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade signaling pathway. It is responsible for receiving the external signals and transmitting them to the downstream MAPKK and MAPK, which plays an important role in the process of receiving, amplifying, and transmitting MAPK cascade signals. In recent years, some studies confirmed that the MAPK cascade signaling pathway has played an important role in the growth and development process of plant and the adaptation to the adversity stress. Therefore, the research progress on the involvement of MAPKKK in the regulation of plant growth and development and the resistance to adversity stress was reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) are evolutionarily conserved DUF26-containing receptor-like kinases (RLKs). CRKs regulate pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity by modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, Ca2+ influx, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade activation, phytohormone signaling, and callose deposition. CRKs control abiotic stress response and the stress–growth balance. Future research using CRISPR, inducible systems, single-cell omics, post-translational modification analysis, and proximity-labeling proteomics will advance our understanding of plant CRKs. Cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) belong to a large DUF26-containing receptor-like kinase (RLK) family. They play key roles in immunity, abiotic stress response, and growth and development. How CRKs regulate diverse processes is a long-standing question. Recent studies have advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying CRK functions in Ca2+ influx, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade activation, callose deposition, stomatal immunity, and programmed cell death (PCD). We review the CRK structure–function relationship with a focus on the roles of CRKs in immunity, the abiotic stress response, and the growth–stress tolerance tradeoff. We provide a critical analysis and synthesis of how CRKs control sophisticated regulatory networks that determine diverse plant phenotypic outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a traditional Chinese flower with significant ornamental and medicinal value. Its growth and development process is regulated by some internal and external factors, and the related regulatory mechanism is largely unknown. Myelocytomatosis transcription factors (MYCs) play significant roles in various processes such as plant growth and development, the phytohormone response, and the stress response. As the identification and understanding of the MYC family in tree peony remains limited, this study aimed to address this gap by identifying a total of 15 PsMYCs in tree peony and categorizing them into six subgroups based on bioinformatics methods. Furthermore, the gene structure, conservative domains, cis-elements, and expression patterns of the PsMYCs were thoroughly analyzed to provide a comprehensive overview of their characteristics. An analysis in terms of gene structure and conserved motif composition suggested that each subtribe had similarities in function. An analysis of the promoter sequence revealed the presence of numerous cis-elements associated with plant growth and development, the hormone response, and the stress response. qRT-PCR results and the protein interaction network further demonstrated the potential functions of PsMYCs in the growth and development process. While in comparison to the control, only PsMYC2 exhibited a statistically significant variation in expression levels in response to exogenous hormone treatments and abiotic stress. A promoter activity analysis of PsMYC2 revealed its sensitivity to Flu and high temperatures, but exhibited no discernible difference under exogenous GA treatment. These findings help establish a basis for comprehending the molecular mechanism by which PsMYCs regulate the growth and development of tree peony.

Alfin-like (AL) proteins are an important class of transcription factor (TF) widely distributed in eukaryotes and play vital roles in many aspects of plant growth and development. AL proteins contain an Alfin-like domain and a specific PHD-finger structure domain at the N-terminus and C-terminus, respectively. The PHD domain can bind to a specific (C/A) CAC element in the promoter region and affect plant growth and development by regulating the expression of functional genes. This review describes a variety of AL transcription factors that have been isolated and characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica rapa, Zea mays, Brassica oleracea, Solanum lycopersicum, Populus trichocarpa, Pyrus bretschenedri, Malus domestica, and other species. These studies have focused mainly on plant growth and development, different abiotic stress responses, different hormonal stress responses, and stress responses after exposure to pathogenic bacteria. However, studies on the molecular functional mechanisms of Alfin-like transcription factors and the interactions between different signaling pathways are rare. In this review, we performed phylogenetic analysis, cluster analysis, and motif analysis based on A. thaliana sequences. We summarize the structural characteristics of AL transcription factors in different plant species and the diverse functions of AL transcription factors in plant development and stress regulation responses. The aim of this study was to provide a reference for further application of the functions and mechanisms of action of the AL protein family in plants.

