Plant Science最新文献

{"title":"SlMADS50, A Type I MADS-box transcription factor, regulates tomato plant architecture via hormonal pathways","authors":"Xuhu Guo ,&nbsp;Lingzhi Li ,&nbsp;Zhiping Han ,&nbsp;Jun Zhang ,&nbsp;Jingjing Song ,&nbsp;Shitong Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112811","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112811","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The MADS-box gene regulates plant growth and development. We cloned the type I MADS-box gene <em>SlMADS50</em>, which is relatively highly expressed in tomato roots, leaves and lateral buds, suggesting that it may be involved in the growth regulation of tomato vegetative organs. Subcellular localization results showed that the SlMADS50 protein was located in the nucleus. In this study, the classical tomato cultivar Ailsa Craig (AC⁺⁺) was used as background material to silence <em>SlMADS50</em> gene by RNA interference. Compared with the wild type, <em>SlMADS50</em>-silenced lines exhibited lower apical dominance and reduced plant height. The length, width, perimeter and area of leaves were smaller than wild type plants. The total length, total surface area, total projected area, volume, forks and tips of roots were significantly reduced. Anatomical studies showed that the cells in the longitudinal section of the <em>SlMADS50</em>-silenced stem were smaller, but their average number was significantly increased. At the hormonal levels, the contents of IAA (indole-3-acetic acid), GA3(gibberellin A3), TZR (transzein riboside) and CS (castasterone) in <em>SlMADS50</em>-silenced lines were decreased. At the molecular level, auxin response gene <em>SlIAA3</em> and gibberellin synthesis genes <em>SlGA3ox1</em> were significantly down-regulated in <em>SlMADS50</em>-silenced lines, while the negative regulator of GA signaling, <em>SlDELLA</em>, were significantly up-regulated in the silenced lines. Based on the yeast two-hybrid assay showing that SlMADS50 interacts individually with RBCS3 and PUB22-like, we further speculate that SlMADS50 may regulate tomato plant architecture through photosynthetic and hormonal pathways. This study elucidated the biological function of SlMADS50 and its regulatory network in controlling tomato plant architecture. The findings not only advanced the understanding of type I MADS-box genes in tomato but also provide a reliable theoretical foundation for further research on plant architecture regulation in tomato.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"362 ","pages":"Article 112811"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145268028","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 balance application of nano-macronutrients promote growth, productivity and quality through modulation of antioxidative activities in wheat","authors":"Mingliang Ding ,&nbsp;Lijun Tang ,&nbsp;Lin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yan Yang ,&nbsp;Hongsheng Li ,&nbsp;Qi Ma ,&nbsp;Shaoxiang Li ,&nbsp;Jia Liu ,&nbsp;Cuiping Zhang ,&nbsp;Kun Liu ,&nbsp;Shah Fahad ,&nbsp;Sidra Fatima ,&nbsp;Qamar uz Zaman ,&nbsp;Gang Deng ,&nbsp;Runyun Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112807","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Correct combinations and levels of plant macronutrients nutrients for wheat not only improve crop growth and productivity but also making better yields. The main objective of this research was to determine how nano fertilizer treatments viz., nano N, nano K, and nano P, applications affect wheat productivity. The experimental designs included treatments with multiple nano-fertilizer combinations ranging from no fertilization to separate applications of 50 mg L⁻¹ nano N, nano P, and nano K and combinations of N + P, N + K, P + K, and N + P + K applied in foliar form. Findings revealed that applying different combinations of NPK improved the wheat growth and biomass such as root dry weight (176.96 %) but also the overall wheat productivity by improving the spike length (48.19 %), 1000 grain weight (85.25 %) and grain yield per plant (163.44 %). Combined approach of nano NPK improved the photosynthetic attributes by improving the total chlorophyll (135.63 %), and wheat quality by increasing protein contents (78.75 %), wet gluten (52.86 %) and overall flour yield (69.68 %). A linear reduction in lipid peroxidation properties was noted with the use of coupled NPK. The combined application of nano-NPK fertilization evidently improved all yield and quality parameters, which subsequently showed less response with the split application of nano-NPK fertilization. However, the use of P and K in combination indicated an inferior response when compared to NP and NK fertilization. Direct relationship between nano-NPK