{"title":"Coordination of Phytomelatonin and Salicylic Acid Signalling in Stomatal Closure.","authors":"Xue Li, Lin Xiao, Yanjie Song, Xingyang Wei, Zed Rengel, Yanli Chen, Kunzhi Li, Qi Chen","doi":"10.1111/pce.70048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70048","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phytomelatonin (PMT) and salicylic acid (SA) play crucial roles in stomatal closure and immune regulation, yet their regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we found that SA-induced stomatal closure and ROS production are dependent on the phytomelatonin receptor 1 (PMTR1) via regulating the expression of genes associated with cell wall peroxidases PRX33 and PRX34. Exogenous melatonin (exMT) induces the expression of genes related to SA biosynthesis (ICS1, PBS3), the receptor NPR1, as well as the effector transcription factors TGA1-3. Furthermore, exMT promotes the nuclear localisation of NPR1 through NO and GSH signalling in a PMTR1-dependent manner. Mutants of npr1, as well as tga1, tga2 and tga3, show partial sensitivity to PMTR1-mediated exMT signalling in stomatal closure. Either exMT or SA can significantly increase PMTR1 expression in Col-0, but not in npr1-1 and tga1 mutant plants. TGA1 can directly bind to the promoter elements of PMTR1 and activate its expression. Furthermore, the exMT- and SA-induced stomatal closure plays a vital role in preventing bacterial invasion in a PMTR1-dependent manner. Collectively, the results presented here demonstrate the coordination of PMTR1 and NPR1 in the regulation of PMT and SA signals in stomatal closure and immunity.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144599014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Standing on the Shoulder of Giants: Developmental Regulators (DRs) Are Past Gifts for Future Plant Engineering.","authors":"Gaojie Li, Hongwei Hou","doi":"10.1111/pce.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70072","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144599016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evolutionary trajectory and functional diversity of SWEET sugar transporters in plants","authors":"Xinyang Li, Zhongying Ren, Zhiqiang Zhang, Yangai Liu, Kunlun He, Fei Zhang, Jinfeng Guo, Suhan Wei, Daigang Yang, Wei Li","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70334","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70334","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>SWEET (sugars will eventually be exported transporter) proteins are vital for sugar transport in plants, mediating the movement of glucose, fructose, and sucrose, and playing key roles in growth, development, and stress responses. This study identified 1246 SWEET proteins across 59 plant species, spanning from chlorophytes to eudicots. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that SWEET proteins originated in chlorophytes and diverged into four clades (I–IV). Chlorophyte SWEETs, classified in clade II, lacked transport activity and were localized on the vacuolar membrane. In charophytes, clade I SWEETs acquired the ability to transport glucose and fructose, marking a significant adaptation during the transition to terrestrial plants. In bryophytes, clade II SWEETs transport glucose and fructose, localized on the vacuolar membrane. In vascular plants, clade IV SWEETs, which emerged in lycophytes, exhibited fructose transport activity and localized to the plasma or vacuolar membranes. Clade III SWEETs, exclusive to seed plants, are specialized in sucrose transport, which is crucial for long-distance sugar distribution. Sequence and structural analysis revealed that the highly conserved transmembrane regions form the triple-helix bundle essential for sugar transport. In contrast, the N-terminal and C-terminal regions contribute to substrate specificity and structural folding. Functional assays confirmed that removal of these non-conserved regions abolishes transport activity. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary origins, functional diversification, and structural significance of SWEET proteins, underscoring their pivotal roles in carbohydrate metabolism and plant diversification. These findings offer valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sugar transport and its evolutionary adaptations in plants.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144581959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Optical trapping with nanostructured optical fibers and motility analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.","authors":"Eric Faudry, Jochen Fick","doi":"10.1007/s00249-025-01775-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-025-01775-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study of bacteria swimming behavior or their interaction with other bacteria or cells requires an efficient and flexible tool for bacteria manipulation. Optical tweezers have been shown to be perfectly adapted for this task. Here we report optical trapping of pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria using optical fiber tweezers with dedicated nanostructured optical fibers. Well-aligned straight chains of up to ten bacteria were observed with optical fiber tips, whereas contactless trapping was realized at distances of 100 and 45 µm for Fresnel lens fibers and TIROFs, respectively. Very efficient trapping at laser powers as low as 3.7 mW was achieved. The bacteria vitality is an important parameter in trapping experiments. Mean square displacement and speed autocorrelation methods were applied to obtain a vitality measure and to classify the free bacteria trajectories into free floating, running, and run-wrap-run categories. The high frame rates of our observation videos allow us to reveal a relation between bacteria speed and bacteria orientation oscillations.