{"title":"Light-regulated dual-targeting of NUCLEAR CONTROL OF PEP ACTIVITY establishes photomorphogenesis via interorganellar communication","authors":"Jae-Hyung Lee, Thu Minh Doan, Abigail Bruzual, Sandhya Senthilkumar, Chan Yul Yoo","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf289","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf289","url":null,"abstract":"Interorganellar communication is essential for maintaining cellular and organellar functions and adapting to dynamic environmental changes in eukaryotic cells. In angiosperms, light initiates photomorphogenesis, a developmental program characterized by chloroplast biogenesis and inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, through photoreceptors such as the red/far-red-sensing phytochromes and their downstream signaling pathways. However, the mechanisms underlying nucleus-chloroplast crosstalk during photomorphogenesis remain elusive. Here, we show that light-regulated dual-targeting of NUCLEAR CONTROL OF PEP ACTIVITY (NCP) mediates bidirectional communication between the nucleus and chloroplasts via alternative promoter selection and retrograde translocation. Light promotes transcription from an upstream canonical transcription start site, producing a long NCP isoform (NCP-L) containing an N-terminal chloroplast transit peptide that directs chloroplast localization. In contrast, darkness or low red-light conditions favor transcription from a downstream alternative start site, producing a shorter cytoplasmic isoform (NCP-S) that is rapidly degraded via the 26S proteasome. This light-regulated alternative transcription initiation depends on PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs), key repressors of photomorphogenesis. Upon chloroplast import, NCP-L is processed into its mature form (NCPm), which promotes assembly and nucleoid localization of the PEP complex to initiate chloroplast biogenesis. Notably, NCP’s nuclear function requires its prior localization to chloroplasts, supporting a model in which NCP mediates chloroplast-to-nucleus retrograde signaling. Consistent with this, NCP promotes stromule formation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) hypocotyls, linking chloroplast dynamics to phytochrome-dependent nuclear pathways that restrict hypocotyl elongation. Our findings uncover an interorganellar communication mechanism in which light-dependent alternative promoter usage and retrotranslocation regulate photomorphogenesis, integrating nuclear and plastid signals to coordinate organ-specific developmental programs.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144521175","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":"The Transcription Factor LpWRKY65 Enhances Embryogenic Capacity through ROS Scavenging during Somatic Embryogenesis of Larch","authors":"Xiaoyi Chen, Luyao Zhang, Chengbi Liu, Rui Wang, Jianfeng Dai, Lisheng Kong, Jinfeng Zhang, Jian Zhao","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf286","url":null,"abstract":"Somatic embryogenesis is a powerful system for studying embryo development and scaling up the production of elite genetic material. Somatic embryogenesis has been well established in Larix principis-rupprechtii, a Chinese larch species dominant in the world’s largest man-made forest. However, genotype-dependent embryogenic variations hinder large-scale forestry, and the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we constructed stage-specific developmental transcriptomes of the somatic embryogenesis process using two lines with contrasting embryogenic capacities. Clustering and co-expression analyses identified LpWRKY65 as a central hub gene highly expressed in early somatic embryogenesis stages and with significantly higher expression in the high-embryogenic-capacity cell line (HEL) compared to the low-embryogenic-capacity cell line (LEL). Overexpressing LpWRKY65 significantly increased somatic embryo yield and quality. DAP-seq and RNA-seq were combined to identify a set of target genes downstream of and responsive to LpWRKY65, particularly including genes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. We identified LpHmgB10 as a critical downstream regulator of LpWRKY65. LpWRKY65 directly binds to the W-box in the promoter of LpHmgB10, markedly enhancing its transcriptional activity. ROS profiling further demonstrated that overexpression of LpWRKY65 or LpHmgB10 enhances ROS scavenging and promotes a stable redox environment, which is crucial for improving embryogenic capacity. These findings suggest that LpWRKY65 regulates the cellular redox environment to promote embryogenic differentiation and somatic embryo development, advancing somatic embryogenesis research in conifers.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"66 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144520839","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}
Plant PhysiologyPub Date : 2025-06-30DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf291
Victor Aprilyanto, Xiaowei Wang, Rufang Wang, Stan Kronenberg, Feitse Bos, Cristian Peña-Ponton, Gerco C Angenent, Ruud A de Maagd