fertilizer application and wheat grains quality was also noticed. The findings highlighted that balanced application of NPK nano-fertilization treatments drives crop productivity through improved yield and defense systems while reducing wheat crop damage from oxidative stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"361 ","pages":"Article 112807"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259012","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":"Integrative control of plant sex determination: Genes, hormones, and environment","authors":"Wei Li ,&nbsp;Yiming Wang ,&nbsp;Ronghua Qian ,&nbsp;Yi Yao ,&nbsp;Xiang Xue ,&nbsp;Jie Chen ,&nbsp;Jun Chu ,&nbsp;Caihong Zhu ,&nbsp;Suke Xu ,&nbsp;Cheng Qi Yi ,&nbsp;Xu Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant sex determination involves the integration of genetic networks, hormonal signaling and environmental cues. This review synthesizes current understanding, highlighting two conserved pathways for unisexual flower formation: Type I (post-initiation organ abortion) and Type II (primordial suppression). Floral organ identity is genetically orchestrated by the ABCDE model and specific sex-determining genes. The core hormonal mechanism centers on antagonistic interactions between gibberellin (promoting male) and ethylene (promoting female), mediated by regulators like DELLA and <em>EIN3/EIN2</em>. These hormones integrate endogenous balances and environmental signals to control downstream transcription factors and sex gene expression. Environmental factors such as light, temperature and nutrients can significantly modulate sex expression, often overriding genetic programs via epigenetic mechanisms (e.g.,photoperiod-induced DNA methylation) and metabolic shifts, enabling phenotypic plasticity for reproductive fitness. Despite advances, gaps remain in transcriptional regulation, network integration, and species-specific adaptations. Future work should integrate gene editing (e.g., <em>CRISPR-Cas9</em>) and systems biology to deepen understanding of sexual plasticity by elucidating the transcriptional regulation of sex-determining genes and their interactions with hermaphroditic floral programs. This framework emphasizes unifying genetic hierarchies, hormonal dynamics and environmental plasticity for a comprehensive model.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"361 ","pages":"Article 112800"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145258995","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":"Hydrogen sulfide generated by L-cysteine desulfhydrase 1 enhances plant basal thermotolerance through the regulation of stomatal behavior and the promotion of photosynthetic efficiency","authors":"Huihui Fang ,&nbsp;Wenjia Chen ,&nbsp;Kehong Xing ,&nbsp;Liai Xu ,&nbsp;Jianguo Wu ,&nbsp;Yunshuai Huang ,&nbsp;Yanxi Pei ,&nbsp;Yunxiang Zang","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat stress (HS) severely limits plant growth and crop yields, becoming a critical challenge for global food production. As a gasotransmitter, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) has been reported to participate in plants HS adaptation, however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Time-course analysis showed that HS duration-dependently boosted endogenous H₂S production, with both transcriptional upregulation and enzymatic activation of the L-Cysteine desulfhydrase 1 (DES1). Over-expression of <em>DES1</em> enhanced basal thermotolerance in <em>Arabidopsis</em>, whereas the <em>DES1</em> knockout mutant (<em>des1</em>) exhibited heightened sensitivity to HS. Additionally, HS triggered stomatal closure and elevated stomatal density were substantially attenuated in <em>des1</em>, but more pronounced in <em>OE-DES1</em>. Importantly, the heat-sensitive phenotype and defective HS-induced stomatal responses in <em>des1</em> could be rescued by exogenous H₂S pretreatment. Under HS condition, H₂S generated by DES1 triggered stomatal closure by regulating the expression of K⁺_in channel encoding genes, at least <em>KAT1</em> and <em>KC1</em>, thereby modulating K⁺ homeostasis and turgor pressure of guard cells. Concurrently, DES1-H₂S up-regulated the expression of genes associated stomatal development, <em>SPCH</em> and <em>TMM</em>, increasing stomatal density. Correspondingly, <em>des1</em> had decreased level of relative water content, chlorophyll levels, and RuBisCO activity during HS, while <em>OE-DES1</em> had the opposite effects. Overall, H₂S might act as an equilibrator of stomatal aperture and stomatal density to avoid excessive transpiration and maximize gaseous exchange then photosynthetic efficiency of leaves under HS. Our study elucidates how H₂S optimizes stomatal behavior to improve basal