Plant Cell Reports最新文献

{"title":"A novel toolbox of GATEWAY-compatible vectors for rapid functional gene analysis in soybean composite plants.","authors":"Joffrey Mejias, Alexandra Margets, Melissa Bredow, Jessica Foster, Ekkachai Khwanbua, Jackson Goshon, Thomas R Maier, Steven A Whitham, Roger W Innes, Thomas J Baum","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03458-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03458-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>We developed a set of GATEWAY vectors to accelerate gene function analysis in soybean composite plants to rapidly screen transgenic roots and investigate subcellular localization, protein-protein interactions, and root-pathogen interactions. The generation of transgenic plants is essential for plant biology research to investigate plant physiology, pathogen interactions, and gene function. However, producing stable transgenic plants for plants such as soybean is a laborious and time-consuming process, which can impede research progress. Composite plants consisting of wild-type shoots and transgenic roots are an alternative method for generating transgenic plant tissues that can facilitate functional analysis of genes-of-interest involved in root development or root-microbe interactions. In this report, we introduce a novel set of GATEWAY-compatible vectors that enable a wide range of molecular biology uses in roots of soybean composite plants. These vectors incorporate in-frame epitope fusions of green fluorescent protein, 3x-HA, or miniTurbo-ID, which can be easily fused to a gene-of-interest using the GATEWAY cloning system. Moreover, these vectors allow for the identification of transgenic roots using either mCherry fluorescence or the RUBY marker. We demonstrate the functionality of these vectors by expressing subcellular markers in soybean, providing evidence of their effectiveness in generating protein fusions in composite soybean plants. Furthermore, we show how these vectors can be used for gene function analysis by expressing the bacterial effector, AvrPphB in composite roots, enabling the identification of soybean targets via immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry. Additionally, we demonstrate the successful expression of stable miniTurbo-ID fusion proteins in composite roots. Overall, this new set of vectors is a powerful tool that can be used to assess subcellular localization and perform gene function analyses in soybean roots without the need to generate stable transgenic plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 4","pages":"72"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143597649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 identification unravels the role of the arabinogalactan peptide (AGP) gene family in cotton plant architecture.","authors":"Jungfeng Tang, Teame Gereziher Mehari, Dongmei Qian, Ruochen Li, Zhengyang Chen, Zitong Zhou, Yuchun Yan, Haodong Chen, Wei Wang, Baohua Wang","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03460-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00299-025-03460-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>In our study, we identified the gene Gohir.A08G240900 as a potential target for regulating cotton plant height, providing a genetic basis for enhancing cotton morphology. Arabinogalactan peptides are a class of hydroxyproline-rich proteins widely distributed in plants that participate in many life processes, including growth and development, cell division and even plant reproductive development. In this study, we identified 122 members of the AGP gene family via genome-wide identification in six cotton species. Through phylogenetic tree analysis, the AGP family was divided into six different subgroups. A core yet variable region composed of proline, hydroxyproline, serine, threonine, and alanine (PAST) was identified among these members. Furthermore, Ka/Ks analysis revealed that the AGP gene family underwent multiple fragment duplication events. Additionally, we analyzed the 1.5 kb upstream cis-acting elements of all upland cotton family members and identified numerous functional elements associated with growth and development, suggesting a close relationship among the family members. The results of RT‒qPCR analysis revealed that the expression level of Gohir.A08G240900 was significantly different among the four upland cotton varieties, with significant differences in plant height. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiments revealed that the height of Gohir.A08G240900 gene-silenced plants significantly decreased. The results revealed that Gohir.A08G240900 may affect plant growth and development and may be a potential functional gene regulating cotton plant height.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 4","pages":"71"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143582351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 identification of SlIQMs and the regulatory effect of calcium on tomato seedlings under drought stress and phytohormone treatment.","authors":"Jing Cui, Junrong Xu, Jin Qi, Xuefang Lu, Yunzhi Liu, Jingli Xiong, Wenjin Yu, Changxia Li","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03459-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03459-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>SlIQMs were identified, exogenous calcium and phytohormones induced their expression. SlIQMs's function were verified by VIGS. Calcium synergistically promoted seedling growth with ABA, IAA, MeJA and antagonized growth inhibition with GA₃ or SA. The IQM genes, are crucial members of the calmodulin-binding protein family, play pivotal roles in plant growth and stress response. However, the existence and impact of IQM in tomato remain unclear. This study demonstrates that the SlIQMs are randomly distributed across the 4 chromosomes of tomato and exclusively located within the nucleus. Phylogenetic analysis classifies the SlIQMs into 3 distinct subclasses. Analysis of cis-acting elements reveals that SlIQMs may function in stress or hormone process. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR analysis further testified that polyethylene glycol (PEG), abscisic acid (ABA), indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellin (GA₃), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and salicylic acid (SA) induce expression levels of SlIQM1/2/3/5/6/7. Furthermore, exogenous calcium significantly alleviates detrimental effects on seedlings growth leaded by drought stress. Moreover, the relationships between hormones and calcium were explored. The results showed that calcium synergistically promoted the seedlings growth with ABA, IAA and MeJA, however antagonistic effects on inhibiting growth are observed between calcium and GA₃ or SA. The virus-induced silencing of 6 candidate genes caused growth inhibition of tomato seedlings under drought stress and phytohormone treatment. These findings lay the foundation for a comprehensive study of the structure and biological function of SlIQM genes and the interaction between calcium and different plant hormones on plant growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 4","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143586663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interacting MeZFP29 and MebZIPW regulates MeNRT2.2 from cassava responding to nitrate signaling.","authors":"Wenbin Li, Xiaoling Yu, Pingjuan Zhao, Shuxia Li, Liangping Zou, Xiuchun Zhang, Jiuhui Li, Mengbin Ruan","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03455-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03455-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>Cassava is a significant tropical cash crop. MeZFP29 interacting with MebZIPW improves MeNRT2.2, encoding a high-affinity nitrate transporter, through binding to NREs under low nitrate and shows a nitrate-signaling-triggered regulation. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a globally significant tropical root crop and exhibits exceptional adaptability to native soil fertility. MeNRT2.2 encodes a high-affinity nitrate transporter in cassava and heterologous overexpression of MeNRT2.2 in Arabidopsis increases nitrate transportation and utilization under nitrogen scarcity. However, the responsive mechanism of MeNRT2.2 to nitrate remains unclear. In this study, we identified a nitrate-responsive fragment of 450 bp located upstream of the start codon of MeNRT2.2, and two potential regulators, MeZFP29 and MebZIPW, of MeNRT2.2. Two regulators specifically bound to nitrate-responsive cis-element (NRE), i.e., TGCATT and CAGATG, in the 450 bp fragment and together significantly stimulated promoter activity. Furthermore, we confirmed the interaction between two regulators in vivo and in vitro via Y2H, BiFC, Co-IP, and GST-pull-down assays. In addition, the distribution of MeZFP29 and its heterodimers (MeZFP&MebZIPW) are determined by nitrate signaling, i.e., in the cytoplasm and nucleus under nitrogen limitation, and predominantly in nucleus under sufficient nitrate. In contrast, MebZIPW consistently localizes to the cytoplasm and nucleus regardless of nitrate conditions. Moreover, overexpression of MeZFP29 in Arabidopsis enhanced growth and chlorophyll content, particularly, under low nitrate conditions, while MebZIPW did not. These findings not only confirm the regulation of MeZFP29 and MebZIPW on MeNRT2.2, but also illustrate the nitrate signaling-triggered promotion and feedback on MeNRT2.2. Our study provides a novel approach to enhancing nitrogen-use efficiency in cassava by modulating the regulators under moderate nitrogen levels as low as possible.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 3","pages":"69"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143543013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 CBL and CIPK gene families in bermudagrass reveals the CdCIPK29-A1 as a stem growth angle regulator.","authors":"Bing Zhang, Jianxiu Liu","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03457-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03457-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>Genome-wide analysis of CBL and CIPK gene family was conducted in bermudagrass while a functional role in stem growth angle regulation was established for CdCIPK29-A1 via the generation of molecularly modified Arabidopsis plants. Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) and CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) are plant-specific Ca²⁺ sensors and effectors which mediate diverse Ca²⁺ signaling transduction pathways in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the functions of CBLs and CIPKs in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), a widely planted warm-season turfgrass species with great economic value, remain poorly understood. In this study, a total of 33 CdCBL and 81 CdCIPK genes were identified in the bermudagrass genome, and were clustered in three and five groups according to their phylogenetic relationships, respectively. In line with their sequence divergence, different groups of CdCBL and CdCIPK genes exhibited different gene structures and expression patterns. Systematic yeast two-hybrid screening indicated that 27 CdCBL-CdCIPK complexes could be formed from 290 putative CdCBL and CdCIPK protein pairs. Among the CdCIPK proteins, CdCIPK29-A1 was found to interact with up to four CdCBL proteins. The CdCIPK29-A1 gene was preferentially expressed in the stolon internode of bermudagrass plants and the CdCIPK29-A1 protein was located to the cytoplasm. The expression of CdCIPK29-A1 in molecularly modified Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) plants further indicated