Plant Physiology and Biochemistry最新文献

{"title":"Corrigendum to \"BAG co-chaperones and phytohormonal signaling in tomato: Molecular regulators of stress resilience, growth, and fruit quality\" [Plant Physiol. Biochem. 234, (2026), 111348].","authors":"Hengyuan Cao, Noman Mahmood, Ali Raza, Shuzhen Men, Qiong Luo, Abazar Ghorbani, Muhammad Arif, Luhua Li","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111815","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111815","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":" ","pages":"111815"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114104","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":"Plant sample integrity is important for efficient photosystem II repair and thylakoid remodelling in Arabidopsis","authors":"Jarne Berentsen,&nbsp;Keshav Jayasankar,&nbsp;Emilie Wientjes","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The thylakoid is a dynamic membrane that houses the protein complexes involved in the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Although light provides the energy that drives these reactions, it also damages the photosynthetic apparatus, particularly photosystem II. This damage can be repaired via the photosystem II repair cycle, a process thought to be accompanied by structural rearrangements of the thylakoid membrane. When the light-induced damage exceeds the capacity for repair, photoinhibition occurs, resulting in a decline in photosynthetic capacity. While photoinhibition has been extensively studied using various leaf sample preparations, the effects of sample preparation on photoinhibition and thylakoid structural rearrangements remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of high-light treatment on photoinhibition and thylakoid architecture across several leaf sample preparations. By analysing the quantum yield of photosystem II and electron transport from photosystem II to photosystem I, we found that the severity of photoinhibition differed between leaf sample preparations exposed to identical high-light conditions. Our results show that excised leaf material accumulates more damage to photosystem II than intact plant material, likely due to impaired photosystem II repair in excised leaf material. Using electron microscopy, we observed changes in the thylakoid architecture after high-light treatment in intact plant material, whereas these changes were absent in excised leaf material. This suggests that thylakoid structural reorganisations may contribute to efficient photosystem II repair. Taken together, our results indicate that leaf sample preparation influences both photosystem II repair and thylakoid structural reorganisations in response to high light.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111792"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thermospermine signaling in vascular development and stress adaptation: from translational regulation to climate-resilient crops","authors":"Lázara Aline Simões Silva,&nbsp;Jéssica Ribeiro Soares,&nbsp;Elisandra Silva Sousa,&nbsp;Diego Ismael Rocha,&nbsp;Munevver Dogramaci,&nbsp;Wagner Campos Otoni","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111794","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111794","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermospermine (tSpm) is an asymmetric structural isomer of spermine found to accumulate in vascular plants and certain thermophilic bacteria. Since identification of <em>ACAULIS5</em> (<em>ACL5</em>) as the enzyme responsible for tSpm biosynthesis in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>, tSpm has emerged as a critical post-transcriptional regulator of vascular development, balancing xylem vessel differentiation and maintenance of procambial cell identity. Loss-of-function <em>acl5</em> mutants display severe dwarfism and excessive xylem proliferation, whereas complementary gain-of-function approaches show that tSpm restrains auxin-driven xylem differentiation. Specifically, tSpm promotes the translation of <em>SUPPRESSOR OF ACL5</em> (<em>SAC51</em>)-family bHLH transcription factors by alleviating the repressive effect of conserved upstream open reading frames embedded in their 5′ leader sequence. Moreover, tSpm binds to ribosomes at a site dependent on m³U2952 methylation in the peptidyl transferase center of 25S rRNA, acting as a bifunctional translational modulator that simultaneously enhances SACL protein production and suppresses translation of LONESOME HIGHWAY. Beyond primary vascular development, tSpm regulates secondary growth in woody species, participates in root vascular patterning and lateral root formation, and mediates adaptive responses to abiotic stress, including drought and salinity. While tSpm synthesis is broadly conserved across the plant kingdom, the regulatory circuit linking tSpm to vascular cell fate emerged progressively during tracheophyte evolution through co-option of