Plant Physiology and Biochemistry最新文献

{"title":"Exogenous coumarin improves cell wall and plasma membrane stability and function by maintaining copper and calcium homeostasis in citrus roots under copper excess","authors":"Wei-Lin Huang ,&nbsp;Wei-Tao Huang ,&nbsp;Xu-Feng Chen ,&nbsp;Ti Wu ,&nbsp;Liang-Yuan Tong ,&nbsp;Tian-Tian Xia ,&nbsp;Bi-Sha Wu ,&nbsp;Fei Lu ,&nbsp;Ning-Wei Lai ,&nbsp;Lin-Tong Yang ,&nbsp;Li-Song Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109949","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109949","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Most citrus trees are planted in acidic soil with high availability of copper (Cu). Little is known about the mechanisms by which coumarin (COU) reduces Cu excess in plants. ‘Xuegan’ (<em>Citrus sinensis</em>) seedlings were treated with 0.5 (Cu0.5) or 400 (Cu excess or Cu400) CuCl₂ and 0 (COU0) or 100 (COU100) μM COU for 24 weeks. COU100 alleviated Cu400-induced alterations in gene expression and metabolite profiles, cell wall (CW) materials (CWMs), CW components (CWCs), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of CWMs in roots; increase in Cu concentration in roots, root CWMs (RCWMs), root CWCs (RCWCs), Cu and Ca fractions in RCWMs, and Cu fraction in CW pectin; and decrease in Ca concentrations in roots, RCWMs, and RCWCs. In addition, COU100 mitigated Cu400-induced increase in electrolyte leakage and concentrations of total coumarins, total phenolics, total falvonoids, and nonstructural carbohydrates (NCs) and decrease in total free amino acid concentration in roots, as well as impairment in root system architecture (RSA) and root growth. Our results corroborated the hypothesis that the alleviation of root Cu excess by COU was caused by the combination of following several aspects: (<em>a</em>) reduced impairment to root growth and RSA; (<em>b</em>) upregulated ability to maintain CW and plasma membrane stability and function by maintaining Cu and calcium homeostasis; (<em>c</em>) elevated adaptability of primary metabolism to Cu excess; and (<em>d</em>) upregulated biosynthesis and catabolism (turnover) of secondary metabolites (SMs) and less upregulation of SMs. COU0-treated roots underwent some physiological and molecular adaptations to Cu excess.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 109949"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143902237","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":"VvNAC33 functions as a key regulator of drought tolerance in grapevine by modulating reactive oxygen species production","authors":"Na Xu ,&nbsp;Songlin Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaoming Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiaoxuan Ma ,&nbsp;Mohabaiti Ayiguzeli ,&nbsp;Haixia Zhong ,&nbsp;Fuchun Zhang ,&nbsp;Chuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Vivek Yadav ,&nbsp;Xinyu Wu ,&nbsp;Xindi Mei","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109971","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109971","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grapevine (<em>Vitis vinifera</em> L. and other <em>Vitis</em> spp.) is an important economic crop, but its yield and quality are severely affected by drought stress. NAC transcription factors, which play key roles in plant stress responses, have remained largely unexplored in grapevine drought tolerance. This study identified <em>VvNAC33</em> as a drought-responsive candidate gene through transcriptomic analysis and demonstrated its role as a positive regulator of drought tolerance. <em>VvNAC33</em> expression was significantly upregulated under drought stress. Subcellular localization and transcriptional activity analyses confirmed its nuclear localization and transcriptional activation potential. Overexpression of <em>VvNAC33</em> in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> and transient overexpression in grapevine enhanced drought tolerance, whereas virus-induced gene silencing increased drought sensitivity. This enhanced tolerance was associated with the activation of the antioxidant defense system, including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase, which promoted reactive oxygen species scavenging and alleviated oxidative damage. The enhanced expression of <em>VvCAT1</em>, <em>VvCu/ZnSOD</em>, and <em>VvPOD4</em> by <em>VvNAC33</em> highlights its crucial role in regulating antioxidant gene expression under drought stress. These findings strongly support the role of <em>VvNAC33</em> in drought tolerance and identify it as a potential molecular target for enhancing drought resistance in grapevine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 109971"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143908192","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":"Suppressed OsPsbS1 expression triggers rice leaf senescence mediated by reactive oxygen species","authors":"Quanxiu Wang,&nbsp;Haolin Gao,&nbsp;Xiujie Li,&nbsp;Xinya Xu,&nbsp;Zijin Chen,&nbsp;Hualin Xu,&nbsp;Jiayi Wang,&nbsp;Si Cheng,&nbsp;Wei Zhou,&nbsp;Jinhui Zhao,&nbsp;Bo Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Premature leaf senescence is an important factor affecting rice growth, development, and fitness. Although rice photosystem II subunit S (<em>OsPsbS1</em>) is a major gene controlling nonphotochemical quenching capacity (NPQ) in the photoprotective process, the role it plays in rice leaf senescence has not been explored