</p>","PeriodicalId":548,"journal":{"name":"European Biophysics Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144582774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Decoding the Multifunctionality of B-Box Proteins: Bridging Light, Stress and Developmental Networks in Diverse Plant Species.","authors":"Jiaxin Li, Chang Liu, Zhen Zhang, Ningbo Zhang, Weirong Xu","doi":"10.1111/pce.70061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>B-box (BBX) transcription factors are emerging as pivotal regulators of environmental adaptation and developmental plasticity in plants. These proteins act at the intersection of light, hormonal and stress signalling networks to modulate key processes, including photomorphogenesis, circadian rhythm regulation, abiotic and biotic stress responses, anthocyanin biosynthesis and flowering time control. Recent studies in various model species and crops have revealed that BBX proteins can function as both activators and repressors of transcription, often by directly interacting with key regulators such as HY5, PRR9/7 and MYC2. These interactions enable BBX factors to fine-tune gene expression in response to dynamic environmental conditions. Functionally, BBX proteins orchestrate light-responsive development, enhance tolerance to drought, salinity, and pathogens via hormonal and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated pathways, and regulate secondary metabolism linked to pigment accumulation. Their roles in reproductive development, particularly in controlling flowering time and vegetative-reproductive phase transitions, position them as promising targets for crop improvement. Despite growing insight, key knowledge gaps remain. The mechanistic basis of BBX duality, their post-translational regulation and their integration within broader transcriptional and chromatin networks are still poorly understood. Additionally, BBX-mediated signalling remains understudied in monocots, wild relatives and under complex field conditions. This review summarizes the latest mechanistic and evolutionary insights into BBX transcription factors, emphasizing their functional diversity, context-dependent regulation, and applications in precision breeding. By highlighting both translational applications and unresolved challenges, we propose future directions for using BBX proteins to design of climate-resilient, high-performance crops.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144590117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Integrating Redox and Hormone Signalling: A Central Role for Hydrogen Sulfide in Watermelon Immunity Against FON2.","authors":"Jing Zhang, Yanjie Xie","doi":"10.1111/pce.70059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70059","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144590118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xianliang Zhu, Hairun Zhang, Zhaohua Lu, Ming Kang, Baosheng Wang, David Bush, Changrong Li, Fagen Li
{"title":"Common gardens reveal genomic susceptibility and vulnerability to climate change in Eucalyptus","authors":"Xianliang Zhu, Hairun Zhang, Zhaohua Lu, Ming Kang, Baosheng Wang, David Bush, Changrong Li, Fagen Li","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70336","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70336","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Accelerated global climate change and increased species introduction across international scales have raised concerns about the potential for trees to experience maladaptation or lagging adaptation in response to these environmental shifts. However, our knowledge regarding the relationship between the genomic metrics used to predict maladaptation and actual fitness proxies in trees remains limited. Here, we present a population genomic analysis of 295 families from 28 provenances of <i>Eucalyptus pellita</i>, a widely cultivated fast-growing tree species, and conducted two common garden experiments. Genomic susceptibility encompassing individual heterozygosity (<i>H</i>), genomic inbreeding (<i>F</i><sub>ROH</sub>), and genomic load (inferred from deleterious mutations) exhibited distinct geographic patterns, shedding light on the origin and evolutionary history of <i>E. pellita</i>. The genetic basis of local adaptation was elucidated through genotype–environment associations and genome-wide association studies, including 198 loci associated with climate and 2388 loci regulating different traits. Furthermore, Australian provenances have higher genomic vulnerability under prospective climate alterations than Papua New Guinea and Indonesia provenances. By integrating phenotypic data across two common gardens, the relationship between leaf functional traits and predicted metrics of maladaptation was closer than growth attributes. Notably, pronounced natural selection signals linked to leaf morphogenesis have been identified by comparing two lineages spanning the oceans. This study underscores the immense potential of leveraging genomic susceptibility and genomic vulnerability to decipher the local (mal)adaptation of forest trees.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144581960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bingxian Chen, Yuanxuan Peng, Qi Zhang, Zhongjian Chen, Hongmei Li, Jun Liu
