Planta最新文献

{"title":"Peroxidase and β-1,3-glucanase synergistic functions strengthen plant cell wall and protect wheat against Diuraphis noxia infestation.","authors":"Siphephelo N N Zondo, Mpho S Mafa","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04759-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-025-04759-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Peroxidase and β-1,3-glucanase functions improved cell wall lignification and reduced callose during plant-pest interactions. Lignification effectively strengthens the cell wall, whilst callose deposition weakens and makes the cell wall porous. In the past two decades, studies have demonstrated that wheat infested with Russian wheat aphid (RWA) changes its biochemical and physiological metabolic functions. These changes include increased β-1,3-glucanases and peroxidase (POD) activity in the resistant cultivars. The POD activity is associated with reactive oxygen species production or quenching. However, the β-1,3-glucanase physiological function is not fully understood. Here, we reviewed the cell wall-related roles of POD and β-1,3-glucanase and their implication on plant biochemical and physiological processes during biotic stress, particularly RWA infestation. We demonstrate that β-1,3-glucanases cell wall isozymes regulate callose accumulation in the resistant wheat cultivar, improving the transport of signalling molecules within RWA-infested plants. In other plant systems, the β-1,3-glucanases' activity is linked with the formation of the non-penetration papillae (NPP), whilst the POD is associated with the lignification of the NPP. These cell wall modifications deter RWA feeding and improve plant health. In addition, there is increasing evidence that β-1,3-glucan oligosaccharides trigger pattern immune responses during the plant-pest/pathogen interaction, indicating that upregulation of β-1,3-glucanases activity in resistant cultivars can induce this type of defence response during RWA-wheat interaction. We conclude that POD and β-1,3-glucanases' activities are central to cell wall reinforcements and induction of immune responses in the resistant wheat infested with RWA. Therefore, this work highlights the synergistic effects of POD and β-1,3-glucanases in regulating cell wall modification that strengthens the cell wall, making it impenetrable to pest (including RWA) attacks.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"41"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144560806","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":"Aluminum: an essential element for the growth and development of Borreria latifolia (Aubl.) K. Schum (Rubiaceae).","authors":"Ana Paula Pires Marques, Ivan Becari-Viana, João Santana-Tomaz, Danielle Santos Brito, Cleberson Ribeiro, Aristéa Alves Azevedo","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04755-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-025-04755-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>We demonstrated that Al is essential for the growth and development of Borreria latifolia, as it is a crucial element to ensure the activity of the apical meristems. This study is the first to indicate Al as an essential element for a herbaceous plant native to the Cerrado. Although aluminum (Al), in the form of the trivalent cation (Al³⁺), is toxic to most plants, the benefits of this metal have already been highlighted for some species in acidic soils. Here, through morphophysiological evaluations of individuals grown in the absence and presence of Al, we aimed to understand the role of this metal in Borreria latifolia (Aubl.) K. Schum. (Rubiaceae), an Al-hyperaccumulator species found in the Brazilian savanna. We subjected plants to the absence of Al (T0) throughout the experiment (57 days) and the absence of Al for 40 days, followed by the addition of 500 µM Al for 17 days (T0 + 500) in hydroponic culture. We performed morphoanatomical, nutritional, and growth analyses, as well as evaluations of malondialdehyde concentration, electrolyte leakage, SPAD index, and Al histolocalization using light and confocal microscopy. Nutritional and oxidative stress in the T0 individuals led to the appearance of leaf chlorosis and necrosis, death of the apical meristems, and gelatinization of the roots. Consequently, the plants showed a reduced biomass, while growth and development ceased. After Al supplementation (T0 + 500), we stimulated meristematic activity with the formation of new roots and adventitious buds in the stem, and both plant growth and development were restored. We were then able to identify new sites of Al accumulation, such as vessel elements and colleters in B. latifolia. It is evident that the absence of Al leads to the cessation of meristematic activity and the occurrence of necrosis in the root and stem apices, thereby impeding growth and development of the plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"40"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144554193","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":"A Brassica napus water soluble chlorophyll binding protein (WSCP1) delays chlorophyll degradation and inhibits serine proteases during dark-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana.","authors":"Maxence James, Elise Nexer, Alexandra Girondé, Céline Masclaux-Daubresse, Anne Marmagne, Jacques Trouverie, Philippe Etienne","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04754-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-025-04754-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>This preliminary study shows that Brassica napus WSCP1 delays chlorophyll degradation and inhibits serine proteases during dark-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. In Brassica napus L., one of the levers for improving Nitrogen Remobilization Efficiency (NRE) consists to delay senescence onset, which prolongs leaf lifespan and reduces the asynchronism between the nitrogen emptying period in these source organs and the filling period of seeds. Water soluble chlorophyll