pre-existing molecular components. This review integrates foundational and cutting-edge findings to provide a comprehensive overview of tSpm biology, highlighting its central role at the interface of vascular development, post-transcriptional gene regulation, and environmental adaptation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111794"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The MYB-CC transcription factor MdγMYB2 modulates shoot elongation in spur-type apples","authors":"Fanman Zeng,&nbsp;Jiahui Wen,&nbsp;Shuo Lu,&nbsp;Yating Zhang,&nbsp;Muhammad Anees Arif,&nbsp;Dong Zhang,&nbsp;Xiya Zuo,&nbsp;Lu Tong","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111799","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111799","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spur-type apple growth, characterized by shortened internodes and compact tree architecture, is an important trait for high-density apple production; however, its underlying molecular basis remains insufficiently understood. Previous work identified the MYB-CC transcription factor MdγMYB2 as a candidate regulator of shoot elongation in spur-type apple. Here, we investigated the phylogenetic relationships, molecular characteristics, and biological functions of MdγMYB2 to elucidate its role in shoot elongation and internode development. During shoot development, <em>MdγMYB2</em> expression was significantly higher in the standard-type cultivar ‘Shansha’ (‘SS’) than in the spur-type cultivar ‘Hanfu’ (‘HF’). MdγMYB2 was localized to the nucleus and exhibited transcriptional activation activity. Phenotypic analysis of transgenic apple plants showed that <em>MdγMYB2</em> overexpression significantly increased plant height, internode length, leaf area, and longitudinal stem cell length, whereas RNA interference resulted in the opposite phenotypes. Transcriptome profiling revealed that altered <em>MdγMYB2</em> expression was accompanied by coordinated changes in genes associated with hormone responses, cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis, pectin and xyloglucan remodeling, secondary cell wall formation, and lignin biosynthesis. Notably, genes involved in cell wall remodeling and lignin deposition exhibited opposite expression patterns between <em>MdγMYB2</em> overexpression lines (<em>MdγMYB2</em>-OE) and RNA interference lines (<em>MdγMYB2</em>-RNAi) plants, consistent with their contrasting cellular and internode phenotypes. Collectively, these findings establish MdγMYB2 as a positive regulator of apple shoot and internode elongation. MdγMYB2 appears to affect vegetative growth by inducing coordinated transcriptional changes in genes associated with hormone responses and cell wall metabolism. This study identifies MdγMYB2 as a regulator of shoot and internode elongation in apple, providing new insights into the molecular basis of compact growth habits and a valuable genetic resource for the breeding of spur-type apple cultivars.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111799"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149137952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A PebZIP44–PeHSF12–PeHSP17.8 transcriptional module controls heat shock protein expression and thermotolerance in passion fruit(Passiflora edulis)","authors":"Hai-bin Luo,&nbsp;Cheng-Mei Huang,&nbsp;Hui-Qing Cao,&nbsp;Run Huang,&nbsp;Meng-yun Jiang,&nbsp;Liu Yang,&nbsp;Jie Gui,&nbsp;Yuan-wen Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111863","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111863","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat stress is a major constraint for passion fruit (<em>Passiflora edulis</em>) production, yet the transcriptional mechanisms underlying thermotolerance in this perennial vine remain poorly understood.This study identified 15 <em>HSF</em> genes (<em>PeHSFs</em>) in <em>Passiflora edulis</em> (<em>P</em>. <em>edulis</em>) genome. Phylogenetic analysis classified these <em>PeHSFs</em> into three distinct clusters containing 9, 4, and 2 genes, respectively, with conserved structural features supporting their functional divergence.Tissue-specific expression profiling demonstrated significant organ-dependent expression patterns of <em>PeHSFs</em> across roots, stems, leaves (young/mature), flowers, and fruits. Here, we report a heat shock transcription factor <em>PeHSF12</em>, which integrates upstream signals from a bZIP transcription factor to orchestrate downstream heat shock protein expression. Through a combination of DAP-Seq, EMSA and dual-luciferase assays, we demonstrated that <em>PeHSF12</em> directly binds to the heat shock element in the promoter of <em>PeHSP17.8</em>, a small HSP critical for protein stability under thermal stress. Crucially, we identified <em>PebZIP44</em> as an upstream transcriptional repressor of <em>PeHSF12</em>, whose expression is down-regulated under heat, thereby de-repressing <em>PeHSF12</em> and activating the heat response pathway. Functional validation using heterologous overexpression in <em>Arabidopsis</em> and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in passion fruit seedlings confirmed that <em>PeHSF12</em> enhances thermotolerance through bolstering antioxidant capacity and reducing oxidative damage. This study unveils a previously uncharacterized PebZIP44–PeHSF12–PeHSP17.8 module in passion fruit, providing both mechanistic insight into heat adaptation in <em>P. edulis</em> and a candidate gene resource for breeding heat resistance cultivars.