thermotolerance, providing new insights into H₂S signaling and potential applications in breeding heat-resistant crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"361 ","pages":"Article 112805"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259052","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":"A comet assay protocol for analysis of DNA damage in cryopreserved nuclei from Arabidopsis seeds, seedlings, and leaves.","authors":"José Roberto Torres, Ignacio Lescano López, María Elena Alvarez","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112798","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112798","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The comet assay is classically applied to study DNA damage at the single-cell level. In plants, it is commonly used for the analysis of seedlings, leaves, and seeds. The assay is time-consuming and runs continuously, making it difficult to process large volumes of samples or samples derived from kinetic studies in parallel. To overcome these limitations, we present an optimized protocol of neutral comet assay for analysis of Arabidopsis seeds, seedlings and leaves. It includes the cryopreservation of nuclei under conditions that do not affect DNA integrity. This option is not present in other available protocols for plants and allows samples collected at different times to be preserved and then processed simultaneously. We provide details on all experimental steps, including slide preparation, to obtain high-quality samples without the need of commercial kits. Moreover, we demonstrated its effectiveness in quantifying DNA damage induced by abiotic and biotic stresses. This versatile approach will help to optimize sample processing and will contribute to improving the studies of DNA damage in plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":" ","pages":"112798"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259009","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":"From stress to strength: Improving fenugreek seed germination under saline conditions with moringa leaf extract priming as a biostimulant approach","authors":"Ekta Pandey ,&nbsp;Rinkee Kumari ,&nbsp;Shahla Faizan ,&nbsp;Parul Verma","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112806","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112806","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural growth-promoting biostimulants are frequently utilized for plant development in standard and stressed conditions. Fenugreek (<em>Trigonella foenum-graecum</em> L.), an aromatic medicinal and vegetable crop that is highly economically important worldwide, has been negatively affected by salinity. According to research studies, moringa leaf extract (MLE) has been demonstrated to enhance resistance to salt stress. However, there is limited data on MLE's impact on aromatic plants, particularly fenugreek, under saline conditions. In this study, conducted in autumn season (mid-October 2024) at the Environmental Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, we used a completely randomized design with four treatment groups: (1) control (no treatment), (2) 150 mM NaCl, (3) MLE30 (1:30 v:v) without salt stress, and (4) 150 mM NaCl with MLE30. Results indicated that the over accumulation of ROS, Na⁺ and Cl^- ions under salt stress weakened growth or development, physio-biochemical characteristics, and mitotic division. Seeds primed with MLE exhibited significant improvements: seedling height increased by 42.74 %, fresh weight by 26.15 %, dry weight by 20 %, germination by 30.68 %, chlorophyll content by 39.62 %, ROS scavenging by 28.39 %, and proline content by 11.5 %. The seedling vigor index rose by 86.56 % under salt stress. MLE treatment also promoted cell division, increasing the mitotic index by 152.94 % and enhancing enzymatic antioxidant activities (SOD: 21.25 %, CAT: 36.07 %, POD: 13.13 %, APX: 37.34 %). Non-enzymatic antioxidant activities also improved (PPO: 14.70 %, Carotenoids: 24.24 %), along with amylase activities (α-amylase: 39.44 %, β-amylase: 37.24 %) and phosphatase activities (acid phosphatase: 30.92 %, alkaline phosphatase: 32.76 %). Additionally, the salt tolerance index improved by 18 %. The findings suggest that MLE's antioxidant defense mechanism effectively scavenges ROS, providing protection against salt-induced oxidative damage and enhancing the germination of seeds in saline soils. These observations offer valuable insights into the application of plant-based biostimulants like MLE30 to improve crop resilience to abiotic stresses such as salinity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"361 ","pages":"Article 112806"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259017","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":"Functional