Plant Physiology and Biochemistry最新文献

{"title":"Selenium aggravates carbon-nitrogen metabolic imbalance by promoting copper uptake and translocation in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) plants under copper stress.","authors":"Chunling Liu, Wei Ni, Mengxue Lyu, Jingquan Liu, Xiuzheng Chen, Zhaoxia Liu, Ziquan Feng, Jie Zhou, Shuchong Yi, Yifan Bai, Fengying Fan, HanZhao Qin, Han Jiang, Zhanling Zhu, Jin Tang, Yuanmao Jiang, Shunfeng Ge","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111870","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element for plant growth that has concentration-dependent effects, and selenium (Se) is a beneficial element that regulates plant physiological and biochemical processes. However, the effect of Se on Cu absorption and availability remains unclear. Hydroponic experiments were conducted to determine the effects of optimal exogenous Se application on the physiological traits, Cu uptake/transport, and Cu forms of different apple organs under normal (NCu) and high Cu concentrations (HCu). Se upregulated Cu uptake-related genes (COPT1, ZIP2, and ZIP4) in leaves and roots under both Cu levels, promoting Cu uptake. Cu accumulation under NCu + Se and HCu + Se treatments increased by 72.7% and 41.2% compared to NCu and HCu treatments, respectively. Under NCu, Se upregulated Cu detoxification genes (MT2, CCS, and CSD1), downregulated transport genes (HMA5 and YSL3), decreased cellular inorganic/organic Cu, and increased bound Cu, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and the antioxidant capacity, leading to a 52.3% biomass increase. Under HCu, Se downregulated detoxification genes (CCS and MT2), increasing all Cu forms and inducing H₂O₂, O₂^∙-, and malondialdehyde accumulation. Although plants enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) activity and osmotic regulators (sugars, free amino acids, soluble proteins) to alleviate stress, growth-related energy was diverted, inhibiting growth. These results reveal new insights into Cu absorption and bioavailability in apple in response to Se application and provides a basis for the safe application of Se fertiliser under different soil Cu levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111870"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228634","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":"Diurnal temperature range is a key factor to determine the quality difference between overwinter growing and spring growing tomatoes.","authors":"Yanjun Wu, Yi Wang, Jiayi Chen, Yanqin Ma, Ju Li, Zhi Li, Hsihua Wang, Chao Zhou, Wei Chang, Feng Bai, Yang Zhang, Liang Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111851","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111851","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Environmental factors critically regulate the quality formation of agricultural products. In this study, two tomato cultivars, Aisla Craig and Moneymaker, were cultivated under two growth regimes: normal spring sowing (spring growing) and autumn sowing overwinter growth (overwinter growing). Multi-omics analysis reveals consistent fruit quality variations across two cultivars. Compared to normal spring growing fruit, overwinter growing tomatoes accumulated higher carotenoid levels but exhibited decreased flavonoid contents. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that altered expression of primary metabolism-related genes drove carbon flux redistribution. Diurnal temperature range (DTR) was hypothesized as the core environmental factor governing fruit quality variation. Controlled experiments with gradient DTR treatments during fruiting stage in plant growth incubators reproduced consistent metabolic and transcriptional alterations in MicroTom tomato fruits. This study demonstrates that DTR acts as a key environmental factor modulating multigene regulatory networks and metabolic flux allocation, thereby remodeling tomato fruit qualities. These findings offer theoretical references and practical strategies for targeted quality improvement of tomatoes under fluctuating environments, facilitating adaptive cultivation across diverse geographical regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111851"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228582","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":"Mammalian phosphodiesterase inhibitors reveal a role for cAMP in plant cell reprogramming toward embryogenesis in crop and forest species.","authors":"Yolanda Pérez-Pérez, Elena Carneros, Cristina Rueda-Varela, Alfonso García-Rubia, Ana Martínez, Carmen Gil, Pilar S Testillano","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Somatic embryogenesis is an example of plant cell totipotency and an essential tool for plant breeding and biotechnology, yet its low efficiency remains a major limitation in many species. Although 3', 5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is increasingly recognized as a signaling molecule in plants, its role in developmental cell reprogramming is unknown. Here, we investigated whether pharmacological modulation of cAMP homeostasis using small-molecule inhibitors of mammalian phosphodiesterases (PDEs) could increase the rate of cell reprogramming towards embryogenesis in plants. Four structurally diverse PDE inhibitors were evaluated in three embryogenesis systems: microspore embryogenesis of Brassica napus and Hordeum vulgare, and somatic embryogenesis of Quercus suber. PDE inhibitors quantitatively enhanced cell reprogramming and initiation of embryogenesis in all three species, whereas structurally-related inactive analogues did not. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that treatment with the representative PDE7 inhibitor TC2.43 significantly increased cAMP levels, providing functional evidence that PDE inhibition modulates cAMP homeostasis in plant embryogenic cultures. Increased cAMP level was accompanied by increased expression of key embryogenesis regulators (FUS3, LEC2 and SERK1-like) and auxin biosynthesis and signaling genes (TAA1/TAR2 and ARF5), suggesting that cAMP signaling would be integrated into the molecular network controlling embryogenic competence acquisition. These findings on three evolutionarily distant angiosperms, two crops and a forest tree, suggest that the embryogenesis-promoting effects of PDE inhibition would be conserved across diverse taxa. Moreover, they identify changes in cAMP levels as a new player in embryogenic induction and suggest mammalian PDE inhibitors as promising chemical additives for improving in vitro plant regeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111871"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228611","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":"Mulberry-soybean intercropping reshapes rhizosphere metabolites and microbiota alongside enhanced soybean nodulation.","authors":"Chaowei Liu, Jie Li, Keyan Zhu, Gang Liu, Jiang Liu, Jian Zou, Gaiqun Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111866","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111866","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Woody perennial-legume intercropping may improve nitrogen-use efficiency, but the belowground links among root-zone configuration, soybean nodulation, rhizosphere chemistry, microbial assembly and nitrogen movement remain unclear. We conducted a greenhouse pot experiment with soybean monoculture (Mono-S), mulberry monoculture (Mono-M), full-contact mulberry-soybean intercropping (Int), and root-separated intercropping with a 30 μm nylon-mesh barrier (Int + B). Physiological and N-related traits were assessed with six pot-level biological replicates, whereas untargeted rhizosphere metabolomics, bacterial full-length 16S rRNA profiling and fungal full-length ITS profiling used three pot-level replicates per treatment-plant component. Relative to Mono-S, Int increased soybean total nodule number by 12.3%, nitrogenase activity by 21.6%, whole-plant N accumulation by 9.1% and shoot dry weight by 26.5%. GmNIN and GmENOD40 transcript abundance was 2.60- and 2.22-fold higher, respectively, in Int-S than in Mono-S. Metabolomics revealed broad, host-specific treatment-associated shifts across multiple chemical classes, while selected putatively annotated soybean isoflavonoids and mulberry flavonoids showed contrasting response patterns. Host-specific PERMANOVA revealed significant differences in bacterial and fungal community composition. ¹⁵N label applied to soybean-side soil was recovered in mulberry roots, stems and leaves under both intercropping configurations, indicating recovery of soil-applied ¹⁵N label in mulberry. Mean land equivalent ratios exceeded 1 in both treatments and differed significantly. Cross-omics associations were largely treatment-structured, highlighting the need for targeted validation of specific metabolite-microbe relationships. Overall, full root-zone continuity was associated with the strongest coordinated soybean symbiotic and growth responses, while both intercropping configurations produced distinct rhizosphere restructuring. These findings provide a framework for understanding rhizosphere-mediated interactions in woody perennial-legume intercropping systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111866"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224761","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":"Foliar carbon dots improve drought tolerance in soybean through genotype-dependent hydraulic and metabolic pathways.","authors":"Xinru Su, Hao Li, Yanqun Zhang, Yan Mo, Zilin Gao, Gaoshuai Cheng, Hengyuan Zhang, Xiaojuan Wang, Baozhong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111868","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111868","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although foliar application of carbon dots (CDs) has emerged as a promising strategy to alleviate drought, whether CDs act through hydraulic or biochemical pathways, and whether their effects are genotype-dependent, remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of foliar CDs application (50 mg L^-1 CDs) at the podding and seed-filling stages on photosynthetic performance, hydraulic property, abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid contents, oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and osmotic adjustment substances in wild (Y15) and cultivated (Zhonghuang 13) soybeans under full (75%-95% field capacity, FC) and deficit (55%-65% FC) irrigation. The results showed that leaf net photosynthetic rate (A_n) and stomatal conductance (g_s) were reduced by 10.6%-54.1% and 34.5%-75.9%, while intrinsic water use efficiency was increased by 31.5%-124.7% during the podding and seed-filling stages under deficit irrigation. Leaf hydraulic conductance (K_leaf) was decreased by 21.8% at the podding stage, and bulk modulus of elasticity (ε) was increased by 31.0% at the seed-filling stage under deficit irrigation. Wild soybean exhibited greater K_leaf and catalase activity, whereas cultivated soybean showed superior photosynthetic capacity and growth potential. Foliar CDs application primarily enhanced predawn leaf water potential by 27.9%, and ɛ by 49.6% at the seed-filling stage, and K_leaf by 35.4% at the podding stage, while concurrently down-regulating the stress-induced over-accumulation of CAT, proline, and soluble sugars (SS). Crucially, in wild soybean, CDs improved A_n by increasing K_leaf, which promoted stomatal opening and carbon assimilation. ABA played only a secondary role by negatively regulating K_leaf. In cultivated soybean, CDs promoted SS accumulation and then osmotic adjustment substances thereby enhancing g_s and A_n, while ABA and hydraulic pathways were not significant. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that foliar CDs alleviate drought in soybean through genotype dependent mechanisms of hydraulic facilitation in wild soybean versus metabolic reprogramming in cultivated soybean. This study provides a physiological basis for the genotype-sensitive application of CDs as a drought-resilience strategy in soybean production.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111868"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224842","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":"Retraction notice to \"Effective microorganisms enhance the scavenging capacity of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants grown in salty soils\" [Plant Physiol. Biochem. 80, (2014), 136-143].","authors":"Neveen B Talaat","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111832","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111832","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":" ","pages":"111832"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149207665","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":"Endophytes for climate-resilient agriculture: Mechanisms and systems-level insights.","authors":"Niraj Singh, Yugal Kishore Mohanta, Nitesh Priyadarshi, Dipayan Das, Majid Sharifi-Rad","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111850","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111850","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Endophytic bacteria and fungi that asymptomatically colonise plant tissues represent promising biological resources for developing sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural systems. These beneficial microorganisms establish intimate associations with crops and modulate plant growth, nutrient acquisition, immune responses, and stress physiology through diverse biochemical and molecular mechanisms. Endophytes enhance crop performance by producing phytohormones, solubilising and mobilising essential nutrients, improving nutrient-use efficiency, suppressing phytopathogens, inducing systemic resistance, and regulating plant metabolic and antioxidant responses. These functions can improve crop tolerance to major climate-associated stresses, including drought, salinity, heat, and nutrient limitations, while contributing to stable growth and yield under changing environmental conditions. Their potential as biofertilizers, biocontrol agents, biostimulants, and components of integrated crop management offers opportunities to reduce dependence on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides and promote environmentally sustainable agricultural production. This review critically synthesises current knowledge of endophyte diversity, crop colonisation, host specificity, plant-microbe signalling, and mechanisms underlying growth promotion, disease suppression, nutrient acquisition, and abiotic stress tolerance. Particular emphasis is placed on multi-omics and systems-level approaches that reveal endophyte-mediated regulation of plant metabolism, immunity, and microbiome assembly. The review also evaluates major constraints limiting agricultural translation, including inconsistent field performance, environmental adaptability, formulation and delivery, host microbe compatibility, ecological interactions, biosafety, and regulatory requirements. Finally, integration of multi-omics, microbiome engineering, synthetic biology, and precision agriculture is proposed as a pathway for developing robust endophyte-based technologies and microbial consortia. Such approaches could facilitate the transition toward low-input, resource-efficient, productive, and climate-resilient agriculture while strengthening long-term food security.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111850"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228663","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 the R2R3-MYB family in Perilla frutescens and the regulatory model of the PfMYB33-PfbHLH11 complex in Anthocyanin biosynthesis.","authors":"Dipeng Li, Dujuan Chen, Chenghao Fei, Haoyu Zhang, Chuanzeng Wang, Xiaoxian Sun, Chenyang Lu, Yan Zhang, Mao Wu, Peina Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111865","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111865","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Perilla frutescens (L.) leaves exhibit diverse coloration due to differential anthocyanin accumulation, yet the underlying transcriptional regulatory mechanisms remain largely unclear. R2R3-MYB transcription factors and their complexes are known to play central roles in plant anthocyanin biosynthesis. Here, we integrated metabolomics, transcriptomics, gene family analysis, and molecular interaction assays to elucidate the metabolic basis and key regulatory modules of leaf coloration. Targeted and untargeted metabolomics indicated that the differential accumulation of cyanidin-derivative anthocyanins primarily drives leaf color variation. Transcriptomics revealed differential expression patterns of anthocyanin structural genes across varying leaf colors. Genome-wide analysis identified 164 PfMYB genes, which were classified into 32 subfamilies. Through combined analyses, PfMYB33 (subgroup 6) was identified as a core gene highly correlated with anthocyanin accumulation. Both PfMYB33 and its interacting partner, PfbHLH11, localize to the nucleus. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays showed that PfMYB33 directly binds to the promoters of multiple anthocyanin biosynthetic genes and acts as an activator of DFR2 but a repressor of 5GT2. Transient co-expression of PfMYB33 and PfbHLH11 in P. frutescens leaves resulted in the strongest purple pigmentation and the highest anthocyanin accumulation. This study constructs a metabolic profile of anthocyanin accumulation in P. frutescens leaves and proposes a novel regulatory model wherein the PfMYB33-PfbHLH11 complex coordinates downstream structural genes. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms governing leaf coloration in P. frutescens.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111865"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224799","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":"The heat stress transcription factors HsfA3a/b enhance heat stress resistance by regulating HSP26.5-1/-2 in Sorbus pohuashanensis.","authors":"Qianwen Wu, Xiangyu Qi, Zexin Di, Yan Zhang, Ruili Zhang, Yukuan Jin, Yizeng Lu, Yi Han, Jian Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111861","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111861","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heat stress impacts the growth and value of ornamental plants such as Sorbus pohuashanensis. Heat stress transcription factors (Hsfs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs) are critical in the response of plants to heat stress. However, the roles of HsfA3a/b and HSP26.5-1/-2 in the heat tolerance mechanisms of woody plants remain elusive. Here, we report the isolation of SpHsfA3a/b and SpHSP26.5-1/-2 from S. pohuashanensis and their molecular characterization. SpHsfA3a/b and SpHSP26.5-1/-2 were expressed at higher levels in leaves and fruits. Furthermore, their expression levels increased dramatically under heat stress. Overexpression of SpHsfA3a/b and SpHSP26.5-1/-2, as well as complementation of hsfa3 mutants with SpHsfA3a/b in Arabidopsis thaliana, significantly increased plant survival under heat stress. This enhanced survival was accompanied by reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, increased proline and soluble sugars, and elevated antioxidant enzyme activities. The positive regulatory genes related to the heat stress responses were upregulated, while the negative regulatory gene was downregulated in the transgenic SpHsfA3a/b-overexpressing Arabidopsis lines and the complemented hsfa3 mutant lines under high temperature stress. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that SpHsfA3a/b directly bound to and activated the promoters of SpHSP26.5-1/-2. In summary, SpHsfA3a/b directly regulate the expression of SpHSP26.5-1/-2 and play crucial, synergistic roles in enhancing thermotolerance. This study elucidates a key transcriptional regulatory module, SpHsfA3a/b-SpHSP26.5-1/-2, in the heat stress response of S. pohuashanensis and provides candidate genes for improving the heat resistance of forest trees.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111861"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228628","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":"KNOX-HDAC2 complex suppresses the CAND1 expression is involved in sporophytic development of Pyropia yezoensis.","authors":"Xiuwen Yang, Ling Xu, Hongyan He, Aurang Zeb, Songdong Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111860","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111860","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The alternation of generations is a critical developmental process in plants. Knotted1-like homeobox (KNOX) transcription factors are known to regulate cell fate and alternation of generations in land plants, while their regulatory mechanisms in basal photosynthetic eukaryotes remain elusive. Here, we characterized the PyKNOX, a highly conserved homeodomain transcription factor from the red algae Pyropia yezoensis and demonstrated its essential role in maintaining the sporophyte phase. Using affinity purification-mass spectrometry (AP-MS) alongside in vitro and in vivo interaction assays, we revealed that PyKNOX physically recruits the histone deacetylase PyHDAC2 to assemble a transcriptional repressor complex. Genome-wide binding landscape analysis via DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) identified a conserved \"TGAG\" core motif and highlighted a significant enrichment of target genes within the Skp1-Cullin1-F-box (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex. Further yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), EMAS and molecular docking assays unequivocally confirmed that PyKNOX directly targets and binds to the promoter of PyCAND1, a key exchange factor in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Spatiotemporal expression profiling demonstrated that the PyKNOX-PyHDAC2 complex is highly upregulated during the diploid sporophyte stages (free-living filaments and conchosporangial branches), showing a strong negative correlation with the PyCAND1 expression. Together, our findings propose a coordinated epigenetic and transcriptional network where the PyKNOX-PyHDAC2 complex suppresses expression of the SCF component CAND1 in sporophytic development of P.yezoensis. This study provides evolutionary insights into the genetic cascades governing life cycle transitions in red algae P. yezoensis, and offers theoretical guidance for the future nori seedling industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"111860"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224759","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}