{"title":"Intricate intracellular kinase network regulates the Spodoptera lituta-derived elicitor response signaling in Arabidopsis.","authors":"Yoshitake Desaki, Tasuku Kato, Keiichirou Nemoto, Akira Nozawa, Takuya Uemura, Naoya Ninomiya, Tatsuya Sawasaki, Gen-Ichiro Arimura","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01586-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01586-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plants defend themselves against herbivores by recognizing herbivore-derived elicitors and activating intracellular signaling. In Arabidopsis, the receptor-like kinase HAK1 recognizes the poly-saccharide elicitor (FrA) from Spodoptera litura larvae, leading to the expression of defense-related genes such as PDF1.2. During this process, the cytoplasmic kinase CRK2 phosphorylates PBL27, triggers the ERF13 expression via ethylene signaling and subsequently leads to PDF1.2 expression. Herein, we investigated four cytoplasmic kinases from the same receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase (RLCK) VII family as PBL27 that interacts with CRK2. Among them, PBL11, like PBL27, is phosphorylated by CRK2 and induces PDF1.2 expression but does not affect ERF13 expression. The weight gain of S. litura larvae on PBL11-deficient mutant plants was only slightly higher than that of wild-type plants, suggesting that PBL11 may function as a minor RLCK that supports the defense response.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"95-103"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142468338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Talvanis Lorenzetti Freire, Jefferson F de Oliveira, José Fernando A Baumgratz, Massimo G Bovini, Karen L G De Toni
{"title":"Secretory pedicels? Development, morphology, and histochemistry of articulated pedicels in Neotropical Malveae (Malvaceae).","authors":"Talvanis Lorenzetti Freire, Jefferson F de Oliveira, José Fernando A Baumgratz, Massimo G Bovini, Karen L G De Toni","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01592-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01592-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the Malveae tribe (Malvaceae), the axis supporting the flower has a joint at the upper third. This axis can be considered as an articulated pedicel, peduncle, peduncle-pedicel, or anthopodium. Such disparity in terminology reveals a duality in interpretation since this structure is classified as part of the inflorescence or part of the flower. In an effort to reach a consensus, this study aims to evaluate axes supporting the flowers of species from the Malveae tribe through ontogenetic, morphological, and histochemical analyses, using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ontogenetic analyses indicated that the axis supporting the flower is an articulated pedicel, which is divided into proximal and distal parts owing to the presence of the constriction (joint). Simultaneously, the articulated pedicel arises from the floral meristem, along with the establishment of the calyx and androecium. As development progresses, we observed frequent abscissions of the floral bud, along with the distal portion of the pedicel, at the joint. After this, the remaining proximal portion of the pedicel becomes secretory, as an extrafloral nectary, often foraged by ants of the genus Wasmannia. Thus, this ontogenetic analysis of the articulated pedicel helps in understanding its functionality and morphological variability, highlighting the importance of standardized terminology since it would lead to conceptual clarity in different studies. Additionally, this study, for the first time, reveals the presence of extrafloral nectaries on articulated pedicels in Malveae, a previously undocumented feature in Malveae and Malvaceae.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"65-76"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142622665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Chemical genetics analysis suggests the involvement of Aurora kinase and MAPKs in aluminum-induced malate secretion in Arabidopsis.","authors":"Liujie Wu, Liuying Lai, Weijun Wu, Yongzhuang Wang, Ganhui Mo, Yuriko Kobayashi, Naohisa Ogo, Hiroyuki Koyama","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01594-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01594-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chemical genetics is a multidisciplinary research method. In this study, it is used to screen compounds that promote aluminum-induced malate secretion in Arabidopsis thaliana. Inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK; LY2228820) significantly increased the transcription of Arabidopsis thaliana aluminum-activated malate transporter 1 (AtALMT1) and sensitive to proton rhizotoxicity 1 (STOP1)-regulated genes, multidrug and toxic compound extrusion and aluminum sensitive 3, but not AtSTOP1 and the Al-biomarker genes At3g28510, At5g13320, suggesting that LY2228820 increased the early expression of STOP1-regulated genes without affecting AtSTOP1 expression. Inhibition of p38 MAPK (LY2228820) and Aurora A (MLN8237) increased aluminum-activated malate transport via AtALMT1, suggesting that both MLN8237 and LY2228820 interfere with AtALMT1 activity. An increase in root elongation was also observed in Arabidopsis after applying compounds LY2228820 and MLN8237. Thus, both LY2228820 and MLN8237 may play important roles in alleviating the inhibitory effects of aluminum on roots.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"121-129"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142590854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lin Yuan, Jingzhi Wang, Rong Liu, Yuqi Tang, Di Wu, Ri Jin, Weihong Zhu