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a class of transcription factors consisting of NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC subunits, which are widely distributed in eukaryotes. The NF-YC subunit regulates plant growth and development and plays an important role in the response to stresses. However, there are few reports on this gene subfamily in tea plants. In this study, nine CsNF-YC genes were identified in the genome of ‘Longjing 43’. Their phylogeny, gene structure, promoter cis-acting elements, motifs and chromosomal localization of these gene were analyzed. Tissue expression characterization revealed that most of the CsNF-YCs were expressed at low levels in the terminal buds and at relatively high levels in the flowers and roots. CsNF-YC genes responded significantly to gibberellic acid (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. We further focused on CsNF-YC6 because it may be involved in the growth and development of tea plants and the regulation of response to abiotic stresses. The CsNF-YC6 protein is localized in the nucleus. Arabidopsis that overexpressed CsNF-YC6 (CsNF-YC6-OE) showed increased seed germination and increased root length under ABA and GA treatments. In addition, the number of cauline leaves, stem lengths and silique numbers were significantly higher in overexpressing Arabidopsis lines than wild type under long-day growth conditions, and CsNF-YC6 promoted primary root growth and increased flowering in Arabidopsis. qPCR analysis showed that in CsNF-YC6-OE lines, flowering pathway-related genes were transcribed at higher levels than wild type. The investigation of the CsNF-YC gene has unveiled that CsNF-YC6 plays a pivotal role in plant growth, root and flower development, as well as responses to abiotic stress.

Ethylene is an essential plant hormone, critical in various physiological processes. These processes include seed germination, leaf senescence, fruit ripening, and the plant’s response to environmental stressors. Ethylene biosynthesis is tightly regulated by two key enzymes, namely 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACO). Initially, the prevailing hypothesis suggested that ACS is the limiting factor in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence from various studies has demonstrated that ACO, under specific circumstances, acts as the rate-limiting enzyme in ethylene production. Under normal developmental processes, ACS and ACO collaborate to maintain balanced ethylene production, ensuring proper plant growth and physiology. However, under abiotic stress conditions, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, or pathogen attack, the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis becomes critical for plants’ survival. This review highlights the structural characteristics and examines the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational regulation of ACS and ACO and their role under abiotic stress conditions. Reviews on the role of ethylene signaling in abiotic stress adaptation are available. However, a review delineating the role of ACS and ACO in abiotic stress acclimation is unavailable. Exploring how particular ACS and ACO isoforms contribute to a specific plant’s response to various abiotic stresses and understanding how they are regulated can guide the development of focused strategies. These strategies aim to enhance a plant’s ability to cope with environmental challenges more effectively.

The WOX（WUSCHEL-related homeobox）proteins comprise a plant-specific transcription factor family, which contain a DNA-binding homeodomain（HD）consisting of 65-66 amino acid residues. WOX family members are involved in important biological processes such as plant growth and development and responses to abiotic stress by regulating the expressions of target genes at the transcriptional level. This article reviews the classification and structural characteristics of plant WOX family members, and focusing on the functional research progress in the regulation of plant growth and development（such as root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, seed, and embryo）and plant responses to abiotic（including drought, salt, and cold）stresses. The significance of studying of WOX transcription factors and the issues to be solved are also prospected, aiming to provide a reference for further research on the function of WOX family genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) irreversibly degrades cytokinin, regulates growth and development, and helps plants to respond to environmental stress. Although the