characterization of a ripening-specific L-methionine aminotransferase and its role in volatile C₃-thioether esters biosynthesis in melon fruits.","authors":"Itay Gonda, Einat Bar, Rachel Davidovich-Rikanati, Aaron Fait, Nurit Katzir, Efraim Lewinsohn","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112809","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112809","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>C₃-thioether esters are among the most important contributors to melon aromas. We previously showed that L-methionine is a key precursor to many sulfur-containing and other volatiles in melon fruit. We also showed that L-methionine and its deaminated keto acid derivative, α-keto-γ-methylthio butyric acid, serve as precursors for C₃-thioethers in melon fruit. In this work, we have refined these findings and show that administering exogenous moderate L-methionine levels to melon fruit slices led to elevated levels of all detected sulfur-containing volatiles. In contrast, moderate levels of exogenous α-keto-γ-methylthio butyric acid specifically enhanced only the levels of C₃-thioethers and thioether esters. Cell-free extracts derived from ripe melon fruits were shown to possess L-methionine aminotransferase activity that preferentially accepted glyoxylate as a co-substrate for catalysis and other amine acceptors at lower rates. RNA-sequencing experiments indicated that the expression of CmMetAT, a gene annotated as a putative aminotransferase enzyme, is preferentially expressed in ripe fruit of PI 414723 and 'Dulce' melon cultivars, both in flesh and rind tissues. CmMetAT was ectopically expressed in E. coli and functionally characterized in vitro. CmMetAT encodes a bona fide L-methionine aminotransferase that accepts glyoxylate to generate α-keto-γ-methylthio butyric acid from L-methionine. Our findings indicate that CmMetAT mediates the formation of C₃-thioether volatiles in melon fruit. This work makes an additional step towards understanding the biosynthesis of the complex aroma constituents of melons and also projects to other fruits, especially those that accumulate sulfur-containing aroma volatiles.</p>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":" ","pages":"112809"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145275616","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 transcriptional factors regulating PEPC genes and characterization of bHLH49 in Suaeda aralocaspica.","authors":"Mengyu Yan, Yanxia Liu, Haiyan Lan","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112808","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112808","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The unique single-cell C₄ photosynthetic pathway of Suaeda aralocaspica has garnered significant attention owing to its specialized photosynthetic enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC). However, the regulatory mechanisms controlling the transcriptional activity of SaPEPC1 and SaPEPC2 and their promoters under environmental stress conditions remain poorly understood. Here, we aimed to identify and characterize factors involved in the transcriptional regulation of these SaPEPC gene promoters using a yeast-one-hybrid system. We constructed a cDNA library of S. aralocaspica under salt stress, achieving a recombination efficiency of 100% with insert lengths of 200-2000 bp and a library capacity of 1.2 ×10⁷ CFU·mL^-1. Screening results revealed 75 and 74 candidate regulatory factors interacting with the SaPEPC1 and SaPEPC2 promoters (groups 1 and 2), respectively. Notably, group 1 factors were enriched in photosynthesis-related events, whereas group 2 predominantly included stress-responsive factors. Further analyses indicated significantly higher transcriptional responsiveness of factors in group 1 factors (especially the SaPEPC1 gene itself) than group 2 factors under salt stress, osmotic stress (PEG), and light/dark conditions. Notably, SabHLH49 from group 1 distinctly enhanced GUS activity driven by the SaPEPC1 promoter; three-dimensional structure prediction and dual-luciferase assay confirmed the potential interaction between SabHLH49 and the SaPEPC1 promoter. The specific interaction region potentially involved three predicted motifs: \"GACACATGTA,\" \"GTCACGAACA,\" and \"ATCTCATGCG.\" Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing SabHLH49 showed enhanced salt tolerance, likely by alleviating cell membrane damage and enhancing photosynthetic efficiency under salt stress. Our findings suggest that SabHLH49-PEPC1 interaction may impact PEPC regulation, which improves our understanding of the mechanisms regulating photosynthesis-associated events.