{"title":"The transcription factor MYB44 suppresses starch synthesis to negatively regulate grain weight and yield in wheat and rice.","authors":"Yunchuan Liu, Mingming Wang, Yaojia Wang, Haixia Liu, Wei Xi, David Seung, Xiaolu Wang, Lei Zhuang, Huifang Li, Tian Li, Hongxia Liu, Jian Hou, Xu Liu, Chenyang Hao, Xueyong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Starch is the primary storage compound in wheat grains and is essential for both flour quality and grain weight. In this study, we identified TaMYB44, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene that controls starch content in wheat grains, through a genome-wide association study. The TaMYB44 homoeologs were predominantly expressed in developing grains, with peak levels observed 10 days after pollination. Functional analyses revealed that TaMYB44 acts as a negative regulator of starch synthesis in the endosperm, limiting grain size by repressing starch synthesis-related genes and modulating secondary metabolism. Knockout mutants of TaMYB44 exhibited significantly increased starch accumulation, larger grain size, and improved yield stability across diverse growing environments. Furthermore, we discovered that TaWDR1 interacts with TaMYB44, alleviating its repressive effects to restore starch synthesis and enhance grain weight. Notably, the functions of MYB44 appear to be partially conserved between wheat and rice, underscoring its potential as a target for genetic improvement. Our findings offer valuable insights into the transcriptional regulation of starch synthesis and provide genetic resources for enhancing grain yield in wheat and rice.</p>","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1193-1209"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144326295","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":"Activation of the CNGC2-CNGC4 channel complex by P2K1-mediated phosphorylation links extracellular ATP perception to calcium signaling in plant immunity.","authors":"Yujia Sun, Lei Gao, Yiping Han, Changxin Feng, Zebin Liu, Chunyan Li, Yuxin Dong, Shuxin Yin, Laihao Liu, Ming Yang, Qi Niu, Dongdong Kong, Liangyu Liu, Jingbo Zhang, Wang Tian, Sheng Luan, Legong Li, Congcong Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (eATP) functions as a damage-associated molecular pattern in plant immunity. P2K1, a purinergic receptor with a cytoplasmic serine/threonine kinase domain, initiates ATP-responsive signaling cascades characterized by a rapid spike in cytosolic Ca²⁺, which acts as a critical second messenger. In this study, we identified the cyclic nucleotide-gated channel complex CNGC2-CNGC4 as essential for eATP-induced calcium signaling and bacterial resistance in plants. A biochemical link between eATP perception and CNGC2-CNGC4 function was established by demonstrating the physical association between the channel complex and the eATP receptor P2K1 at the plasma membrane. Furthermore, we discovered that P2K1 phosphorylates the CNGC2 subunit of the CNGC2-CNGC4 channel in response to eATP, establishing a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism that connects eATP perception to calcium influx. Through AlphaFold-Multimer prediction, electrophysiological assay, and genetic analysis, we identified serine residues S705 and S718 in CNGC2 as the key phosphorylation sites mediating P2K1-dependent channel activation and eATP-triggered immunity. Notably, P2K1 selectively phosphorylates CNGC2, in contrast to BIK1 that phosphorylates CNGC4 during pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity. Together, these findings indicate that the CNGC2-CNGC4 channel complex serves as a core component of calcium-dependent plant immunity, with distinct kinases phosphorylating different subunits in response to specific immune elicitors.</p>","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1130-1142"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144234591","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}
Molecular PlantPub Date : 2025-07-07Epub Date: 2025-06-07DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.002
Qiang Xu, Qiuxin Kan, Zhixiang Luo, Qiang Zhang, Liang Dong, Nathan M Springer, Qing Li