CKX gene has been well characterized in various plants, its role in soybean remains elusive. Therefore, in this study, the evolutionary relationship, chromosomal location, gene structure, motifs, cisregulatory elements, collinearity, and gene expression patterns of GmCKXs were analyzed using RNA-seq, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and bioinformatics. We identified 18 GmCKX genes from the soybean genome and grouped them into five clades, each comprising members with similar gene structures and motifs. Cis-acting elements involved in hormones, resistance, and physiological metabolism were detected in the promoter regions of GmCKXs. Synteny analysis indicated that segmental duplication events contributed to the expansion of the soybean CKX family. The expression profiling of the GmCKXs genes using qRT-PCR showed tissue-specific expression patterns. The RNA-seq analysis also indicated that GmCKXs play an important role in response to salt and drought stresses at the seedling stage. The responses of the genes to salt, drought, synthetic cytokinin 6-benzyl aminopurine (6-BA), and the auxin indole- 3-acetic acid (IAA) at the germination stage were further evaluated by qRT-PCR. Specifically, the GmCKX14 gene was downregulated in the roots and the radicles at the germination stage. The hormones 6-BA and IAA repressed the expression levels of GmCKX1, GmCKX6, and GmCKX9 genes but upregulated the expression levels of GmCKX10 and GmCKX18 genes. The three abiotic stresses also decreased the zeatin content in soybean radicle but enhanced the activity of the CKX enzymes. Conversely, the 6-BA and IAA treatments enhanced the CKX enzymes’ activity but reduced the zeatin content in the radicles. This study, therefore, provides a reference for the functional analysis of GmCKXs in soybean in response to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As agricultural production is reaching its limits regarding outputs and land use, the need to further improve crop yield is greater than ever. The limited translatability from in vitro lab results into more natural growth conditions in soil remains problematic. Although considerable progress has been made in developing soil‐growth assays to tackle this bottleneck, the majority of these assays use pots or whole trays, making them not only space‐ and resource‐intensive, but also hampering the individual treatment of plants. Therefore, we developed a flexible and compact screening system named PhenoWell® in which individual seedlings are grown in wells filled with soil allowing single‐plant treatments. The system makes use of an automated image‐analysis pipeline that extracts multiple growth parameters from individual seedlings over time, including projected rosette area, relative growth rate, compactness, and stockiness. Macronutrient, hormone, salt, osmotic, and drought stress treatments were tested in the PhenoWell® system. The system is also optimized for maize with results that are consistent with Arabidopsis while different in amplitude. We conclude that the PhenoWell® system enables a high‐throughput, precise, and uniform application of a small amount of solution to individually soil‐grown plants, which increases the replicability and reduces variability and compound usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEET) proteins function as sugar transporters that play key roles in plant growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, little is known about the SWEET gene family in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In this study, 24 putative PvSWEET genes were identified. They can be categorized into four subgroups based on a phylogenetic analysis, exon–intron structure, cis-regulatory elements, and MEME motifs. A collinearity analysis showed that three pairs of segmental duplicated events were identified. The Phytozome database showed that 16 PvSWEET genes were highly expressed in reproductive organs. PvSWEET5 was expressed the most highly in all the tissues tested, while PvSWEET8/9/10/13 were undetectable in the datasets. The results of qRT-PCR analysis showed that PvSWEET24 was significantly up-regulated following treatment with NaCl, CdCl2, and HgCl2, whereas the PvSWEET5 and PvSWEET20 genes displayed a specific negative response to CdCl2 stress. Collectively, this study provides comprehensive information for the role of SWEET gene family in common bean and lays a solid foundation to elucidate the biological function of the PvSWEET gene family, as well as provide insights into the correlation between the PvSWEET genes and responses to metal stresses.