{"title":"A comprehensive model of tomato fruit ripening regulation by the transcription factors NOR-like1, NAC-NOR, and MADS-RIN","authors":"Victor Aprilyanto, Xiaowei Wang, Rufang Wang, Stan Kronenberg, Feitse Bos, Cristian Peña-Ponton, Gerco C Angenent, Ruud A de Maagd","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf291","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf291","url":null,"abstract":"Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening involves climacteric ethylene production, lycopene accumulation, texture softening, and flavour enhancement, a highly coordinated process accompanied by profound gene expression changes. To construct a comprehensive model of ripening regulation, we studied the effects on ripening phenotypes and underlying gene expression changes in combinations of knockout alleles of NON-RIPENING- -like1 (NL1), NON-RIPENING (NAC-NOR, NOR), and RIPENING INHIBITOR (MADS-RIN). Thus, we demonstrated that the products of the putative paralogous transcription factor genes NL1 and NOR together orchestrate ripening initiation and progression through ethylene production. NL1, or the ethylene production that it induces, together with NOR, stimulates the gene expression of transcription factor MADS-RIN, which then becomes the major driver of all ripening processes studied here. NOR and, particularly, NL1 have relatively minor but discernable and clearly different quantitative contributions to the ripening progression after initiation. Thus, the comprehensive model establishes a hierarchy of gene expression events regulating the start and progression of fruit ripening.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144521052","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}
Plant PhysiologyPub Date : 2025-06-30DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf288
Gunhee Lee, Sang Ryeol Park, Yujeong Jeong, Seungmin Son
{"title":"The NLR protein CbAR9 and the hydrolase CbSAHH form a module driving systemic acquired resistance against Colletotrichum in pepper","authors":"Gunhee Lee, Sang Ryeol Park, Yujeong Jeong, Seungmin Son","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf288","url":null,"abstract":"Anthracnose, which is caused by fungal pathogens of the genus Colletotrichum, poses a substantial threat to global pepper (Capsicum spp.) production. However, the principal regulators and signaling pathways that mediate anthracnose resistance remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate the roles of ANTHRACNOSE RESISTANCE 9 (CbAR9) and S-ADENOSYLHOMOCYSTEINE HYDROLASE (CbSAHH) in the methyl salicylate (MeSA) mobile signal activating systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in Capsicum baccatum. Phenotypic and molecular analyses showed that the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein CbAR9 enhances both local and systemic defense responses to Colletotrichum species through salicylic acid (SA)-dependent immunity, and it directly interacts with CbSAHH, a key enzyme in the methylation cycle. Knockdown of CbAR9 or CbSAHH significantly impaired SAR to Colletotrichum species. Moreover, the elevation of MeSA content and methylation capacity induced by Colletotrichum capsici in the primary infected leaves were compromised in CbAR9- and CbSAHH-silenced plants. Notably, MeSA treatment in the primary infected leaves restored the diminished SAR to C. capsici in CbAR9- and CbSAHH-silenced plants. These findings show that the CbAR9-CbSAHH module contributes SAR to Colletotrichum species through activating the MeSA mobile signal.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"49 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144521053","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":"The Nhd1–MYB110–MADS15 transcription factor module regulates flowering time in rice","authors":"Yi Jin, Lixiao Deng, Tingting Wang, Zhiyuan Wang, Yuanyuan Jing, Mengke Du, Xuesong Li, Hongye Qu, Wona Ding, Ying Liu, Mian Gu, Shunan Zhang, Guohua Xu","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf270","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf270","url":null,"abstract":"The precise regulation of flowering time, known as heading date in rice (Oryza sativa L.), is critical for regional adaptation, agricultural productivity, and crop rotation practices. In rice, the florigen activation complex (FAC) and its downstream effectors are well-characterized mediators of the floral transition in the shoot apical meristem (SAM). Here, we characterized OsMYB110 as a SAM-localized transcription factor that promotes flowering, exhibiting functional similarity to the established flowering regulator Nhd1 (N-mediated heading date-1). Through integrated molecular and genetic analyses, we demonstrate that: (1) Nhd1 directly binds to the OsMYB110 promoter to activate its expression, while OsMYB110 in turn binds to and activates the OsMADS15 promoter to control flowering progression, and (2) genetic epistasis places OsMYB110 downstream of Nhd1 but upstream of OsMADS15 in the flowering regulation hierarchy. Furthermore, while elevated phosphate accelerates flowering, this response is abolished in myb110 and mads15 mutants but maintained in nhd1 mutants. These results define a previously unrecognized Nhd1–OsMYB110–OsMADS15 regulatory module that integrates developmental and nutrient signaling pathways to control rice flowering time.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"637 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516016","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}
Plant PhysiologyPub Date : 2025-06-29DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf269
Yuval Milrad, Daniel Wegemann, Sebastian Kuhlgert, Martin Scholz, Muhammad Younas, André Vidal-Meireles, Michael Hippler