{"title":"Soil properties, climate, and topography jointly determine plant community characteristics in marsh wetlands.","authors":"Lin Yuan, Jingzhi Wang, Rong Liu, Yuqi Tang, Di Wu, Ri Jin, Weihong Zhu","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01593-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01593-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Various environmental conditions influence the characteristics of plant communities within wetlands. Although the influence of key environmental factors on plant community traits within specific types of wetland ecosystems has been studied extensively, how they regulate plant communities across marsh wetland types remains poorly understood. We examined how environmental conditions influence plant communities in marsh wetlands along the lower Tumen River in northeastern China. We collected and analyzed data on the plant community characteristics (species, height, and coverage), soil physicochemical properties (organic carbon, inorganic nitrogen, and sulfur), and climatic and topographic factors (temperature, precipitation, and elevation) of 56 distinct marsh plots (29 herbaceous, 14 shrub, and 13 forested marshes) to understand how these variables correlate with plant community characteristics across marsh types. The wetland plant diversity varied, with the lowest, intermediate, and highest diversity occurring in herbaceous, shrub, and forested marshes, respectively. Climate, topography, and soil properties had crucial influences on plant diversity and biomass. Structural equation modeling showed that, in herbaceous marshes, plant biomass was primarily determined by soil and plant diversity, with climate exerting an indirect effect. In shrub marshes, soil, climate, and plant diversity directly influenced biomass. In forest marshes, soil and plant diversity directly affected biomass, whereas climate and topography had indirect effects. These findings highlight the complex interactions among environmental factors across marsh ecosystems and their influence mechanisms on biomass, aiding in formulating effective conservation and restoration strategies for marsh wetland ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"37-50"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142604109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"New insights into the evolution and function of the UMAMIT (USUALLY MULTIPLE ACIDS MOVE IN AND OUT TRANSPORTER) gene family.","authors":"Chenhao Cao, Xinbao Qiu, Zhongnan Yang, Yue Jin","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01596-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01596-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>UMAMIT proteins have been known as key players in amino acid transport. In Arabidopsis, functions of several UMAMITs have been characterized, but their precise mechanism, evolutionary history and functional divergence remain elusive. In this study, we conducted phylogenetic analysis of the UMAMIT gene family across key species in the evolutionary history of plants, ranging from algae to angiosperms. Our findings indicate that UMAMIT proteins underwent a substantial expansion from algae to angiosperms, accompanied by the stabilization of the EamA (the main domain of UMAMIT) structure. Phylogenetic studies suggest that UMAMITs may have originated from green algae and be divided into four subfamilies. These proteins first diversified in bryophytes and subsequently experienced gene duplication events in seed plants. Subfamily I was potentially associated with amino acid transport in seeds. Regarding subcellular localization, UMAMITs were predominantly localized in the plasma membrane and chloroplasts. However, members from clade 8 in subfamily III exhibited specific localization in the tonoplast. These members may have multiple functions, such as plant disease resistance and root development. Furthermore, our protein structure prediction revealed that the four-helix bundle motif is crucial in controlling the UMAMIT switch for exporting amino acid. We hypothesize that the specific amino acids in the amino acid binding region determine the type of amino acids being transported. Additionally, subfamily II contains genes that are specifically expressed in reproductive organs and roots in angiosperms, suggesting neofunctionalization. Our study highlights the evolutionary complexity of UMAMITs and underscores their crucial role in the adaptation and diversification of seed plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"3-17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142622663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Toshihiro Watanabe, Nozomi Imai, Syuntaro Hiradate, Hayato Maruyama, Jun Wasaki
{"title":"Why can Palhinhaea cernua (lycophyte) grow closer to fumaroles in highly acidic solfatara fields?","authors":"Toshihiro Watanabe, Nozomi Imai, Syuntaro Hiradate, Hayato Maruyama, Jun Wasaki","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01587-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01587-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Palhinhaea cernua, a lycophyte, and Dicranopteris linearis, a fern, are commonly observed in solfatara fields in Kyushu, Japan, but their distribution trends are different. The aim of this study was to determine why P. cernua is more abundant in areas closer to fumaroles from both a soil and plant perspective. Samples of P. cernua and D. linearis, as well as their respective growing soils, were collected, and the mineral properties, including the concentration of various mineral elements and inorganic anions and δ<sup>15</sup>N, were determined. P. cernua was better adapted to soil with lower pH, higher soluble aluminum concentrations, and poorer calcium and phosphorus concentrations than D. linearis. A positive correlation was observed between shoot nitrogen concentration and both shoot sulfur concentration and soil water-soluble sulfur concentration in P. cernua, implying the involvement of sulfur in nitrogen acquisition in P. cernua. The results also suggested that D. linearis mainly uses soil NO<sub>3</sub>-N, while P. cernua uses NH<sub>4</sub>-N, which is predominant and excessive in the solfatara fields, particularly near the fumaroles. This high preference for NH<sub>4</sub>-N in P. cernua was confirmed through a cultivation experiment. While D. linearis prefers NO<sub>3</sub>-N and distributes further from fumaroles, P. cernua may have survived in the solfatara fields by utilizing NH<sub>4</sub>-N and sulfur, which are abundant near fumaroles where competition from other plant species is minimal.