binding proteins (WSCPs) may have a dual function in chlorophyll protection and protease inhibition. As such they are excellent candidates to propose a technical solution to delay leaf senescence. Several isoforms of WSCPs have been identified in the leaves of rapeseed. Among them, WSCP1 presents two motifs in its protein sequence that are associated to the putative dual function. To test if WSCP1 can actually delay leaf senescence, the overexpression of WSCP1 under the control of the SAG12 senescence promoter (pSAG12::WSCP1) was developed in an Arabidopsis thaliana accession that was previously described as early senescent (RIL232). During dark-induced senescence, our main results reveal a lower chlorophyll degradation and a reduction of the serine proteases (SPs) activity in leaves of pSAG12::WSCP1 lines compared to RIL232. Although SP inhibition was strong in pSAG12::WSCP1 leaves compared with RIL232, no difference in leaf protein content was observed. This result suggests either the recruitment of a compensatory proteolytic system in WSCP1-overexpressing lines or that SPs are not essential for protein nitrogen remobilization during dark-induced leaf senescence.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"39"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144554192","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":"Genome-wide analysis of miRNAs and their target genes in wheat cultivars with different ploidy levels under drought stress.","authors":"Ferhat Ulu, Necdet Mehmet Unel, Mehmet Cengiz Baloglu","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04757-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-025-04757-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>This study provides novel insight into the role of miRNAs in the drought resistance of different wheat cultivars, revealing a correlation between ploidy level and drought tolerance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, mostly conserved, non-coding regulatory RNAs with 20-24 nt in length. Although many studies have been conducted on miRNAs that play a role in wheat drought stress response, there are no comparative studies in wheat cultivars with different ploidy levels. Here we compared miRNAs profiles of three wheat cultivars with different chromosome numbers and drought resistance levels using miRNAome and qRT-PCR analysis. Bioinformatics analysis showed that all cultivars shared 93 miRNAs in the control leaf, while 91 miRNAs were shared in stress-treated leaf groups. A total of 90 and 92 miRNAs were expressed by all cultivars in control and stress root samples, respectively. Also, 17 and 21 miRNAs were expressed species-specifically in control and stress leaf, whereas 23 and 20 were expressed in control and stress root groups, respectively. Also, tae-miR159a and tae-miR167c expressions showed drought resistance increases as the ploidy level rises, and Triticum aestivum and Triticum turgidum are more tolerant than Triticum monococcum. Furthermore, according to in silico analysis 729 and 771 genes were targeted in control-leaf and stress-leaf groups of all cultivars; also, 775 and 776 genes were targeted in control-root and stress-root samples by determined miRNAs, respectively. Additionally, degradome data showed 351 and 356 genes were targeted in leaf and root tissues, respectively. These findings propose that genotypic variation is responsible for the differential expression of miRNAs and the target genes in drought stress response. The results could serve as a guide for future research on the drought response mechanism.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"38"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12213836/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144541907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unravelling the molecular network of desiccation tolerance in resurrection plants started with the model plant Craterostigma plantagineum.","authors":"Dorothea Bartels, Valentino Giarola, John Chandler","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04752-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-025-04752-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Molecular studies of desiccation-tolerant resurrection plants identified major components for surviving severe water depletion of vegetative tissues. The research also highlights potential applications for crop protection during drought. The ability of vegetative plant tissues to withstand desiccation is a property of a small group of resurrection plants specific to specialized ecological niches. In the 1980s, studies on these plants were limited to the physiological and morphological levels. However, in 1990, a study by Bartels et al. using the South African resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum was the first to address desiccation tolerance at the molecular level. A differential screening approach with C. plantagineum leaves and callus pretreated with ABA led to the identification of transcripts that were upregulated by desiccation. Many of the identified genes encoded late embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) proteins, which are abundant proteins that accumulate during normal seed development. Therefore, the study confirmed that the acquisition of desiccation tolerance in vegetative tissues of resurrection plants partially involves the seed maturation programme involving ABA. Subsequent research with C. plantagineum contributed to elucidating the gene regulatory networks and metabolic changes that contribute to desiccation tolerance and provided the basis for studies with other resurrection species. More recently, the genomes of C. plantagineum and several other resurrection plants have been sequenced, which has allowed comparative genomics approaches to identify conserved mechanisms and signatures associated with vegetative desiccation tolerance. A primary goal remains to transfer existing knowledge from resurrection plants to genetically engineer drought tolerance in crop plants, which will improve