{"title":"Insights into Plastocyanin–Cytochrome b6f Formation: The Role of Plastocyanin Phosphorylation","authors":"Yuval Milrad, Daniel Wegemann, Sebastian Kuhlgert, Martin Scholz, Muhammad Younas, André Vidal-Meireles, Michael Hippler","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf269","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf269","url":null,"abstract":"Plastocyanin (PC) is a copper-containing protein that acts as a mobile electron carrier in plants during photosynthesis. In this work, we investigated the role of PC phosphorylation in photosynthetic electron transfer, focusing on interactions with both cytochrome-b6f (Cytb6f) and Photosystem-I (PSI) in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. While the binding and electron transfer between PC and PSI are well characterized, the interaction between PC and Cytf remains less clear. Using chemical cross-linking combined with mass spectrometry, we identified two potential binding models for PC and Cytf: “Side-on” and “Head-on”. To evaluate electron transfer, we developed an in vitro system that allowed oxidized PC, formed via light-driven electron transfer at PSI, to re-oxidize Cytf. Our data show that a phosphomimetic variant of PC, where phosphorylated PC S49 residue interacts with PetA-K188, displays faster Cytf oxidation, likely optimizing binding and electron transfer between PC and Cytf. Additionally, PC phosphomimetic variants exhibited slower transfer rates than the wild type, suggesting that phosphorylation also modulates PC’s interaction with PSI. This regulation likely optimizes Cytf oxidation and electron transfer under conditions of low PC availability, such as during high light stress. Overall, PC phosphorylation appears to play a role in fine-tuning electron transfer between PSI, Cytb6f, and PC, thereby ensuring efficient photosynthesis in dynamic environmental conditions.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516017","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}
Plant PhysiologyPub Date : 2025-06-28DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf283
Dylan J Ziegler, Deirdre Khan, Jenna L Kalichuk, Michael G Becker, Asher Pasha, Nicholas J Provart, Mark F Belmonte
{"title":"Gene expression landscape of the Brassica napus seed reveals subgenome bias in both space and time","authors":"Dylan J Ziegler, Deirdre Khan, Jenna L Kalichuk, Michael G Becker, Asher Pasha, Nicholas J Provart, Mark F Belmonte","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf283","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf283","url":null,"abstract":"Brassica napus (canola; AnAnCnCn) contains both complete diploid genomes from its progenitors B. rapa (An) and B. oleracea (Cn). Despite growing knowledge of the gene expression landscape of the B. napus seed, little is known about subgenome bias underpinning the development of specific cells and tissues across the seed lifecycle. Here, we present a large-scale transcriptome atlas of the B. napus seed, including both the maternal seed coat and filial embryo and endosperm subregions. We report on extensive, global Cn subgenome bias throughout development and use homoeologous gene pairs to describe how subgenomic bias differs across subregions. We find that subgenome bias is most prominent during early development and that the maternal subregions experience far more asymmetric transcript accumulation in favour of the Cn subgenome. In particular, the unexpectedly distinct transcriptome profile of the chalazal pole indicates the unique developmental processes involved within the chalaza. Further, we report that genes integral to seed storage comprise a large portion of the transcriptome of mature seeds, especially within the embryo, and that gene pairs previously documented to be instrumental in seed development exhibit low transcriptional bias. This work represents an important synthesis of polyploid transcriptomics in seed biology and provides a comprehensive overview of the B. napus gene expression landscape in both space and time.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"143 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144513135","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}
Plant PhysiologyPub Date : 2025-06-27DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf256
Zhikun Wang, Changhuan Du, Qingqing Li, Meng Li, Yuanzhuo Wang, Gege Bao, Yuanyuan Yin, Mingming Yang, Qiang Yang, Pengfei Xu, Shanshan Liu, Bo Song, Shuzhen Zhang
{"title":"The transcription factor REM16a promotes flowering time in soybean by activating flowering-related genes","authors":"Zhikun Wang, Changhuan Du, Qingqing Li, Meng Li, Yuanzhuo Wang, Gege Bao, Yuanyuan Yin, Mingming Yang, Qiang Yang, Pengfei Xu, Shanshan Liu, Bo Song, Shuzhen Zhang","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf256","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf256","url":null,"abstract":"The flowering time of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is extremely sensitive to photoperiod, which importantly influences its yield potential and restricts the geographical range of soybean cultivars to specific latitudes. Molecular breeding to modulate flowering time and reduce sensitivity to daylength is an effective approach to enhance the adaptability and productivity of soybean. Here, we characterized reproductive meristem 16a (GmREM16a), a member of the AP2/B3-like transcription factor family. The GmREM16a protein contains two B3 domains, and the expression of its encoding gene is responsive to photoperiod and circadian rhythm. Overexpression of GmREM16a in soybean accelerated flowering by regulating the expression of flowering-related genes. The GmREM16a protein was able to directly bind to the promoters of GmSOC1, GmFT2a, and GmFT5a and up-regulate their expression. Yeast two-hybrid screening revealed