Horticultural Plant Journal最新文献

{"title":"MdCAX5 plays a critical role in calcium homeostasis and bitter pit development in apple","authors":"Jia Liu, Yingwei Qi, Weijie Yin, Xiwen Li, Caixia Wang, Xiaolin Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.008","url":null,"abstract":"Bitter Pit (BP) is a prevalent physiological disorder in apple that significantly reduces fruit quality and market value. While numerous studies have investigated the mechanisms underlying BP occurrence, the molecular processes, particularly the role of the Ca<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2+</ce:sup>/H<ce:sup loc=\"post\">+</ce:sup> exchanger (CAX), remain unclear. This study aims to elucidate the function of the <ce:italic>MdCAX5</ce:italic> gene in relation to BP development. To achieve this, we utilized transient transformation in apple, as well as stable transformation in <ce:italic>Arabidopsis</ce:italic> and tomato, to measure the mineral content in transgenic plants, thereby validating the function of <ce:italic>MdCAX5</ce:italic>. The overexpression of the <ce:italic>MdCAX5</ce:italic> gene significantly reduced calcium (Ca) content in plants and disrupted the mineral element balance within the plant. Analysis of the <ce:italic>MdCAX5</ce:italic> gene promoter revealed that Ca<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2+</ce:sup> can enhance promoter activity, indicating that the <ce:italic>MdCAX5</ce:italic> gene can effectively respond to Ca signaling. Transcriptomic analysis of tomato plants stably overexpressing the <ce:italic>MdCAX5</ce:italic> gene revealed significant alterations in the expression of genes involved in Ca signal transduction and transport, which in turn impacted the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and metabolic pathways within the plants. These changes resulted in a reduction in Ca content, imbalanced Ca distribution, increased hydrolase activity, and disrupted cellular structures, including compromised organelles, cellular membranes, and membrane components. These disruptions culminated in the manifestation of Ca deficiency symptoms in the plants. This study provides theoretical insights into the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of apple BP disease.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-density genetic mapping and QTL analysis for key horticultural traits in bitter gourd : Insights into plant architecture, fruit development, and wart characteristics","authors":"Feifan Chen, Jiayu Liu, Hongrong Chen, Yi Yang, Xuzhen Li, Yuehong Ding, Libo Tian, Sang Shang","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.007","url":null,"abstract":"Bitter gourd (<ce:italic>Momordica charantia</ce:italic> L.), a staple crop in subtropical and tropical Asia and Africa, is valued for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Despite its significance, genetic studies on key horticultural traits remain limited. To address this, we generated F<ce:inf loc=\"post\">1</ce:inf>, F<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2</ce:inf>, and F<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2:3</ce:inf> populations by crossing two inbred lines, HNU004 and HNU025. Whole-genome sequencing of the parents and 178 F<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2</ce:inf> individuals enabled the construction of a high-density genetic map with 2,605 bin SNP markers across 11 linkage groups. QTL mapping using Composite Interval Mapping (CIM) and Multiple QTL Model (MQM) approaches across three environments identified 22 QTLs influencing plant architecture, fruit size, and wart traits, explaining 6.14–68.12% of phenotypic variance. This included three novel QTLs for average internode length, three for lateral branch number (LBN), and four for fruit-related traits. Five key QTLs were consistently detected: <ce:italic>lbn3.1</ce:italic> on chromosome 3 (LBN), <ce:italic>mfl5.1</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>smfw5.1</ce:italic> on chromosome 5 (mature fruit length and single mature fruit weight), and <ce:italic>fwf4.1</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>fwf6.1</ce:italic> on chromosomes 4 and 6 respectively governing fruit wart characteristics. These QTLs spanned physical regions ranging from 220 kb to 2.1 Mb. Candidate genes were predicted for major QTLs, including <ce:italic>Moc03g28260</ce:italic> (<ce:italic>lbn3.1</ce:italic>), <ce:italic>Moc05g28880</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>Moc05g29850</ce:italic> (<ce:italic>mfl5.1</ce:italic>), and <ce:italic>Moc06g04450</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>Moc06g04970</ce:italic> (<ce:italic>fwf6.1</ce:italic>). Epistatic interactions between QTLs for LBN and fruit length suggested complex genetic regulation. Molecular markers for <ce:italic>mfl5.1</ce:italic>, <ce:italic>fwf4.1</ce:italic>, and <ce:italic>fwf6.1</ce:italic> were validated in an independent F<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2</ce:inf> population of 213 individuals, which confirmed their phenotypic effects. This study provides a dense and informative set of genetic markers suitable for marker-assisted selection in bitter gourd breeding and establishes a foundation for the cloning of candidate genes, thereby accelerating genetic improvement efforts.