Melatonin is a multifunctional molecule that has been widely discovered in most plants. An increasing number of studies have shown that melatonin plays essential roles in plant growth and stress tolerance. It has been extensively applied to alleviate the harmful effects of abiotic stresses. In view of its role in regulating aspects of plant growth and development, we ponder and summarize the scientific discoveries about seed germination, root development, flowering, fruit maturation, and senescence. Under abiotic and biotic stresses, melatonin brings together many pathways to increase access to treatments for the symptoms of plants and to counteract the negative effects. It has the capacity to tackle regulation of the redox, plant hormone networks, and endogenous melatonin. Furthermore, the expression levels of several genes and the contents of diverse secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols, terpenoids, and alkaloids, were significantly altered. In this review, we intend to examine the actions of melatonin in plants from a broader perspective, explore the range of its physiological functions, and analyze the relationship between melatonin and other metabolites and metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stresses such as cold, drought and salinity are the key environmental factors that limit the yield and quality of oil crop peanut. Phospholipase Ds (PLDs) are crucial hydrolyzing enzymes involved in lipid mediated signaling and have valuable functions in plant growth, development and stress tolerance. Here, 22, 22 and 46 PLD genes were identified in Arachis duranensis, Arachis ipaensis and Arachis hypogaea, respectively, and divided into α, α, γ, δ, ε, ζ and φ isoforms. Phylogenetic relationships, structural domains and molecular evolution proved the conservation of PLDs between allotetraploid peanut and its diploid progenitors. Almost each A. hypogaea PLD except for AhPLDα6B had a corresponding homolog in A. duranensis and A. ipaensis genomes. The expansion of Arachis PLD gene families were mainly attributed to segmental and tandem duplications under strong purifying selection. Functionally, the most proteins interacting with AhPLDs were crucial components of lipid metabolic pathways, in which ahymiR3510, ahy-miR3513-3p and ahy-miR3516 might be hub regulators. Furthermore, plenty of cis-regulatory elements involved in plant growth and development, hormones and stress responses were identified. The tissuespecific transcription profiling revealed the broad and unique expression patterns of AhPLDs in various developmental stages. The qRT-PCR analysis indicated that most AhPLDs could be induced by specific or multiple abiotic stresses. Especially, AhPLDα3A, AhPLDα5A, AhPLDβ1A, AhPLDβ2A and AhPLDdδA were highly up-regulated under all three abiotic stresses, whereas AhPLDα9A was neither expressed in 22 peanut tissues nor induced by any abiotic stresses. This genome-wide study provides a systematic analysis of the Arachis PLD gene families and valuable information for further functional study of candidate AhPLDs in peanut growth and abiotic stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal hydrophobins have many important physiological functions, such as maintaining hydrophobicity and affecting virulence, growth, and development. In Ganoderma lucidum , the molecular regulation mechanisms of hydrophobins in mushroom are unclear. In this study, we investigated a hydrophobin protein 1 (Hyd1) in G. lucidum , which belongs to the fungal Class I hydrophobins. The hyd1 gene was highly expressed during the formation of primordia, and expression was the lowest in fruiting bodies. Through the construction of hyd1 silenced strains, we found that primordia formation was not initiated in these strains. This finding indicated that Hyd1 played an important role in the development of G. lucidum. Second, AreA, a key transcription factor in nitrogen metabolism, negatively regulated the expression of hyd1. In an areA -silenced strain, the expression of hyd1 increased by ∼14-fold compared with that of the wild-type (WT) strain. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) indicated binding of AreA to the promoter of hyd1. Additionally, expression of hyd1 was determined in the presence of different nitrogen sources. Compared with that in the ammonia nitrogen source, the expression of hyd1 in nitrate nitrogen source significantly increased. Finally, we found that hyd1 plays important roles not only in nitrogen regulation but also in the resistance to other abiotic stresses. After silencing of hyd1 , the resistance to heat, cell wall, and salt stresses decreased. Our findings reveal the important roles of Hyd1 in the development and resistance to abiotic stresses in G. lucidum and provide insights into the nitrogen regulation mechanism of hydrophobins in higher basidiomycetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) irreversibly degrades cytokinin, regulates growth and development, and helps plants to respond to environmental stress. Although the CKX gene has been well characterized in various plants, its role in soybean remains elusive. Therefore, in this study, the evolutionary relationship, chromosomal location, gene structure, motifs, cis-regulatory elements, collinearity, and gene expression patterns of GmCKXs were analyzed using RNA-seq, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and bioinformatics. We identified 18 GmCKX genes from the soybean genome and grouped them into five clades, each comprising members with similar gene structures and motifs. Cis-acting elements involved in hormones, resistance, and physiological metabolism were detected in the promoter regions of GmCKXs. Synteny analysis indicated that segmental duplication events contributed to the expansion of the soybean CKX family. The expression profiling of the GmCKXs genes using qRT-PCR showed tissue-specific expression patterns. The RNA-seq analysis also indicated that GmCKXs play an important role in response to salt and drought stresses at the seedling stage. The responses of the genes to salt, drought, synthetic cytokinin 6-benzyl aminopurine (6-BA), and the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at the germination stage were further evaluated by qRT-PCR. Specifically, the GmCKX14 gene was downregulated in the roots and the radicles at the germination stage. The hormones 6-BA and IAA repressed the expression levels of GmCKX1, GmCKX6, and GmCKX9 genes but upregulated the expression levels of GmCKX10 and GmCKX18 genes. The three abiotic stresses also decreased the zeatin content in soybean radicle but enhanced the activity of the CKX enzymes. Conversely, the 6-BA and IAA treatments enhanced the CKX enzymes’ activity but reduced the zeatin content in the radicles. This study, therefore, provides a reference for the functional analysis of GmCKXs in soybean in response to abiotic stresses.