yet. In this study, we use CRISPR/Cas9 technology to edit the <em>OsPsbS1</em> gene, resulting in stable homozygous lines with premature leaf senescence. The <em>Ospsbs1</em> mutant lines have pale-yellow leaves, reduced chlorophyll content, and show accelerated chloroplast degradation. Reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase activity were significantly increased in the mutants, whereas ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activity, as well as chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, were markedly decreased. Furthermore, they showed increased expression of genes involved in senescence, ROS, and chlorophyll degradation. The <em>Ospsbs1</em> mutant plants were found to have severe DNA degradation and programmed cell death through TUNEL and staining, suggesting that excess ROS may cause leaf senescence. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that <em>OsPsbS1</em> is involved in the regulation of multiple biological processes, such as glutathione (GSH), starch and sucrose, and nitrogen metabolism pathways. Our results demonstrate that disruption of <em>OsPsbS1</em> can accelerate leaf senescence as a result of over-accumulation of ROS. The discovery of <em>OsPsbS1</em>'s function in controlling leaf aging in rice provides further genetic insights for understanding the molecular pathways that govern premature leaf senescence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 109960"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143918519","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":"Co-application of zinc and oligosaccharides enhances zinc bioavailability, yield and nutritional quality of rice","authors":"Sajjad Ahmad,&nbsp;Xin Ouyang,&nbsp;Songpo Duan,&nbsp;Zaid Khan,&nbsp;Hong Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109964","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109964","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a major abiotic factor impacting crop performance and human health. The co-application of oligosaccharides (Olg) and Zn (Olg-Zn) is an effective approach in improving Zn bioavailability, crop yield and nutritional quality. The current findings demonstrate that Olg-Zn application enhances photosynthesis, root-shoot biomass, grain yield, Zn uptake and Zn dissolution in gastric and gastrointestinal juices while reducing phytic acid and increasing Zn bioavailability. We conducted hydroponics and soil culture studies to investigate the synergy of Olg-Zn on rice growth, yield and grain quality. We found that the most effective treatments in hydroponics and soil cultures were Olg-Zn3 and Olg-ZnS2, which improved several morphological indices, such as root-shoot length and root-shoot fresh and dry weight. The findings reveal that higher photosynthesis traits and chlorophyll contents were recorded in Olg-Zn3 and Olg-ZnS2 treatments in hydroponics and soil cultures, respectively. Furthermore, compared to single Zn and Olg treatments, the Olg-Zn combination enhanced the uptake of Zn in roots, shoots and grains, resulting in higher grain yield in hydroponics (6.8 %–11.4 %) and soil culture (4.6 %–9.1 %). The application of Olg-Zn reduced phytic acid concentration by 4.7–15.3 % in hydroponics and 5.6–12.3 % in soil culture, improving Zn bioavailability by 2.2–16.6 % and 11.1–15.8 % by upregulating the expression level of Zn transporter genes, ultimately enhancing the nutritional quality of rice. Additionally, Olg-Zn improved Zn dissolution in gastric juice by 3.1–21.4 % and 3.5–19.6 %, and Zn dissolution in gastrointestinal juice was boosted by 3.7–19.7 % and 5.9–17.2 %, facilitating better Zn absorption and bioavailability in humans. However, treatments like Olg-ZnS4 and Olg-ZnS5 in soil culture slightly reduced rice yield and nutritional quality by hindering Zn bioavailability and increasing phytic acid concentration. In summary, this study highlights that an appropriate Olg-Zn combination enhances Zn uptake, leading to improved rice yield and quality, thus potentially benefitting human health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 109964"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903415","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":"Identification of a small secreted protein, PlSSP, that contributes to the symbiotic association of Phomopsis liquidambaris with rice under nitrogen starvation","authors":"Hao-Ming Wang ,&nbsp;Jun Zhou ,&nbsp;Chen-Yu Ma ,&nbsp;Xiao-Han Wu ,&nbsp;Yaseen Ullah ,&nbsp;Zi-Hao Zhang ,&nbsp;Yan Li ,&nbsp;Xing-Xiang Wang ,&nbsp;Chuan-Chao Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Endophytic fungi are crucial for enhancing plant growth and stress tolerance. <em>Phomopsis liquidambaris</em> B3, a broad-spectrum endophytic fungus, significantly improves plant nitrogen uptake and growth under nitrogen-limited conditions. In this study, we identified a small secreted protein, PlSSP, which localizes to the cytoplasmic matrix of host cells and modulates plant immune responses. Using proteomic and transcriptomic approaches, we found that PlSSP upregulates key defense-related genes, including members of the PR and WRKY families, as well as genes involved in reactive oxygen species scavenging and nitrogen assimilation. Structural analysis revealed PlSSP's secondary and thermal stability features, which likely contribute to its functional interaction with host cellular components. Functional analyses demonstrated that PlSSP