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"149 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of genes involved in the tomato Mi-1-mediated immunity to root-knot nematodes parasitism under high temperature","authors":"Yuqing Lai, Zhijie Li, Erfeng Li, Rui Liu, Nv Chang, Cuihua Lu, Jian Ling, Xiaoxiao Zhang, Shanshan Yang, Zhukan Chen, Yuhong Yang, Yan Li, Bingyan Xie, Zhenchuan Mao, Jianlong Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.02.021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.02.021","url":null,"abstract":"Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are notorious plant pathogens that cause substantial losses in horticultural crops globally. The tomato RKN resistance gene, <ce:italic>Mi-1</ce:italic>, is currently the sole commercially available source of resistance. However, its effectiveness significantly declines when soil temperatures exceed 28 °C. Although numerous studies have explored the immune signaling pathways mediated by <ce:italic>Mi-1</ce:italic>, the specific plant immune responses affected by high temperatures and the key temperature-sensitive genes involved remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that the <ce:italic>Mi-1</ce:italic>-mediated hypersensitive response is impaired at 32 °C. At this temperature, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in roots is reduced, while callose deposition increases. Through comparative transcriptome analysis between 24 °C and 32 °C, we identified significant changes in hormone signaling pathways, immune signaling, and gene alternative splicing. For instance, the jasmonate (JA) pathway was upregulated, and the salicylic acid (SA) pathway was inhibited at 32 °C. High temperatures also disrupted the MAPK cascade and influenced metabolite synthesis. Notably, most genes upregulated at 24 °C were downregulated at 32 °C. Furthermore, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) assays verified that interfering with the expression of differentially expressed genes, such as the JA biosynthesis key gene MYB transcription factor <ce:italic>AOS3</ce:italic>, the abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis regulation gene <ce:italic>JA2</ce:italic>, and the heat stress transcription factor <ce:italic>A-6b</ce:italic>, increased the susceptibility of <ce:italic>Mi-1</ce:italic> tomatoes to RKNs. These findings offer crucial insights into the temperature sensitivity of <ce:italic>Mi-1</ce:italic> resistance and support the development of RKN-resistant tomatoes that can remain effective under high-temperature conditions.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anatomical and dual transcriptomic analysis reveals the interaction of “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” and citrus host in new shoots at different growth stage","authors":"Jiaming Li, Jinghan Chen, Wenxia Huang, Xiaohong Chen, Cuixiao Li, Meirong Xu, Xiaoling Deng, Zheng Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.04.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"“<ce:italic>Candidatus</ce:italic> Liberibacter asiaticus” (CLas), the causal agent of citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), poses a significant threat to citrus production worldwide. New shoots play a crucial role in the HLB pathosystem, serving as key sites for CLas acquisition and transmission by insect vector. However, CLas-host interactions in newly developing shoots remain poorly understood. This study investigated CLas population dynamic, anatomical change and dual transcriptomic profiles in new shoots at different growth stage after pruning two-years-old CLas-infected citrus plants. CLas population increased rapidly within 2 weeks after pruning (WAP), peaked at 4 WAP and subsequently declined between 6 WAP and 8 WAP. CLas infection inhibited the shoots growth and induced severe phloem collapse, particularly at 8 WAP. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that CLas genes involved in transcription/translation, lipid transport and metabolism, energy production, and resilience to host immune response were highly expressed at 4 WAP and 8 WAP, indicating active bacterial adaptation. In citrus, CLas infection primary affected metabolism, hormone signal transduction, cell wall metabolism, and transcription factors, particularly trihelix and bHLH families. The activation of citrus genes related to α-linolenic acid, WRKY and MYB transcription factors, pathogenesis-related proteins, and Ca<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2+</ce:sup>-mediated signaling suggested potential defense response against in new shoots. These finding provide a comprehensive transcriptome landscape of CLas and its host in developing shoots, offering new insights into CLas-host interactions and potential defense mechanisms in citrus.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144337749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A natural variant in MdNAC25 promoter contributes to fruit harvest date divergence in apple","authors":"Zhiyong Wu, Zhe Zhou, Yarong Wang, Chunyan Wang, Zhenli Yan, Qiming Gao, Zhenzhen Liu, Yaru Zhang, Xiangpeng Meng, Yiru Yang, Hussain Ahmed, Md Marufur Rahman, Hengtao Zhang, Jia-Long Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"Fruit ripening is a quantitative trait governed by multiple genes, influencing fruit quality and commercial values. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying this process remain poorly understood. Here, we elucidate the role of <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> in regulating apple fruit ripening. We identified allele-specific expression (ASE) of <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> in various apple cultivars, driven by a 4-bp deletion in its promoter. This deletion created a key regulatory element, ACS2-TAAAATAT, which enhanced <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> promoter activity in tobacco leaf promoter-reporter assays. Additionally, a long non-coding RNA (<ce:italic>lncRNA-nac25</ce:italic>) located upstream of <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> also exhibited ASE and was positively correlated with <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> expression. The ACS2-TAAAATAT element, positioned between <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>lncRNA-nac25,</ce:italic> functioned as a bidirectional enhancer, regulating both genes. Overexpression and silencing experiments demonstrated that <ce:italic>lncRNA-nac25</ce:italic> enhanced <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> expression. Genetic association studies in 154 apple accessions linked the <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> allele with the 4-bp deletion to earlier fruit ripening. This allele was significantly more frequent in cultivated apples than in wild species, indicating artificial selection. Furthermore, overexpression of <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> in non-ripening (nor) mutant tomatoes restored ripening, reinforcing its functional significance. Comparative genomic analysis revealed conservation of the ACS2-TAAAATAT element across Rosaceae fruit trees, including peach, pear, plum, and apricot, underscoring <ce:italic>MdNAC25</ce:italic> as a key regulator of fruit ripening across species.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144305100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potato StCERK1 is a key regulator of plant immunity against multiple pathogens","authors":"Lijuan Cao, Mingchuan Pan, Langhua Yu, Chuntao Lv, Dandan Zhao, Wei Wu, Futing Li, Ju Ai, Dongli Gao, Sanwen Huang, Yi Shang, Xuming Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.006","url":null,"abstract":"Potato (<ce:italic>Solanum tuberosum</ce:italic> L.), the world's third-largest crop, faces significant yield losses due to susceptibility to diverse plant pathogens, impacting global food security. Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) activate plant immunity by recognizing damage- and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs and PAMPs). Among these, chitin elicitor receptor kinase 1 (CERK1) is essential for detecting chitin and confers resistance to various pathogens in <ce:italic>Arabidopsis thaliana</ce:italic>, <ce:italic>Oryza sativa</ce:italic>, and <ce:italic>Solanum lycopersicum</ce:italic>. However, generating homozygous mutants in potato is challenging, leaving functions of CERK1 in potato (StCERK1) unexplored. This study identified StCERK1 in potato and applied a tRNA scaffolded gRNA editing strategy with four gRNAs to edit the <ce:italic>StCERK1</ce:italic> gene in tetraploid potato, generating homozygous mutants with high efficiency. We confirmed StCERK1 as a functional kinase and found that it was essential for chitin signal response in potato. It is likely involved in regulating potato immunity through the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Furthermore, phenotypic analysis revealed that <ce:italic>stcerk1</ce:italic> mutants exhibit increased susceptibility to <ce:italic>Phytophthora infestans, Alternaria solani,</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>Ralstonia solanacearum</ce:italic> compared to the wild type. Notably, StCERK1 was also implicated in tuber disease resistance. These findings highlight StCERK1 as a key regulator of potato immunity against multiple pathogens, suggesting potential strategies for broad-spectrum crop resistance against diseases in agricultural production through the utilization of plant immune receptors.