survival during periods of drought and will maintain future food security despite increasing impacts of climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"37"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12198318/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144485569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pattern of secondary growth in monocot roots: unveiling longitudinal and cross-sectional variability.","authors":"Jan Marcinkiewicz, Joanna Jura-Morawiec","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04744-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-025-04744-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Monocot cambium activity varies along the root axis and circumference, resulting in eccentric secondary growth. Variation in secondary growth structure along the root diameter indicates functional specialization but without reaction wood characteristics. Secondary growth in roots is one of the most important adaptive features, providing mechanical support to stabilize the aboveground part of an arborescent plant. Our knowledge of this phenomenon in arborescent monocots is limited: it occurs exclusively in Dracaena species, it has a bundled structure and it is formed by the monocot cambium. To add to our understanding, we investigated the pattern of secondary thickening along the axis and along the diameter of the stem-borne roots of a dragon tree Dracaena draco L. by analyzing the direction of eccentricity vector and examining root anatomy. We hypothesized that the distribution of secondary growth changes along the root and that there are anatomic differences between concentric secondary growth (uniform around the root) and eccentric secondary growth (asymmetric), that may shed light on its adaptive significance. We found that roots show irregular eccentricity, with the direction of the eccentricity vector changing from up to sideways, counterclockwise or clockwise. Vascular bundle density was lower in eccentric secondary growth and these bundles differed in size, shape, and components (tracheid lumen fraction, tracheid wall fraction) compared to concentric secondary growth. Distinct arcs in eccentric secondary growth were the result of varying thickness of the ground parenchyma cell walls, variation in bundle size, or a combination of both. Our study was a pioneering effort to investigate the variability of secondary growth along roots in monocots, and suggests a spatial separation of the mechanical and transport functions in the root, but without the contribution of features characteristic of reaction wood.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"36"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12187802/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144476352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strategies for increasing saikosaponins accumulation in Bupleurum: insights from environmental and microbial regulation.","authors":"Weijie Deng, Xiaowei Du, Yakun Xiao, Xinlong Zhu, Dan Yu","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04748-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-025-04748-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Suitable environments (low light, drought, adequate nutrients, moderate salinity, low temperature) and microorganisms (endophytic fungi, AMF, Trichoderma) promote saikosaponins accumulation by regulating key enzymes and transcription factors in biosynthetic pathways. Saikosaponins (SSs) are the principal bioactive constituents and crucial quality control markers in the genus Bupleurum. They possess diverse pharmacological activities, such as sedation, antipyretic, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammation, antitumor, antiviral, and hepatoprotection. The biosynthesis and accumulation of SSs are influenced by multiple factors, including abiotic environmental conditions (e.g., water, soil, light, and temperature) and microbial factors (such as endophytic fungi, mycorrhizal fungi, Trichoderma fungi and bacteria). Enzymes involved in SSs biosynthesis (e.g., HMGR, FPPS, IPPI, β-AS, P450, UGT) and transcription factors (e.g., ERF1-1, bHLH14, NAC53, WRKY6, WRKY16, WRKY32, WRKY40, etc.) play a key role in promoting the accumulation of SSs by these abiotic factors and microorganisms. This paper summarizes the regulation of SSs accumulation by environmental factors and microbial factors, aiming to provide a scientific basis for increasing SSs content in the genus Bupleurum and for formulating effective regulatory strategies to utilize high-quality medicinal materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"35"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144476279","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":"Speed-bred crops for food security and sustainable agriculture.","authors":"Garima Aggarwal, A S Jeena, Kajal Mehra, Bishawajit Kumar, Shivani Kashyap, Dhananjay Kumar Yadav, Alok Kumar Maurya, S C Venkatesh, Prakhar Singla, Abhishek Bohra","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04746-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-025-04746-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Overcoming the existing barriers of speed breeding and its integration with modern genetic technologies will be crucial for its widespread adoption in plant breeding programs. Safeguarding global food security calls for a steady stream of climate-smart crop varieties delivered in less time with fewer agricultural resources. In this context, speed breeding (SB) was introduced as a shortening practice in modern agriculture through innovative solutions that promote rapid growth and development in plants. Since then, SB application has led to significant increase in yield and climate-resilience traits of modern crop varieties. SB protocols optimized for long-day and day-neutral plants have witnessed great success, and research on optimizing SB for short-day plants (e.g., rice, soybean, pigeonpea) has also been encouraging. Most interestingly, SB offers ample scope for integration