GmCSN5 interacts with GmREM16a. GmCSN5 is the fifth subunit of the COP9 signalosome (constitutively photomorphogenic signalosome, CSN) that regulates the activity of CULLIN-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases and regulates protein degradation. Protein degradation assays in vivo and in vitro showed that GmCSN5 promotes the degradation of GmREM16a protein via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Taken together, these findings indicate that the transcription factor GmREM16a promotes flowering by regulating the expression of flowering-related genes. Additionally, GmCSN5 interacts with GmREM16a to regulate its stability in soybean. The GmREM16a-GmSCN5 module may represent a pathway involved in the regulation of flowering time in soybean and is a useful genetic resource for improving the adaptability of soybean through molecular breeding approaches.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"103 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144503733","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}
Plant PhysiologyPub Date : 2025-06-27DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf285
Chunhui Huang, Lei Zhang, Xiuyin Chen, Tyler E McCourt, Tianchi Wang, Mindy Y Wang, Robert A Winz, John N McCallum, Samantha J Baldwin, Ross G Atkinson, Niels J Nieuwenhuizen
{"title":"The aldehyde (ALD) locus controls C6-aldehyde production in kiwifruit and affects consumer perception of fruit aroma","authors":"Chunhui Huang, Lei Zhang, Xiuyin Chen, Tyler E McCourt, Tianchi Wang, Mindy Y Wang, Robert A Winz, John N McCallum, Samantha J Baldwin, Ross G Atkinson, Niels J Nieuwenhuizen","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf285","url":null,"abstract":"Volatile C6-aldehydes contribute green/grassy notes to the aroma of many unripe fruits. C6-aldehydes are also likely important contributors to flavor intensity in fruits that remain green when ripe, including green-fleshed kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.). Here, we investigated the genetic basis for aldehyde production in kiwifruit in an A. chinensis mapping population. A major quantitative trait locus for producing multiple aldehydes was identified on chromosome 28 and named the aldehyde (ALD) locus. This locus co-located with three tandemly arrayed A. chinensis LIPOXYGENASE (AcLOX4a–c) genes in the Red5 genome. Expression of the ALD 13-LOX genes and aldehyde production decreased as the fruit developed and ripened in multiple Actinidia spp. In planta transient overexpression and biochemical analysis indicated that AcLOX4a and AcLOX4c produce hexanal and hexenal isomers. The third gene, AcLOX4b, was inactive and likely a pseudogene. The ALD LOX genes were targeted for CRISPR-Cas9 knockout, generating A. chinensis kiwifruit lines that contained insertions/deletions in all three target genes. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that C6-aldehyde levels were reduced in leaves and fruit of the CRISPR-Cas9 lines, with a > 90% reduction in line CAL5-2 compared to the control. Sensory aroma analysis showed that consumers could readily discriminate unripe CAL5-2 fruit from controls, describing the fruit as less grassy. Consumer discrimination was weaker in ethylene-ripened CAL5-2 fruit, likely due to high levels of fruity esters. Our results validate the importance of C6-aldehydes in kiwifruit flavor, and our characterization of the ALD locus is a critical step toward maintaining and improving flavor intensity in kiwifruit.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516133","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}
Plant PhysiologyPub Date : 2025-06-26DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiaf280
Xiaoche Wang, Zhiwen Yu, Hai Xu, Hao Chen, Jiahao Lu, Xiang Li, Fengcheng Li, Wenfu Chen, Quan Xu
{"title":"An H3K9me2 demethylase encoded by Jumonji C domain-containing DT2 regulates drought tolerance in rice","authors":"Xiaoche Wang, Zhiwen Yu, Hai Xu, Hao Chen, Jiahao Lu, Xiang Li, Fengcheng Li, Wenfu Chen, Quan Xu","doi":"10.1093/plphys/kiaf280","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaf280","url":null,"abstract":"Drought is a major environmental stress limiting global rice (Oryza sativa) production, emphasizing the vital requirement for understanding the genetic basis of drought tolerance. Here, we identified a Jumonji C (JmjC) domain–containing gene, DROUGHT TOLERANCE 2 (DT2), which encodes an H3K9me2 demethylase that regulates drought tolerance in rice. DT2 reduces the H3K9me2 methylation level at the bZIP transcription factor OsZIP26, thereby increasing its expression. OsZIP26 inhibits the abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis gene 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 2 (NCED2) by activating the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor bHLH048. DT2 also interacts with the abscisic acid-stress-ripening-inducible 5 (ASR5) protein. ASR5 directly activates the expression of NCED2, and DT2 impairs the ASR5-mediated activation of NCED2. The suppression of NCED2 reduces endogenous ABA levels, resulting in weak drought tolerance in rice. In addition to identifying DT2 as a negative regulator of drought tolerance, our study highlights the role of this JmjC domain–containing protein in drought tolerance and its potential for breeding drought-tolerant rice cultivars.","PeriodicalId":20101,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology","volume":"70 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144500469","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}