Sugar Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEET) proteins function as sugar transporters that play key roles in plant growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, little is known about the SWEET gene family in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In this study, 24 putative PvSWEET genes were identified. They can be categorized into four subgroups based on a phylogenetic analysis, exon–intron structure, cis-regulatory elements, and MEME motifs. A collinearity analysis showed that three pairs of segmental duplicated events were identified. The Phytozome database showed that 16 PvSWEET genes were highly expressed in reproductive organs. PvSWEET5 was expressed the most highly in all the tissues tested, while PvSWEET8/9/10/13 were undetectable in the datasets. The results of qRT-PCR analysis showed that PvSWEET24 was significantly up-regulated following treatment with NaCl, CdCl2, and HgCl2, whereas the PvSWEET5 and PvSWEET20 genes displayed a specific negative response to CdCl2 stress. Collectively, this study provides comprehensive information for the role of SWEET gene family in common bean and lays a solid foundation to elucidate the biological function of the PvSWEET gene family, as well as provide insights into the correlation between the PvSWEET genes and responses to metal stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-coding RNAs play an important role in alfalfa growth and development, resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, and alfalfa miRNAs can also cross-kingdom regulate the development of cancer in animals. Over-expression of miR-156 can delay the flowering time of alfalfa by 3~5 d or more than 45 d in different genotypes, which could also reduce the fiber content of alfalfa. miR-169, miR-172, enod40, lncRNA PDIL1, etc. could be involved in regulating the root formation of alfalfa roots, besides, miR-395 and lncRNA TCONS_00020253 improve the salt tolerance of alfalfa. Alfalfa miR-5754 (mtr-miR-5754) could directly target MALAT1 to regulate cancer development and more. Therefore, studying the function of alfalfa non-coding RNAs could provide molecular basis for improving alfalfa bioproduction and cultivating new varieties. The paper reviews the formation, action modes and regulatory mechanisms of miRNA, lncRNA and circRNA in non-coding RNA on alfalfa growth and development (flowers, leaves, roots and seeds), biotic stress, abiotic stress (salt, drought, low temperature and metal ions), etc, which provides strategies for further research on related molecular mechanisms and lays a foundation for improving alfalfa quality and yield by using non-coding RNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitin-proteasome system（UPS）is an important regulatory system for proteostasis in organisms. By means of degrading different target proteins，UPS participates in diverse cellular processes. SINA E3 ubiquitin ligase is a key type of E3 ubiquitin ligases of UPS，playing extensive and important biological functions. This research elaborated the functional research status of SINA E3 ubiquitin ligase since the first one was discovered in plant. Four main aspects of its functions，including in plant growth and development，plant responses under adverse environment，interactions between plant and other organisms and plant autophagy were expounded. Generally，all the reported functions of SINA E3 ubiquitin ligase in plant were summarized. Meanwhile，the existing issues and research prospects for functional study of SINA E3 in plant are proposed. Therefore，all the above would provide valuable reference for the further functional research of SINA E3 in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progesterone is a steroid hormone that performs important functions in mammals. However, studies on its physiological functions in plants have gradually increased in recent years. Therefore, this review summarizes the regulatory functions of progesterone on plant growth and development, as well as its response to stress. Moreover, the plant metabolic processes of progesterone are also discussed. Overall, progesterone is ubiquitous in plants and can regulate numerous plant physiological processes at low concentrations. Since progesterone shares similar characteristics with plant hormones, it is expected to become a candidate for plant hormone. However, most of the current research on progesterone in plants is limited to the physiological level, and more molecular level research is needed to clarify progesterone signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tea plant is an important economic crop and is widely cultivated. Isopentenyl transferase (IPT) is the first and rate-limiting enzyme of cytokinin (CK) signaling, which plays key roles in plant development and abiotic stress. However, the IPT gene family in tea plants has not been systematically investigated until now. The phylogenetic analyses, gene structures, and conserved