{"title":"OsPIP2-1 positively regulates rice seed germination by modulating OsAmy3C and α-amylase expression","authors":"Bingxian Chen, Yuanxuan Peng, Qi Zhang, Zhongjian Chen, Hongmei Li, Jun Liu","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70314","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70314","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>As timely germination of seeds is crucial to crop yield and quality, the low germination percentage for direct seeding in rice and preharvest sprouting during the late stage of maturity have extremely adverse effects on rice production. Herein, we found that an aquaporin gene <i>OsPIP2-1</i> was significantly expressed during rice seed germination. The <i>OsPIP2-1</i> overexpression seeds showed a higher germination rate, while the knockout lines showed a delayed germination phenotype, indicating that this gene positively regulates seed germination. Furthermore, in seeds of <i>OsPIP2-1</i> overexpression and knockout lines, the activity of α-amylase and the expression of its encoding genes, <i>OsAmy1C</i> and <i>OsAmy1E</i>, were respectively enhanced and suppressed. When <i>OsAmy3C</i> was knocked out in the <i>OsPIP2-1</i> overexpression lines, seed germination was significantly inhibited. Also, the germination of seeds with <i>OsAmy3C</i> knocked out in the wild-type background was delayed, and the expression level of <i>OsPIP2-1</i> in these seeds remained almost unchanged during germination, suggesting that <i>OsPIP2-1</i> is upstream of <i>OsAmy1C</i>. In addition, the ABA-biosynthesis genes <i>OsNCED2/3</i> were reduced in <i>OsPIP2-1</i> overexpression lines but raised in knockouts, while the ABA-catabolism gene <i>OsABA8ox1-3</i> exhibited the opposite trend. Moreover, we have also applied nanosilver, a potential inhibitor of aquaporins, which effectively delays rice seed germination. At the molecular level, the expression of <i>OsPIP2-1</i> in transcriptional and translational levels was significantly decreased by AgNPs. Meanwhile, the expression of α-amylase and its gene expression were also inhibited by AgNPs. In conclusion, <i>OsPIP2-1</i> positively regulates rice seed germination by regulating <i>OsAmy3C</i> and α-amylase. It can enhance seed germination vigor in direct-seeded rice cultivation. Nanosilver delays germination by affecting <i>OsPIP2-1</i> and α-amylase, thus offering a potential strategy for preventing preharvest sprouting.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"123 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144573659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vera Plakhova, Ingrid Battistella, Vladimir A Martínez-Rojas, Marta Marchioretto, Daniele Arosio, Linda Masello, Luciano Conti, Carlo Musio
{"title":"Unveiling the effect of curcumin on ion channels of SBMA motoneuron-derived cells and human IPSC-derived neurons: initial electrophysiological findings.","authors":"Vera Plakhova, Ingrid Battistella, Vladimir A Martínez-Rojas, Marta Marchioretto, Daniele Arosio, Linda Masello, Luciano Conti, Carlo Musio","doi":"10.1007/s00249-025-01780-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-025-01780-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Curcumin (CUR), a bioactive compound extracted from the turmeric (Curcuma longa), has gathered considerable attention in recent years due to its claimed health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. The dysregulation of ion channel activity and the altered neuronal excitability in neurons has been identified as a key factor in the pathophysiology of neurological disease and a putative pharmacological target for therapeutic options. Therefore, we investigated by whole-cell patch-clamp the CUR's impact on the ionic currents in motoneuron-derived (MN-1) cells modeling SBMA and in human neuro-progenitor-cell (hNPCs)-derived neurons. CUR decreased viability in non-pathological MN-1 cells but showed increased resistance in pathological MN-1 cells, while mature neurons derived from hiPSCs remained unaffected under the same conditions. Electrophysiological studies revealed that CUR inhibits outward and inward currents in both MN-1 cell types, with a more pronounced effect in pathological cells. In hNPC-derived neurons, CUR also inhibited both currents and induced a negative shift in the voltage dependence of activation, suggesting reduced excitability. Our results indicate that further investigations are needed to confirm the role of CUR in the context of neurotherapeutics based on ion channel-targeting pharmacology.</p>","PeriodicalId":548,"journal":{"name":"European Biophysics Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144582775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}