{"title":"DNA demethylase augments RNA-directed DNA methylation by enhancing CLSY gene expression in maize and Arabidopsis.","authors":"Qiang Xu, Qiuxin Kan, Zhixiang Luo, Qiang Zhang, Liang Dong, Nathan M Springer, Qing Li","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>DNA methylation and demethylation activities are coordinated to maintain DNA methylation patterns. However, the interplay between them remains to be explored. In this study, we found that loss of DNA demethylase in maize results in a significant decrease in CHH methylation, a hallmark of RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Further analyses suggested that this is caused by reduced expression in the DNA demethylase mutant of three CLASSY (CLSY) genes, which encode chromatin remodelers controlling small RNA production. Series of molecular assays confirm that the expression of three maize CLSY genes is sensitive to the DNA methylation levels at their promoter regions, which are regulated by both the DNA demethylase and the RdDM pathway. Moreover, we revealed that Arabidopsis DNA demethylase mutants also show decreased CHH methylation and reduced expression of CLSY1, one of four CLSY genes in Arabidopsis. Similar to the observations in maize, the expression of CLSY1 is associated with DNA methylation levels of its promoter that is targeted by both DNA demethylase and RdDM pathways. Taken together, these results suggest a conserved interplay between DNA demethylation and RdDM pathways, revealing a mechanism to maintain the homeostasis of DNA methylation levels across plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1158-1170"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144248790","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}
Molecular PlantPub Date : 2025-07-07Epub Date: 2025-07-04DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.004
Haiyan Jia, Natalie Hewitt, Lucía Jordá, Tigran M Abramyan, Josh Tolliver, Janice L Jones, Kinya Nomura, Jing Yang, Sheng-Yang He, Alexander Tropsha, Antonio Molina, Henrik G Dohlman, Alan M Jones
{"title":"Phosphorylation-activated G protein signaling stabilizes TCP14 and JAZ3 to repress JA signaling and enhance plant immunity.","authors":"Haiyan Jia, Natalie Hewitt, Lucía Jordá, Tigran M Abramyan, Josh Tolliver, Janice L Jones, Kinya Nomura, Jing Yang, Sheng-Yang He, Alexander Tropsha, Antonio Molina, Henrik G Dohlman, Alan M Jones","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.06.004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The plant hormones salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) act in mutual negative-feedback regulation to balance plant growth-defense trade-off. Heterotrimeric Gα-Gβ-Gγ proteins are hubs that regulate defense signaling. In Arabidopsis, the Gα (GPA1) and Gβ (AGB1) subunits are required for defense against biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens; however, the upstream and downstream molecular mechanisms underlying G protein-mediated defense remain largely unclear. In this study, we found that G proteins are primarily negative regulators of JA signaling in response to pathogen attack. Both TCP14 and JAZs are transcriptional regulators in the JA pathways. We revealed that GPA1 interacts with TCP14 within nuclear foci, and AGB1 interacts with TCP14 and most of JAZ regulators, including JAZ3. Mechanistically, GPA1 slows the proteasomal degradation of the G protein-TCP14-JAZ3 complex, a process that is normally promoted by JA and the bacterial virulence effector HopBB1, thus boosting SA-based defense. In turn, GPA1 activity is regulated by JA-induced phosphorylation at a conserved residue located near the nucleotide-binding pocket and other residues within the N-terminal α helix. The phosphomimic mutations do not affect GTP binding or hydrolysis but enhance GPA1 interaction with TCP14 and JAZ3, thereby preventing their degradation. This newly discovered phosphorylation-dependent mechanism of de-sequestering G protein partners to modulate transcriptional regulation may extend to both yeast and human cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1171-1192"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144285530","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}
Molecular PlantPub Date : 2025-07-07Epub Date: 2025-05-23DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.008
Delphine Van Inghelandt, Benjamin Stich
{"title":"Potatome: Harnessing natural variation of potatoes.","authors":"Delphine Van Inghelandt, Benjamin Stich","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1109-1111"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144136379","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}
Molecular PlantPub Date : 2025-07-07Epub Date: 2025-05-13DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.006
Mar Bono, Maria Rivera-Moreno, Armando Albert, Pedro L Rodriguez
{"title":"Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation-mediated regulation of ABI1/2 activity and stability for fine-tuning ABA signaling.","authors":"Mar Bono, Maria Rivera-Moreno, Armando Albert, Pedro L Rodriguez","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1103-1105"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144079152","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}