domains were predicted here. The results showed that a total of 13 CsIPT members were identified from a tea plant genome database and phylogenetically classified into four groups. Furthermore, 10 CsIPT members belonged to plant ADP/ATP-IPT genes, and 3 CsIPTs were tRNA-IPT genes. There is a conserved putative ATP/GTP-binding site (P-loop motif) in all the CsIPT sequences. Based on publicly available transcriptome data as well as through RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis, the CsIPT genes which play key roles in the development of different tissues were identified, respectively. Furthermore, CsIPT6.2 may be involved in the response to different light treatments. CsIPT6.4 may play a key role during the dormancy and flush of the lateral buds. CsIPT5.1 may play important regulatory roles during the development of the lateral bud, leaf, and flower. CsIPT5.2 and CsIPT6.2 may both play key roles for increased resistance to cold-stress, whereas CsIPT3.2 may play a key role in improving resistance to high-temperature stress as well as drought-stress and rewatering. This study could provide a reference for further studies of CsIPT family's functions and could contribute to tea molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin has attracted widespread attention after its discovery in higher plants. Tomato is a key model economic crop for studying fleshy fruits. Many studies have shown that melatonin plays important role in plant stress resistance, growth, and development. However, the research progress on the role of melatonin and related mechanisms in tomatoes have not been systematically summarized. This paper summarizes the detection methods and anabolism of melatonin in tomatoes, including (1) the role of melatonin in combating abiotic stresses, e.g., drought, heavy metals, pH, temperature, salt, salt and heat, cold and drought, peroxidation hydrogen and carbendazim, etc., (2) the role of melatonin in combating biotic stresses, such as tobacco mosaic virus and foodborne bacillus, and (3) the role of melatonin in tomato growth and development, such as fruit ripening, postharvest shelf life, leaf senescence and root development. In addition, the future research directions of melatonin in tomatoes are explored in combination with the role of melatonin in other plants. This review can provide a theoretical basis for enhancing the scientific understanding of the role of melatonin in tomatoes and the improved breeding of fruit crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 14-3-3 proteins widely exist in almost all plant species. They specifically recognize and interact with phosphorylated target proteins, including protein kinases, phosphatases, transcription factors and functional proteins, offering an array of opportunities for 14-3-3s to participate in the signal transduction processes. 14-3-3s are multigene families and can form homo- and heterodimers, which confer functional specificity of 14-3-3 proteins. They are widely involved in regulating biochemical and cellular processes and plant growth and development, including cell elongation and division, seed germination, vegetative and reproductive growth, and seed dormancy. They mediate plant response to environmental stresses such as salt, alkaline, osmotic, drought, cold and other abiotic stresses, partially via hormone-related signalling pathways. Although many studies have reviewed the function of 14-3-3 proteins, recent research on plant 14-3-3s has achieved significant advances. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamental properties of 14-3-3 proteins and systematically summarize and dissect the emerging advances in understanding the roles of 14-3-3s in plant growth and development and abiotic stress responses. Some ambiguous questions about the roles of 14-3-3s under environmental stresses are reviewed. Interesting questions related to plant 14-3-3 functions that remain to be elucidated are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moso bamboo is recognized as a rapid-growing plant with abundant lignocellulosic content, making it a crucial non-timber forest resource on a global scale. The growth of Moso bamboo is influenced by the rapid division and elongation of its internode meristem cells, but the molecular mechanism behind this process is still unclear. Here, by combining RNA-seq data from Moso bamboo internode samples with gene co-expression network and gene functional annotation enrichment analysis, a key candidate gene named PhePLATZ8 , which regulates cell division in the internodes of Moso bamboo, has been screened out. PhePLATZ8 is localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm. The phenotype of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants showed that PhePLATZ8 positively regulated the organ development of transgenic plants, including hypocotyl length, plant height, petiole length, blade shape, and seed size. Overexpression of PhePLATZ8 also significantly