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"19-35"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142622667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Generation of viable hypomorphic and null mutant plants via CRISPR-Cas9 targeting mRNA splicing sites.","authors":"Mika Yoshimura, Takashi Ishida","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01597-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01597-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Genetic analysis is important for modern plant molecular biology, and in this regard, the existence of specific mutants is crucial. While genome editing technologies, particularly CRISPR-Cas9, have revolutionized plant molecular biology by enabling precise gene disruption, knockout methods are ineffective for lethal genes, necessitating alternatives like gene knockdown. This study demonstrates the practical generation of a hypomorphic mutant allele, alongside severe null mutant alleles, via the targeting of mRNA splicing sites using CRISPR-Cas9. The Arabidopsis HIGH PLOIDY 2 (HPY2) encodes a yeast NSE2 ortholog, part of the conserved eukaryotic SMC5/6 complex, with SUMO E3 ligase activity essential for cell cycle progression and plant development. Loss-of-function HPY2 mutants exhibit severe dwarfism and seedling lethality, making functional analysis challenging. To overcome these limitations, we created HPY2 knockdown mutants as novel tools to investigate gene function. Of the three mutant alleles, the hpy2-cr1 and hpy2-cr2 mutants resembled the existing severe hpy2-1 allele, both harboring a single base pair insertion in one exon, causing significant root shortening and seedling lethality. In contrast, the hypomorphic mutant hpy2-cr3, which has a five bp deletion at an intron-exon junction, showed relatively longer root growth and survived until the reproductive stage. RT-PCR analysis of hpy2-cr3 revealed atypical mRNAs producing truncated polypeptides that retained some HPY2 function, explaining the milder phenotype. These results establish the successful generation of novel hypomorphic mutant alleles critical for studying the lethal gene HPY2, and demonstrate the usefulness of CRISPR-Cas9 for producing viable hypomorphic mutants for investigating complex genetic interactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"189-196"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142643790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriela Brito Costa, Gustavo Júnio Santos Oliveira, João Paulo Souza
{"title":"Phenotypic plasticity does not prevent impairment of aboveground biomass production due to increased light and water deficit in Dimorphandra exaltata, an endangered species.","authors":"Gabriela Brito Costa, Gustavo Júnio Santos Oliveira, João Paulo Souza","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01598-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01598-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phenotypic plasticity may allow plant species to cope with environmental variability that influences plant growth and may limit the distribution of a species. The present study investigated the morphophysiology and phenotypic plasticity responses due to light and water variability of young Dimorphandra exaltata plants, an endemic threatened tree from the Atlantic Forest. After emergence, plants were grown in two light conditions: shading (70%) and full sun. At 160 days old, we measured chlorophyll a fluorescence, chlorophyll indices, and biomass allocation. Afterward, the plants were subdivided into two water regimes: irrigation vs suspension of irrigation. At 310 days old, morphophysiological measurements and stem water potential were taken. D. exaltata plants showed higher specific leaf area (SLA, 160 days old) and chlorophyll b (310 days old) under shading. Over time, plants under shading showed a decrease in SLA. Also, there was a decrease in the leaf area ratio in both light treatments and an increase in the phenotypic plasticity index. Even showing morphological adjustments to light and water deficit, the higher biomass allocation to roots at the expense of the aboveground part could impair the growth of young plants in understory areas. The phenotypic plasticity presented by D. exaltata does not guarantee that the species can withstand severe disturbance while maintaining normal development. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of ecosystem fragmentation and water variation and their impacts on the maintenance of species in their areas of occurrence, especially endangered species such as D. exaltata.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"51-64"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142710404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Li Wang, Guohui Sun, Jia Wang, Hongyang Zhu, Yifeng Wu
{"title":"Systematic characterization of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase members revealed classification and function divergence in Haplomitrium mnioides.","authors":"Li Wang, Guohui Sun, Jia Wang, Hongyang Zhu, Yifeng Wu","doi":"10.1007/s10265-024-01601-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10265-024-01601-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD; EC 1.1.1.195) is considered to be a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis, which can catalyze cinnamyl aldehyde to produce cinnamyl alcohol. In this study, three putative CADs were characterized from the liverwort Haplomitrium mnioides. The sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that HmCADs belonged to a multigene family, with three HmCADs belonging to class II, class III, and class IV, respectively. In vitro enzymatic studies demonstrated that HmCAD2 exhibited high affinity and catalytic activity towards five cinnamyl aldehydes, followed by HmCAD3 with poor catalytic activity, and HmCAD1 catalyzed only the reaction of p-coumaryl aldehyde and coniferyl aldehyde with extremely low catalytic capacity. Protein-substrate binding simulations were performed to investigate the differences in catalytic activity exhibited when proteins catalyzed different substrates. Furthermore, distinct expression patterns of three HmCADs were identified in different plant tissues. Subcellular localization tests confirmed that HmCAD1/2/3 was located in the cytoplasm. The simulated responses of HmCADs to different stresses showed that HmCAD1 played a positive role in coping with each stress, while HmCAD2/3 was weak. These findings demonstrate the diversity of CADs in liverwort, highlight the divergent role of HmCAD1/2/3 in substrate catalysis, and also suggest their possible involvement in stress response, thereby providing new insights into CAD evolution while emphasizing their potential distinctive and collaborative contributions to the normal growth of primitive liverworts.</p>","PeriodicalId":16813,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Plant Research","volume":" ","pages":"173-187"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142750764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}