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111863"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149205066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","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,&nbsp;Xiangyu Qi,&nbsp;Zexin Di,&nbsp;Yan Zhang,&nbsp;Ruili Zhang,&nbsp;Yukuan Jin,&nbsp;Yizeng Lu,&nbsp;Yi Han,&nbsp;Jian Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat stress impacts the growth and value of ornamental plants such as <em>Sorbus pohuashanensis</em>. 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 <em>SpHsfA3a/b</em> and <em>SpHSP26.5-1/-2</em> from <em>S. pohuashanensis</em> and their molecular characterization. <em>SpHsfA3a/b</em> and <em>SpHSP26.5-1/-2</em> were expressed at higher levels in leaves and fruits. Furthermore, their expression levels increased dramatically under heat stress. Overexpression of <em>SpHsfA3a/b</em> and <em>SpHSP26.5-1/-2</em>, as well as complementation of <em>hsfa3</em> mutants with S<em>pHsfA3a/b</em> in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>, 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 <em>SpHsfA3a/b-</em>overexpressing <em>Arabidopsis</em> lines and the complemented <em>hsfa3</em> 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 <em>SpHSP26.5-1/-2</em>. In summary, SpHsfA3a/b directly regulate the expression of <em>SpHSP26.5-1/-2</em> 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 <em>S. pohuashanensis</em> and provides candidate genes for improving the heat resistance of forest trees.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111861"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","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":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"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,&nbsp;Wei Ni,&nbsp;Mengxue Lyu,&nbsp;Jingquan Liu,&nbsp;Xiuzheng Chen,&nbsp;Zhaoxia Liu,&nbsp;Ziquan Feng,&nbsp;Jie Zhou,&nbsp;Shuchong Yi,&nbsp;Yifan Bai,&nbsp;Fengying Fan,&nbsp;HanZhao Qin,&nbsp;Han Jiang,&nbsp;Zhanling Zhu,&nbsp;Jin Tang,&nbsp;Yuanmao Jiang,&nbsp;Shunfeng Ge","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>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 (<em>COPT1</em>, <em>ZIP2</em>, and <em>ZIP4</em>) 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 (<em>MT2</em>, <em>CCS</em>, and <em>CSD1</em>), downregulated transport genes (<em>HMA5</em> and <em>YSL3</em>), 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 (<em>CCS</em> and <em>MT2</em>), 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.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111870"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","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":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The molecular mechanism of CsWRKY24-4 and CsWRKY24-5 in response to cold stress in tea plants (Camellia sinensis)","authors":"Feixue Wu,&nbsp;Lei Yang,&nbsp;Qian Zhou,&nbsp;Nana Liu,&nbsp;Weitao Ma,&nbsp;Caiyun Li,&nbsp;Xinfu Zhang,&nbsp;Lei Zhao,&nbsp;Peiqiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111819","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111819","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cold stress has emerged as a major limiting factor for tea yield. In this study, we identified two low-temperature responsive WRKY transcription factors (CsWRKY24-4 and CsWRKY24-5) from tea plants (<em>Camellia sinensis</em>). Their expression was significantly upregulated under cold induction. Heterologous overexpression of <em>CsWRKY24-4</em> and <em>CsWRKY24-5</em> in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> markedly enhanced cold tolerance in transgenic lines. Tea seedlings overexpressing <em>CsWRKY24-4</em> or <em>CsWRKY24-5</em> showed significantly stronger cold resistance under low-temperature stress, confirming their roles in enhancing cold tolerance. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that CsWRKY24-5 directly interacts with the W-box element within the <em>CsERF061</em> promoter, whereas CsWRKY24-4 fails to bind to this motif. Moreover, overexpression of <em>CsERF061</em> in tea plants also improved the cold tolerance. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and luciferase complementation assays (LCA) illustrated that CsWRKY24-4 and CsWRKY24-5 independently interact with the Squamosa promoter binding protein-like 15 (CsSPL15) transcription factor, which is also upregulated under low-temperature treatment. Taken together, our findings indicate that both CsWRKY24-4 and CsWRKY24-5 positively regulate cold stress responses in tea plants, providing valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in adapt to cold conditions for tea plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111819"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ZmNAC20 positively regulates drought tolerance in maize seedlings via a chromatin-associated network","authors":"Zhongyu Wang,&nbsp;Yating He,&nbsp;Yang Yang,&nbsp;Ning Li,&nbsp;Changyu Li","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The potential yield and establishment of maize are severely restricted by early developmental drought. Although NAC transcription factors are known to control abiotic stress responses, the role of NAC transcription factor 20 (<em>ZmNAC20</em>) in maize drought adaptation remains unclear. We characterized the function of <em>ZmNAC20</em> in maize seedlings using CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis combined with molecular, physiological, and multi-omics approaches. Loss-of-function <em>zmnac20</em> mutants displayed increased sensitivity to drought stress, indicating that <em>ZmNAC20</em> positively regulates drought tolerance in maize seedlings. Further analyses revealed that <em>NAC transcription factor 110</em> (<em>ZmNAC110</em>) functions upstream of <em>ZmNAC20</em>, activating its transcription and physically interacting with the ZmNAC20 protein. CUT&amp;Tag profiling indicated that <em>ZmNAC20</em> is associated with alterations in H3K27me3 distribution across active genomic regions. By integrating CUT&amp;Tag-seq, AI-based protein-protein interaction predictions, and RNA-seq datasets, we identified candidate downstream components associated with <em>ZmNAC20</em>. Among these, <em>YIGE1</em> was the most strongly supported candidate. <em>ZmNAC20</em> activated <em>YIGE1</em> promoter activity and interacted with the YIGE1 protein. Together, these results identify <em>ZmNAC20</em> as a positive regulator of drought tolerance in maize seedlings and identify a candidate <em>ZmNAC110</em>-<em>ZmNAC20</em>-<em>YIGE1</em> regulatory module linked to chromatin-associated drought responses. Because the genetic requirement for <em>YIGE1</em> was not tested, <em>YIGE1</em> is presented here as a strong candidate downstream component rather than a confirmed one.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111800"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149128617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of IBH1 fine-tunes brassinosteroid metabolism and modulates plant architecture and grain traits in durum wheat","authors":"Chiara D'Attilia,&nbsp;Marco Bonarrigo,&nbsp;Danuše Tarkowská,&nbsp;Valentina Buffagni,&nbsp;Sadiye Hayta,&nbsp;Mark A. Smedley,&nbsp;Stefania Masci,&nbsp;Samuela Palombieri,&nbsp;Francesco Sestili","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111831","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111831","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Brassinosteroids (BRs) are essential steroidal plant hormones that regulate cell elongation, vascular differentiation and reproductive development, thereby shaping plant architecture and grain yield. Fine-tuning BR signalling, rather than altering hormone accumulation, has been proposed as a potential strategy to regulate plant development.</div><div>Here we investigated the role of IBH1 transcription factor, a negative regulator within the ILI1/PRE1-IBH1 module controlling BR-mediated cell elongation in durum wheat (<em>Triticum turgidum</em> ssp. <em>durum</em>), using a CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout approach. IBH1 loss of function was associated with transcriptional changes consistent with enhanced BR signalling, including the coordinated upregulation of key signalling components (BRI1 and BZR1) and downstream regulators (ILI1 and PRE1). Metabolic profiling revealed selective remodelling of BR biosynthesis, characterized by differential accumulation of specific pathway intermediates rather than a general increase in BR content. Phenotypic analyses showed that <em>TdIBH1</em> mutants exhibited increased plant height, internode elongation, leaf inclination, grain size, and thousand grain weight, while no significant differences in fertility were detected. These findings support a role for TdIBH1 as a conserved negative regulator of BR-mediated growth in durum wheat and suggest that the manipulation of the ILI1/PRE1-IBH1 module may provide a potential strategy to modulate plant architecture and grain-related traits in cereal crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"239 ","pages":"Article 111831"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149137762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}