expression correlates with increased fungal colonization and rice biomass accumulation under nitrogen-starved conditions. These results advance our understanding of how <em>P. liquidambaris</em> promotes plant resilience and nutrient uptake, providing insights with potential applications in sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 109969"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143891690","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":"Identification and functional characterization of prolyl oligopeptidase involved in the biosynthesis of heterophyllin B in Pseudostellaria heterophylla","authors":"Guoping Shu ,&nbsp;Wei Zheng ,&nbsp;Lanping Guo ,&nbsp;Yang Yang ,&nbsp;Changgui Yang ,&nbsp;Pengfei Li ,&nbsp;Hua he ,&nbsp;Jiao Xu ,&nbsp;Tao Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109970","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109970","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a popular medicinal plant, <em>Pseudostellaria heterophylla</em> has been attached to great importance in herbal medicine. Heterophyllin B (HB), isolated from <em>P. heterophylla</em>, is a strongly pharmacologically active cyclic peptide. However, the key enzymes that catalyze the HB biosynthesis remain unidentified. In this study, we firstly screened a prolyl oligopeptidase (PhPOP1)-coding sequences through transcriptome and gene expression profile analysis, which encodes a prolyl oligopeptidase gene essential for HB biosynthesis. <em>PhPOP1</em> is highly expressed in <em>P. heterophylla</em> tuberous root phloem and xylem tissues, and localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Heterologous transient expression assays indicated that PhPOP1 was capable of catalyzing the cyclization of the linear precursor peptide prePhHB into HB. Furthermore, overexpression of <em>PhPOP1</em> in <em>P. heterophylla</em> root cultures significantly enhanced HB production. Homologous modeling, molecular docking, and site-directed mutagenesis analysis were also conducted and it is discovered that S136, E139, A255, R369, R405, N496, D586, H604 and R664 in the binding pocket regions are vital for the activity of PhPOP1. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that <em>PhPOP1</em> plays a vital role in HB biosynthesis and therefore is a valuable candidate for increasing HB production in <em>P. heterophylla</em>. The study is the first to conduct a frontier exploration of the HB biosynthesis in <em>P. heterophylla</em> and will provide new insights into the biosynthesis of plant cyclic peptides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 109970"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143921705","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":"Planting resilience: One-Carbon metabolism and stress responses","authors":"Liliana E. García-Valencia ,&nbsp;Sara M. Garza-Aguilar ,&nbsp;Perla A. Ramos-Parra ,&nbsp;Rocío I. Díaz de la Garza","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109966","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109966","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One-carbon (1C) metabolism is a central biochemical pathway that plays a crucial role in methylation reactions, amino acid synthesis, and nucleotide production, making it essential for plant growth. Recent advances in omics technologies, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have provided comprehensive insights into the regulation of 1C metabolism in wheat, one of the world's main crops, and in the model plant Arabidopsis. Genetic manipulation through overexpression and loss-of-function studies has further revealed the roles of specific genes in modulating 1C fluxes and regulating key intermediates, such as methionine, S-adenosyl methionine, and folates. These studies have also demonstrated changes in methylation patterns as well as disruptions in growth and nutrient homeostasis. The integration of these analyses has highlighted complex feedback mechanisms within 1C metabolism that coordinate responses to environmental and developmental signals. Notably, enzymes such as serine hydroxymethyltransferase and S-adenosylmethionine synthetase have emerged as critical nodes, linking 1C metabolism with broader metabolic networks, including nitrogen and sulfur metabolism. This review synthesizes findings from recent omics and genetic studies to outline the dynamic regulation of 1C metabolism, offering a comprehensive framework for exploring its potential applications in crop improvement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 109966"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143902238","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":"Sucrose transporter systems in cotyledons (or pre-existing leaves), as integrators of multiple signals, regulate stomatal development of all leaves","authors":"Zi-Meng Yao ,&nbsp;Hu-Hui Chen ,&nbsp;Chen Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109968","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109968","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The dynamic optimization of photosynthetic production, which includes the synthesis of sucrose and glucose, is crucial for maintaining the balance between source and sink organs. This balance, in turn, determines plant growth, development, acclimation, and stress responses. The optimization of photosynthetic efficiency largely depends on the efficient transport of sugars produced through photosynthesis from the leaves. Stomata are pores found in the epidermis of stems or leaves that modulate both plant gas exchange and water/nutrient uptake. It has been investigated that the molecular mechanisms by which the stomatal development of systemic leaves is synergistically controlled by sucrose transporter systems enhance plant acclimation and stress tolerance. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge concerning the regulation of sugar signaling-mediated stomatal development and sucrose transport, focusing on the model species <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> and crop plants. This review provides novel insights into how sucrose transporter systems within cotyledons (or pre-existing leaves), as integrators of multiple signals, control the stomatal development of all leaves (including cotyledons or pre-existing leaves) under diverse exogenous and endogenous signals, to elevate plant acclimation and stress responses. This is achieved by integrating both exogenous and endogenous signals to modulate the process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 109968"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143912605","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":"Unravelling the interplay between plant miRNAs and plant secondary metabolites: A new frontier in cross- kingdom regulatory mechanisms","authors":"Yamini Agarwal ,&nbsp;Pammi Gauba ,&nbsp;Vibha Rani","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are also known as single-stranded RNAs with 18–24 nucleotides and exhibit substantial conservation. They represent a class of innate RNAs that are essential for plant cell development, division, differentiation, proliferation, and death. The reported pharmacological effects of plant-derived secondary metabolites contribute to their therapeutic potential. Plant-derived miRNAs have drawn considerable interest as a result of their active involvement in these plant secondary metabolites (PSM). PSMs can be absorbed via diet, and exert a wide range of their therapeutic potential, via exogenous and endogenous interactions. The recent identification of plant miRNAs in controlling the expression of certain genes in mammals has attracted a lot of attention and created new opportunities for studying cross-kingdom regulatory mechanisms in biological research. This review discusses the role of miRNAs in plants, with focus on PSMs via cross-kingdom. The aim is to provide a conceptual theoretical framework based on the involvement of plant miRNA with secondary metabolites and being used as a transfer molecule for cross-kingdom gene regulation. Plant miRNAs' diverse expression patterns and ability to affect several physiological and developmental processes make them promising candidates for advancing preclinical research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 109965"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143913156","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":"Unraveling a century-old mystery: The role of Ophiostoma quercus in oak decline","authors":"Ivan Milenković ,&nbsp;Dragan Karadžić ,&nbsp;Slobodan Milanović ,&nbsp;Vesna Golubović Ćurguz ,&nbsp;Katarzyna Sikora ,&nbsp;Zlatan Radulović ,&nbsp;Vladimír Račko ,&nbsp;František Kačík ,&nbsp;Ján Kováč ,&nbsp;Tomáš Toma ,&nbsp;Martin Černý ,&nbsp;Jaroslav Ďurkovič","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109948","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2025.109948","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of <em>Ophiostoma quercus</em> in oak decline, a significant threat to European oak ecosystems, has been debated for nearly a century. This long-term field experiment assessed the aggressiveness of <em>O. quercus</em> on <em>Quercus petraea</em> and monitored both fungal spread and tree defense responses, combining pathology, microscopy, X-ray tomography, FTIR, HPLC and proteome analyses. Fifty-nine months post-inoculation, 30 % of trees exhibited decline symptoms, while 70 % displayed extensive cankers and lesions, 28.3 times larger than those on controls. Infected trees responded by forming tyloses, blocking water transport around the inoculation site. Following infection, increased deposition of polyphenolic compounds was observed in both barrier and reaction zones. Histopathological observations and FTIR measurements revealed enhanced local deposition of suberin, lignin, lignin-related compounds, and tannins within the lumens of ray parenchyma cells, and the cell walls of both libriform fibers and vessels. Proteomic analyses suggest that host trees are employing a salicylic acid-based defense strategy. At the tissue level, these analyses indicate a shift in metabolic pathways, with downregulation of lignin biosynthesis and upregulation of flavonoid and stilbenoid biosynthesis, as evidenced by increased chalcone synthase abundance. Our groundbreaking use of submicron-computed X-ray tomography on woody tissues could pave the way for the widespread adoption of non-destructive 3D scanning technology in plant-fungal interaction research. The findings of this study demonstrated the aggressiveness of <em>O. quercus</em> towards adult <em>Q. petraea</em> and its contribution to the widespread syndrome of oak decline.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 109948"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143891691","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}