</p>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":" ","pages":"112808"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259080","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":"Nitric oxide-induced Na+/H+ exchange activity confers salt tolerance in pea (Pisum sativum L.) mesophyll cells","authors":"Ping Yun ,&nbsp;Shivam Sidana ,&nbsp;Jiarui Zheng ,&nbsp;Lana Shabala ,&nbsp;Sergey Shabala","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112804","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112804","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salinity stress severely hinders global agricultural productivity, and the issue will only increase under current climate scenarios. Due to complexity of salinity tolerance traits, crop breeding for salt tolerance remains a highly challenging task. The exogenous application of growth regulators, such as nitric oxide (NO), is considered a viable practical alternative to boost crop yield and quality under conditions of soil salinity. Numerous papers reported beneficial role of exogenous NO application on plant growth under salt stress, but very few explored the mechanistic basis of this process. Here, we investigated the effects of NO (generated by 0.1 mM NO donor sodium nitroprusside) on ionic homeostasis in pea mesophyll cells in response to 100 mM NaCl and 10 mM H₂O₂ treatments. Membrane potential (MP) and fluxes of Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ were measured using the Microelectrode Ion Flux Estimation (MIFE) technique. Application of NO reduced Na⁺ accumulation and salt-induced K⁺ loss from leaf mesophyll, thus improving cell viability and leaf photochemistry (SPAD and Fv/Fm characteristics). These ameliorating effects were attributed to NO’s ability to restore (otherwise depolarized) MP, enhance Na⁺ efflux from the cytosol, and alter sensitivity of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-inducible Ca²⁺- and K⁺-permeable ion channels. Pharmacological experiments indicated that the Na⁺ efflux was attributed to Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger activity. Altogether, this study demonstrated, for the first time, a direct control of plasma membrane ion transporters in leaf mesophyll cells by NO, thereby affecting NaCl-induced Ca²⁺ signaling and intracellular Na⁺ and K⁺ homeostasis, thus conferring salt tolerance in pea mesophyll cells. These findings expanded our understanding of the role of NO in enhancing salinity stress tolerance in plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"361 ","pages":"Article 112804"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145252378","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":"Nitric oxide mitigates selenium phytotoxicity in barley: Inhibiting selenium absorption, altering selenium distribution, and strengthening the antioxidant system","authors":"Chao Cheng ,&nbsp;Yunxin Yi ,&nbsp;Qing Li ,&nbsp;Huirong Yang ,&nbsp;Teodora Emilia Coldea ,&nbsp;Haifeng Zhao ,&nbsp;Gijs Du Laing","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112799","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2025.112799","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selenium (Se) contamination may pose significant challenges to agricultural sustainability and food security in Se-rich environments. The potential of nitric oxide (NO) in improving Se tolerance in barley was investigated in this study. Selenium stress greatly increased endogenous NO content in barley, while exogenous NO donor (sodium nitroprusside, SNP) limited Se uptake by downregulating the expression of <em>HvPT</em> gene. Additionally, NO accelerated Se metabolism by upregulating the expression of <em>HvSIR</em>, <em>HvCS</em>, <em>HvCγS</em>, and <em>HvCβL</em> genes, thereby raising the proportion of organic Se in barley to 86.6 %. NO altered Se distribution by facilitating the translocation from nascent tissues to less active tissues, and shifted Se distribution from the soluble fraction to the cell wall at the subcellular level. SNP significantly upregulated antioxidant-related genes (<em>Cu/Zn SOD</em>, <em>APX</em>, <em>GSH</em>-<em>Px</em>), and elevated the content of non-enzymatic antioxidants (GSH, AsA). These protective effects were abolished by NO scavenger (cPTIO), confirming the specific role of NO. Additionally, NO alleviated Se-induced growth inhibition by enhancing root vigor, respiration rate, and proline accumulation. Overall, this study highlights the role of NO in modulating Se metabolism and antioxidant defenses in barley and provides novel insights for optimizing Se-enriched crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"361 ","pages":"Article 112799"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236387","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}