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"625 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144305101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Classification of diverse pear genetic resources using a combination of MIG-seq and whole-genome sequencing","authors":"Sogo Nishio, Norio Takada, Yukie Takeuchi, Shuri Kato, Hiroyuki Iketani","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"Pears (<ce:italic>Pyrus</ce:italic> spp.), which are distributed across temperate regions of Eurasia, include several economically important species. Pear species and cultivar classification is always controversial, because hybridization occurs easily, due to a low reproductive barrier. To reveal the genetic diversity and genetic relationships among pear genetic resources, we applied multiplexed inter-simple sequence repeat genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq) to accessions registered in the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) Genebank, including several introduced from abroad and the wild individuals collected in Japan. In addition, whole-genome sequencing data from a public database were combined with MIG-seq data to improve the reliability of species and group classifications. Out of the 1018 accessions genotyped, we identified 97 synonym groups consisting of 267 accessions. After eliminating all but one accession from each synonym group, we identified some mislabeled and misclassified accessions by means of population structure analysis. The genetic clusters estimated by our population structure analyses revealed that our materials and criteria for pear group and species classification were similar to those used for the public database. Our analyses clarified that (1) <ce:italic>P. ussuriensis</ce:italic> var. <ce:italic>aromatica</ce:italic> arose from hybridization of Japanese pear (<ce:italic>P</ce:italic>. <ce:italic>pyrifolia</ce:italic>) and <ce:italic>P. ussuriensis</ce:italic> var. <ce:italic>hondoensis</ce:italic>, (2) the genetic composition of Japanese pear originated mainly from Chinese pear, whereas ancestral compositions from <ce:italic>P. ussuriensis</ce:italic> var. <ce:italic>hondoensis</ce:italic> were very limited in Japanese pear, and (3) <ce:italic>P. pashia</ce:italic> in Nepal and <ce:italic>P. dimorphophylla</ce:italic>, included in Asian pea pear groups, contain unique ancestral compositions that are genetically distinct from those of other Asian pea pear groups.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"10 8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MdMYB93 activates MdHCT6 expression via transcriptional regulation to enhance chlorogenic acid biosynthesis in apples","authors":"Yuying Xie, Wenyan Wang, Chukun Wang, Ze Chen, Yu Wang, Rong Zhang, Ruigang Wu, Quan Sun, Dagang Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a potent antioxidant with antimicrobial, antiviral, and metabolic regulatory properties, plays multifunctional roles in apple fruit by enhancing postharvest quality, extending shelf life through oxidative stress reduction, and inhibiting enzymatic browning to preserve color, flavor, and nutritional integrity. Despite the established role of hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA transferase (HCT) as a rate-limiting enzyme in CGA biosynthesis, the specific <ce:italic>HCT</ce:italic> gene responsible for this process and its regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we systematically investigated CGA accumulation dynamics during apple storage and functionally characterized <ce:italic>MdHCT6</ce:italic>, a candidate gene within the HCT family. We found that the chlorogenic acid content in apple fruit increased significantly during postharvest storage compared with the initial storage. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expression level of <ce:italic>MdHCT6</ce:italic> was significantly higher than that of other HCT homologues, which was consistent with the reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) results. <ce:italic>In vitro</ce:italic> enzymatic assays demonstrated that <ce:italic>MdHCT6</ce:italic> catalyzes the synthesis of chlorogenic acid using shikimic acid and quinic acid as precursors, while genetic evidence confirmed its role as a key positive regulator of chlorogenic acid accumulation in apples. Furthermore, we identified the transcription factor MdMYB93 as a direct upstream activator of <ce:italic>MdHCT6</ce:italic>, establishing a regulatory cascade that governs CGA production. This work not only deciphers the molecular hierarchy of CGA biosynthesis in apples but also provides actionable targets for genetic improvement of antioxidant capacity and postharvest resilience in apple germplasm.