that CdCIPK29-A1 could regulate the stem growth angle and gravitropism possibly through modulating the starch metabolism in stem endodermal cells. These results not only established a solid foundation to explore the Ca²⁺ signaling transduction pathways in bermudagrass but also provided new insight into the function of CBL-CIPK complex in plant gravitropic response and stem growth angle regulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 3","pages":"68"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143543027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bol-miR168a is a key regulator of defense responses to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Brassica oleracea.","authors":"Dandan Zha, Muhammad Adnan Raza, Xiaomeng Ye, Jianghua Song","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03451-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03451-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>Overexpressing Bol-miR168a in cabbage reduces resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, highlighting its role in disease susceptibility regulation. miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation plays a central role in regulating physiological processes, including plant growth and development, hormone signal transduction, and stress response. However, the underlying mechanism and function of microRNA-mediated repression, particularly in relation to conferring resistance to S. sclerotiorum, has not been extensively explored. In this study, Bol-miR168a was isolated from cabbage, and its function was identified in transgenic Arabidopsis and cabbage under S. sclerotiorum infection. The miR168a gene promoter contains multiple hormone response and stress response elements, which can be bound and activated by corresponding transcription factors. Expression of the Bol-miR168a was strongly induced during the first 48 h post-inoculation. The overexpression of Bol-miR168a in transgenic cabbage resulted in enhanced sensitivity to S. sclerotiorum infection, as evidenced by decreased antioxidant enzyme activities, reduced phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) content, and elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Consistent with this, Bol-miR168a overexpression in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) promoted plant susceptibility to S. sclerotiorum and led to increased their capacity to detoxify reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the leaves. Furthermore, in Bol-miR168a-overexpressing plants, disease-related genes displayed distinct expression patterns in transgenic Arabidopsis and cabbage, highlighting differential regulatory responses to pathogen infection. Taken together, our results suggest that Bol-miR168a played a negative role in regulating the resistance of cabbage to S. sclerotiorum, providing a basis for further investigating how Bol-miR168a regulates resistance to S. sclerotiorum.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 3","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143516204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"NIN-like proteins NLP8 negatively regulate drought resistance in Arabidopsis by regulating the expression level of PUB23.","authors":"QiJun Ma, Yu Sun, Shuo Xu, KaiJing Zuo","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03447-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03447-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>NLP8-mediated transcriptional activation of PUB23 expression negatively regulates drought resistance. Drought severely affects crop yields, and nitrate is essential for plant growth and development. However, the precise mechanisms by which nitrate influences drought stress responses are not fully understood. In the study, we investigated the role of the nitrate-responsive transcription factor NLP8 in drought stress. Our results showed that the nlp8 mutant exhibited enhanced drought tolerance. Transcriptome analysis revealed that NLP8 primarily regulates sugar metabolism, lipid metabolism, and nitrogen metabolism under drought conditions. Furthermore, EMSA, yeast one-hybrid, and LUC assays confirmed that NLP8 binds to the PUB23 promoter and activates its expression, thereby participating in drought resistance. The study defines the relationship between nitrate signalling and drought stress and provides insights into how plants regulate nutrient allocation during drought. These findings not only uncover the mechanisms by which plants modulate nutrient utilization under adverse conditions but also provide important insights into the physiological processes involved in plant stress responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 3","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"RsWRKY75 promotes ROS scavenging and cadmium efflux via activating the transcription of RsAPX1 and RsPDR8 in radish (Raphanus sativus L.).","authors":"Xinyu Zhang, Yingfei Ma, Weilan Zhang, Mingmei Ji, Jiaheng Dong, Deqiang Lai, Wenwen Yu, Xiaoli Zhang, Yuelin Zhu, Yan Wang, Liwang Liu, Liang Xu","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03445-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03445-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>Acting as a nucleus-localized transcriptional activator, RsWRKY75 promotes ROS scavenging and Cd efflux by activating the transcription of RsAPX1 and RsPDR8 in radish. Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is an important economical root vegetable crop worldwide. As a toxic heavy metal, cadmium (Cd) can dramatically hamper radish taproot quality as well as threaten human health. Although the WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in plant response to Cd stress, how WRKY TFs mediate Cd uptake and efflux remains elusive in radish. Herein, the RsWRKY75, belonging to the WRKY-IIc sub-group, displayed high expression in vascular cambium at the expanding stage, whose promoter activity and expression were obviously induced by Cd exposure at 24 h in radish root. RsWRKY75 was localized primarily to the nucleus and had transactivation activity in yeast and tobacco leaf cells. Transient transformation indicated that RsWRKY75 promoted Cd-induced ROS scavenging in radish cotyledons. Overexpression of RsWRKY75 led to increased root elongation but decreased Cd accumulation in Arabidopsis plants. Both in vitro and in vivo assays revealed that RsWRKY75 bound to the RsAPX1 promoter and activated its expression to eliminate excessive ROS accumulation. Moreover, RsWRKY75 activated RsPDR8 transcription by directly binding to its promoter, thereby promoting Cd efflux in the radish root. Collectively, we revealed a novel module of RsWRKY75-mediated ROS scavenging and Cd efflux in radish. These results would facilitate to establish genetic strategies to achieve RsWRKY75-dependent Cd extrusion and detoxification in radish.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 3","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-omics analysis of the accumulation mechanism of flavonoids in rice caryopsis under blue light.","authors":"Ping Zhang, Yongsheng Tang, Juxiang Zhang, Junna Liu, Li Li, Hanxue Li, Liubin Huang, Guofei Jiang, Xuqin Wang, Lingyuan Zhang, Yutao Bai, Peng Qin","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03435-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03435-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>Blue light influences the MYB gene family, resulting in varying accumulations of different flavonoids in rice caryopsis at distinct developmental stages, with a higher concentration observed in the initial stage. The regulatory effect of blue light on plant flavonoids has been extensively documented; however, its influence on the development of rice caryopsis morphology remains unreported. Through the analysis of transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolites, combined with Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), the accumulation of flavonoids in rice caryopsis under blue light at various developmental stages was thoroughly examined. Furthermore, four MYB family transcription factors (TFs) that significantly influence the structural genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were identified. The results indicate that the accumulation of flavonoids primarily occurs during the early stages of caryopsis development. Key structural genes, including PAL, 4CL, CHS, CHI, F3H, and FLS, are upregulated in both gene and protein expression when exposed to blue light. Moreover, the WGCNA analysis identified several TFs that may influence these genes, including Os08t0144000-01 and Os01t0695900-01, as well as the proteins Q7F3D6, Q2QM89, A0A0P0W9C3, and Q6ZDM0, all of which belong to the MYB family. The research has enhanced our understanding of flavonoid accumulation in rice caryopsis when exposed to blue light. It also establishes a framework for the synthesis of secondary metabolites induced by blue light, thereby creating more opportunities to enhance the quality of horticultural plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 3","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PnNAC03 from Panax notoginseng functions in positively regulating saponins and lignin biosynthesis during cell wall formation.","authors":"Xiaoqin Zhang, Yuying Huang, Yue Shi, Xin Wang, Wenqin Chen, Laha Amu, Baowei Wang, Zhenyu Peng, Xiaohui Wang, Shengli Wei","doi":"10.1007/s00299-025-03452-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-025-03452-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Key message: </strong>PnNAC03 positively regulates saponin biosynthesis and lignin accumulation during secondary cell wall formation by directly binding to the promoters of key saponin and lignin biosynthetic genes. The NAC transcription factor family plays a crucial role in the regulation of secondary metabolites biosynthesis. Saponins are the major bioactive compounds for Panax notoginseng, which is a world-globally recognized medicinal plant and possesses multiple pharmacological activities. The secondary cell wall is essential for P.notoginseng growth and stress resistance. However, the role of NAC transcription factors in regulating both saponin biosynthesis and secondary cell wall formation remains largely unknown. In this study, we characterized an NAC transcription factor, PnNAC03, which is a nuclear-localized protein and functions as a transcriptional activator. Silencing of PnNAC03 with the RNAi method in P. notoginseng calli resulted in a significant reduction in the content of saponin and the expression of key saponin biosynthetic genes, including PnSS, PnSE, and PnDS. Additionally, PnNAC03 specifically bound to the promoters of these genes, thereby enhancing their expression. Overexpression of PnNAC03 in Arabidopsis thaliana led to the increase of secondary cell wall thickness and lignin content, as well as upregulation of the expression of AtPAL and AtC4H. RNAi-mediated silencing of PnNAC03 in P. notoginseng further confirmed its role in lignin biosynthesis, as lignin content and the expression levels of PnPAL and PnC4H were significantly reduced. Furthermore, PnNAC03 could directly bind to the promoters of PAL and C4H genes in both A. thaliana and P. notoginseng. Collectively, our results highlight the dual regulatory role of PnNAC03 in promoting both saponin biosynthesis and lignin accumulation, providing valuable insights for the molecular breeding of P. notoginseng.</p>","PeriodicalId":20204,"journal":{"name":"Plant Cell Reports","volume":"44 3","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":5.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143482677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}