Molecular PlantPub Date : 2025-07-07Epub Date: 2025-05-26DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.012
Catherine M Doorly, Wout Vandeputte, Inge De Clercq, Laurens Pauwels
{"title":"A top HAT: A maize mutant hypersusceptible to Agrobacterium transformation.","authors":"Catherine M Doorly, Wout Vandeputte, Inge De Clercq, Laurens Pauwels","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.012","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1115-1117"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144151344","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}
Molecular PlantPub Date : 2025-07-07Epub Date: 2025-05-02DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.04.013
Yingxiao Mai, Huimin Hu, Wenjuan Ji, Yaxuan Xiao, Hong Zhou, Zaohai Zeng, Wenshu Lv, Xingling Su, Jiakun Zheng, Jing Xu, Yanwei Hao, Zhenhua Liu, Rui Xia
{"title":"Evolution and functional characterization of a biosynthetic gene cluster for saponin biosynthesis in Sapindaceae.","authors":"Yingxiao Mai, Huimin Hu, Wenjuan Ji, Yaxuan Xiao, Hong Zhou, Zaohai Zeng, Wenshu Lv, Xingling Su, Jiakun Zheng, Jing Xu, Yanwei Hao, Zhenhua Liu, Rui Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.04.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.04.013","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1089-1093"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143971771","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}
Molecular PlantPub Date : 2025-07-07Epub Date: 2025-05-28DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.013
Fan Yang, Huanjun Kong, Jie Ying, Zihong Chen, Tao Luo, Wanli Jiang, Zhonghang Yuan, Zhefan Wang, Zhaona Ma, Shikuan Wang, Wanfeng Ma, Xiaoyi Wang, Xiaoying Li, Zhengyin Hu, Xiaodong Ma, Minguo Liu, Xiqing Wang, Fan Chen, Nanqing Dong
{"title":"SeedLLM·Rice: A large language model integrated with rice biological knowledge graph.","authors":"Fan Yang, Huanjun Kong, Jie Ying, Zihong Chen, Tao Luo, Wanli Jiang, Zhonghang Yuan, Zhefan Wang, Zhaona Ma, Shikuan Wang, Wanfeng Ma, Xiaoyi Wang, Xiaoying Li, Zhengyin Hu, Xiaodong Ma, Minguo Liu, Xiqing Wang, Fan Chen, Nanqing Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.molp.2025.05.013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rice biology research involves complex decision-making, requiring researchers to navigate a rapidly expanding body of knowledge encompassing extensive literature and multiomics data. The exponential increase in biological data and scientific publications presents significant challenges for efficiently extracting meaningful insights. Although large language models (LLMs) show promise for knowledge retrieval, their application to rice-specific research has been limited by the absence of specialized models and the challenge of synthesizing multimodal data integral to the field. Moreover, the lack of standardized evaluation frameworks for domain-specific tasks impedes the effective assessment of model performance. To address these challenges, we introduce SeedLLM·Rice (SeedLLM), a 7-billion-parameter model trained on 1.4 million rice-related publications, representing nearly 98.24% of global rice research output. Additionally, we present a novel human-centric evaluation framework designed to assess LLM performance in rice biology tasks. Initial evaluations demonstrate that SeedLLM outperforms general-purpose models, including OpenAI GPT-4o1 and DeepSeek-R1, achieving win rates of 57% to 88% on rice-specific tasks. Furthermore, SeedLLM is integrated with the Rice Biological Knowledge Graph (RBKG), which consolidates genome annotations for Nipponbare and large-scale synthesis of transcriptomic and proteomic information from over 1800 studies. This integration enhances the ability of SeedLLM to address complex research questions requiring the fusion of textual and multiomics data. To facilitate global collaboration, we provide free access to SeedLLM and the RBKG via an interactive web portal (https://seedllm.org.cn/). SeedLLM represents a transformative tool for rice biology research, enabling unprecedented discoveries in crop improvement and climate adaptation through advanced reasoning and comprehensive data integration.</p>","PeriodicalId":19012,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant","volume":" ","pages":"1118-1129"},"PeriodicalIF":17.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144181225","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}