improved cell proliferation activities in the hypocotyl calluses of transgenic plants. qRT-PCR and luciferase assays showed that PhePLATZ8 was involved in the regulation of cell proliferation by activating the expression of several GRF s in A. thaliana and Moso bamboo. Futhermore, PhePLATZ8 was significantly induced by abiotic stress, and overexpression of PhePLATZ8 increased the tolerance of transgenic A. thaliana plants to drought and salt stress. Overall, our current study initially explored the role of PhePLATZ8 in the process of rapid growth and stress response of Moso bamboo, providing genetic resources for future molecular breeding of Moso bamboo. • PhePLATZ8 is a key candidate gene for regulating internode cell division. • PhePLATZ8 regulates the growth of transgenic plants. • PhePLATZ8 promotes cell proliferation by activating GRF factors. • PhePLATZ8 improved the tolerance of transgenic plants to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elaborate regulation of gene expression is required for plants to maintain normal growth, development, and reproduction. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and transcription factors are key players that control gene expression in plant regulatory networks. The TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) family comprises plant-specific transcription factors that contain a conserved TCP domain of 59 amino acids. Some members of this family are targeted by miR319, one of the most ancient and evolutionarily conserved miRNAs in plants. Accumulating evidence has revealed that miR319-regulated TCP (MRTCP) genes participate extensively in plant development and responses to environmental stress. In this review, the structural characteristics and classifications of TCP transcription factors and the regulatory relationships between TCP transcription factors and miRNAs are introduced. Current knowledge of the regulatory functions of MRTCP genes in multiple biological pathways including leaf development, vascular formation, flowering, hormone signaling, and response to environmental stresses such as cold, salt, and drought is summarized. This review will be beneficial for understanding the roles of the MRTCP-mediated regulatory network and its molecular mechanisms in plant development and stress response, and provides a theoretical basis for plant genetic improvement.

Copyright of Acta Prataculturae Sinica is the property of Acta Prataculturae Sinica Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cape gooseberry production has been limited by vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali (Foph). Fusaric acid (FA) is a mycotoxin produced by many Fusarium species such as F. oxysporum formae speciales. The effects of the interaction between this mycotoxin and plants (such as cape gooseberry) under biotic stress (water deficit, WD) have been little explored. Three experiments were carried out. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (i) different Foph inoculum densities (1 × 104 and 1 × 106 conidia ml−1; experiment (1); (ii) the effect of times of exposure (0, 6, 9, and 12 h) and FA concentrations (0, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg L−1; experiment (2), and (iii) the interaction between Foph (1 × 104 conidia mL−1) or FA (25 mg L−1 × 9 h), and WD conditions (experiment 3) on the physiological (plant growth, leaf stomatal conductance (g s ), and photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm ratio) and biochemical [malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline] responses of cape gooseberry seedling ecotype Colombia. The first experiment showed that Foph inoculum density of 1 × 106 conidia ml−1 caused the highest incidence of the disease (100%). In the second experiment, g s (~40.6 mmol m−2 s−1) and Fv/Fm ratio (~0.59) decreased, whereas MDA (~9.8 μmol g−1 FW) increased in plants with exposure times of 9 and 12 h and an FA concentration of 100 mg L−1 compared with plants without FA exposure or concentrations (169.8 mmol m−2 s−1, 0.8, and 7.2 μmol g−1 FW for g s , Fv/Fm ratio and MDA, respectively). In the last experiment, the interaction between Foph or FA and WD promoted a higher area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) (Foph × WD = 44.5 and FA × WD = 37) and lower g s (Foph × WD = 6.2 mmol m−2 s−1 and FA × WD = 9.5 mmol m−2 s−1) compared with plants without any interaction. This research could be considered as a new approach for the rapid scanning of responses to the effects of FA, Foph, and WD stress not only on cape gooseberry plants but also on other species from the Solanaceae family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cape gooseberry production has been limited by vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. physali (Foph). Fusaric acid (FA) is a mycotoxin produced by many Fusarium species such as F. oxysporum formae speciales. The effects of the interaction between this mycotoxin and plants (such as cape gooseberry) under biotic stress (water deficit, WD) have been little explored. Three experiments were carried out. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (i) different Foph inoculum densities (1 × 104 and 1 × 106 conidia ml−1; experiment (1); (ii) the effect of times of exposure (0, 6, 9, and 12 h) and FA concentrations (0, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg L−1; experiment (2), and (iii) the interaction between Foph (1 × 104 conidia mL−1) or FA (25 mg L−1 × 9 h), and WD conditions (experiment 3) on the physiological (plant growth, leaf stomatal conductance (gs), and photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm ratio) and biochemical [malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline] responses of cape gooseberry seedling ecotype Colombia. The first experiment showed that Foph inoculum density of 1 × 106 conidia ml−1 caused the highest incidence of the disease (100%). In the second experiment, gs (~40.6 mmol m−2 s−1) and Fv/Fm ratio (~0.59) decreased, whereas MDA (~9.8 μmol g−1 FW) increased in plants with exposure times of 9 and 12 h and an FA concentration of 100 mg L−1 compared with plants without FA exposure or concentrations (169.8 mmol m−2 s−1, 0.8, and 7.2 μmol g−1 FW for gs, Fv/Fm ratio and MDA, respectively). In the last experiment, the interaction between Foph or FA and WD promoted a higher area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) (Foph × WD = 44.5 and FA × WD = 37) and lower gs (Foph × WD = 6.2 mmol m−2 s−1 and FA × WD = 9.5 mmol m−2 s−1) compared with plants without any interaction. This research could be considered as a new approach for the rapid scanning of responses to the effects of FA, Foph, and WD stress not only on cape gooseberry plants but also on other species from the Solanaceae family.

The tea plant is an important economic crop and is widely cultivated. Isopentenyl transferase (IPT) is the first and rate-limiting enzyme of cytokinin (CK) signaling, which plays key roles in plant development and abiotic stress. However, the IPT gene family in tea plants has not been systematically investigated until now. The phylogenetic analyses, gene structures, and conserved domains were predicted here. The results showed that a total of 13 CsIPT members were identified from a tea plant genome database and phylogenetically classified into four groups. Furthermore, 10 CsIPT members belonged to plant ADP/ATP-IPT genes, and 3 CsIPTs were tRNA-IPT genes. There is a conserved putative ATP/GTP-binding site (P-loop motif) in all the CsIPT sequences. Based on publicly available transcriptome data as well as through RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis, the CsIPT genes which play key roles in the development of different tissues were identified, respectively. Furthermore, CsIPT6.2 may be involved in the response to different light treatments. CsIPT6.4 may play a key role during the dormancy and flush of the lateral buds. CsIPT5.1 may play important regulatory roles during the development of the lateral bud, leaf, and flower. CsIPT5.2 and CsIPT6.2 may both play key roles for increased resistance to cold-stress, whereas CsIPT3.2 may play a key role in improving resistance to high-temperature stress as well as drought-stress and rewatering. This study could provide a reference for further studies of CsIPT family’s functions and could contribute to tea molecular breeding.

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs), a family of the ubiquitous stress proteins in plants acting as molecular chaperones to protect other proteins from stress‐induced damage, have been implicated in plant growth and development as well as plant response to environmental stress, especially heat stress. In this study, a chloroplast‐localized sHSP, AsHSP26.8, was overexpressed in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) to study its role in regulating plant growth and stress response. Transgenic (TG) creeping bentgrass plants displayed arrested root development, slow growth rate, twisted leaf blades and are more susceptible to heat and salt but less sensitive to drought stress compared to wild‐type (WT) controls. RNA‐seq analysis revealed that AsHSP26.8 modulated the expression of genes in auxin signalling and stress‐related genes such as those encoding HSPs, heat shock factors and other transcription factors. Our results provide new evidence demonstrating that AsHSP26.8 negatively regulates plant growth and development and plays differential roles in plant response to a plethora of diverse abiotic stresses. Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) as molecular chaperons have been implicated in plant stress response and development. Characterization of AsHSP26.8, a sHSP, from Agrostis stolonifera L., revealed that it negatively regulates plant growth and development and plays differential roles in plant response to a plethora of diverse abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]