with modern breeding methods like genomic selection, haplotype-based breeding and genome editing, which further enhances its capacity to deliver new crop varieties with enhanced stress adaptation and yield potential. While significant progress has been made in uncovering genetic loci associated with SB-relevant traits such as flowering time and maturity, the broader genetic basis of photoperiod response remains understudied in food crops. Despite its transformative potential, SB faces several limitations such as high energy demands, risks of genetic bottlenecks, and difficulties in applications at field scale, thus underscoring the need for continuous improvements. Our review offers the most updated overview of SB applications in crops plants, the genetic mechanisms underlying photoperiod response. We also present prospects for combining SB with evolving technologies for rapid and better breeding outcomes. We advocate that while transformative, SB still faces a set of challenges that must be carefully addressed to realize its full potential for future food supply.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"34"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144326648","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":"The cytological basis of self-incompatibility in goji (Lycium barbarum) and the cloning of S-RNase gene.","authors":"Jiali Wu, Xiongxiong Nan, Ken Qin, Guoli Dai, Xin Zhang, Zijun Yang, Zhonghua Wang, Cuiping Wang","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04753-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-025-04753-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Goji displays characteristics of gametophytic self-incompatibility. The S-RNase gene, expressed in the style, serves as the S determinant in the pistil, playing a key role in regulating goji's self-incompatibility. Goji, a plant commonly found worldwide, has been traditionally used for medicinal and culinary purposes in Chinese culture. However, breeding this species is challenging due to its self-incompatibility (SI). This study utilized 'Ningqi 1', 'Ningqi 6', and 'Ningqi 8', which exhibit significant variations in SI, as the experimental subjects. Detailed observations of floral organs and artificial pollination trials were conducted to elucidate the SI traits among different goji cultivars. Furthermore, the crucial pistil S factor that mediates SI in goji has been successfully cloned and subjected to analysis. The study revealed that goji exhibits gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI). 'Ningqi 1' has a facultative selfing breeding system, while 'Ningqi 6' and 'Ningqi 8' involve facultative cross-pollination. Four S-RNase genes were successfully cloned from goji plants. Differential expression analysis revealed exclusive expression of S-RNase genes in the style. 'Ningqi 8' had significantly higher expression of the S₂-RNase gene compared to the S₁-RNase gene, suggesting that the S₂-RNase gene may play a pivotal role in regulating the SI mechanism of 'Ningqi 8'. This research provides insights into the cytological mechanisms of SI in goji, informing the planning of pollination tree arrangements and the selection of parental stocks for self-compatible breeding programs. It also lays the groundwork for future molecular studies on SI in goji.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"33"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144326649","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":"Iron allocation to chloroplast proteins depends on the DNA-binding protein WHIRLY1.","authors":"Karin Krupinska, Susann Frank, Luca Boschian, Monireh Saeid Nia, Susanne Braun, Anke Schäfer, Ulrike Voigt, Ewa Niewiadomska, Bettina Hause, Götz Hensel, Wolfgang Bilger","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04736-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-025-04736-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>The DNA-binding protein WHIRLY1, sharing structural similarities with ferritin, plays a role in the formation of iron cofactor proteins within chloroplasts. Previous studies indicated that barley plants with a knockdown of HvWHIRLY1 containing a minimal amount of the protein are compromised in chloroplast development and photosynthesis, and get chlorotic leaves when grown at high irradiance. Thereby, the leaves display signs of iron deficiency. Metal determination revealed, however, that leaves of WHIRLY1-deficient plants had a regular iron content. Nevertheless, WHIRLY1-deficiency affected the functionality of photosystem II less than that of photosystem I, which has a higher demand for iron. Immunological analyses revealed that components of both photosystems had reduced levels. Additionally, the levels of other chloroplast proteins containing different classes of iron cofactors were lower in the WHIRLY1-deficient plants compared to the wild type. In contrast, the level of the iron sequestering protein ferritin increased in WHIRLY1-deficient lines, whereby high irradiance intensified this effect. RNA analyses showed that the upregulation of ferritin coincided with an enhanced expression of the corresponding gene, reflecting an apparent overload of chloroplasts with free iron. Ferritin and WHIRLY proteins are known to share the same oligomeric structure. Therefore, the high abundance of ferritin in WHIRLY1-deficient plants might be a compensation for the reduced abundance of WHIRLY1. Enhanced expression levels of genes encoding photosynthesis proteins and iron cofactor proteins indicate a demand for protein formation or assembly of protein complexes. The results support a general role of WHIRLY1 in assembly and/or stabilization of chloroplast proteins and, moreover, suggest a specific function in sequestering and supply of iron in chloroplasts.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"262 2","pages":"32"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12174181/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144317662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}