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144237346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nanotechnology in plant tissue culture: A review","authors":"Sabreena Jan, Nayeema Jan, Seema Singh, Muhammad Ashraf Shah, Irshad Ahmad Bhat","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.02.019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.02.019","url":null,"abstract":"Plant tissue culture represents an advanced biotechnological technique for propagating and conserving threatened plant species efficiently. This method enables the rapid production of genetically identical plants under controlled sterile laboratory conditions (<ce:italic>in vitro</ce:italic>). Its applications span forestry, horticulture, and, crucially, plant breeding. Nanoparticles have emerged as innovative tools to address limitations in conventional plant tissue culture, offering diverse functionalities based on their unique physicochemical properties. This review focuses on the utilization of nanotechnology in enhancing various aspects of plant tissue culture. Nanoparticles, such as silver and zinc oxide, have demonstrated significant roles as antimicrobial agents and anti-browning agents. They also serve as elicitors, stimulating callus proliferation, root elongation, rapid shoot formation, and the enhanced production of bioactive compounds on a large scale. Furthermore, nanoparticles contribute to mitigating oxidative stress within cells, thereby promoting increased callus formation, elongated roots, and elevated production of secondary metabolites. Their influence extends to somaclonal variation and genetic transformation processes within plant tissue culture. These contributions collectively underscore the potential of nanoparticles to foster more efficient, sustainable, and scalable biotechnological solutions in <ce:italic>in vitro</ce:italic> culture. The implications extend to reducing resource dependency and mitigating environmental impacts, positioning nanotechnology as a transformative approach in sustainable plant biotechnology.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An ABA-responsive transcription factor SmbZIP38 positively regulates salvianolic acids biosynthesis and stress-associated morphogenesis of Salvia miltiorrhiza","authors":"Jiajing Chen, Min Chen, Hang Li, Ronghui Tan, Jinjia Zhang, J. Andrew Jones, Shujuan Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.hpj.2025.02.018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpj.2025.02.018","url":null,"abstract":"<ce:italic>Salvia miltiorrhiza</ce:italic> Bunge (danshen in Chinese) is a valuable medicinal crop. It is widely used clinically in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Basic region-leucine zippers (bZIPs) are evolutionarily conserved transcription factors in plants. Here, <ce:italic>SmbZIP38</ce:italic>, an abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive Group A member of bZIPs, was isolated from <ce:italic>S. miltiorrhiza</ce:italic> and functionally studied. Overexpression of <ce:italic>SmbZIP38</ce:italic> in <ce:italic>S. miltiorrhiza</ce:italic> hairy roots (SmbZIP38-OE) increased the content of salvianolic acids, while inhibition of its expression in <ce:italic>S. miltiorrhiza</ce:italic> hairy roots (SmbZIP38-RNAi) decreased the accumulation of salvianolic acids. Meanwhile, <ce:italic>SmbZIP38</ce:italic> overexpressing danshen plantlets have well-developed root system, reduced leaf area and size, and increased number of leaves. Transcriptomic analysis revealed differentially expressed genes in SmbZIP38-OE and SmbZIP38-RNAi hairy roots were significantly enriched in both defense and stress response-related pathways as well as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Yeast hybridization, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and dual-luciferase expression assay showed that SmbZIP38 could form homodimers and bind to the ABRE element of the <ce:italic>SmTAT</ce:italic> promoter region and activate <ce:italic>SmTAT</ce:italic> transcription. This study demonstrated that SmbZIP38 acts as a positive regulator in salvianolic acids biosynthesis as well as in the morphological construction of <ce:italic>S. miltiorrhiza</ce:italic> roots and leaves, favoring resistance to abiotic stresses, which indicates that SmbZIP38 is a potential transcription factor to improve the crop quality properties of <ce:italic>S. miltiorrhiza</ce:italic>.","PeriodicalId":13178,"journal":{"name":"Horticultural Plant Journal","volume":"81 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}