Plant Science最新文献

{"title":"SmNAC68 transcription factor negatively regulate tanshinone biosynthesis under low-temperature conditions in Salvia miltiorrhiza","authors":"Gaoyang Qu ,&nbsp;Ruibo Shen ,&nbsp;Mingwan Sun ,&nbsp;Di Zhao ,&nbsp;Wei Wang ,&nbsp;Shixiang Wei ,&nbsp;Biao Wang ,&nbsp;Hongbo Li","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Salvia miltiorrhiza</em> Bge. (<em>S. miltiorrhiza</em>) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, primarily used for treating cardiovascular diseases. Tanshinones as the main medicinal components of <em>S. miltiorrhiza</em>, their content is an important factor affecting the medicinal and economic value. Reasonable post-harvest techniques are the critical means to improve the effective components, and short-term low-temperature can induce the synthesis of plant secondary metabolites. However, the molecular mechanisms of low-temperature regulation of tanshinones remain unclear. This study found that post-harvest low-temperature can significantly accumulate the tanshinone components, simultaneously, it markedly enhances the expression of key enzyme genes involved in tanshinone biosynthesis. Analysis of the NAC gene family revealed that <em>SmNAC68</em> is predominantly active in roots, with a marked decrease in expression under low-temperature. Genetic transformation experiments demonstrated that the accumulation of four tanshinones in <em>SmNAC68</em> overexpression individual was significantly downregulated, with the key enzyme gene <em>SmCPS1</em> showing the most significant downregulation. Protein interaction experiments revealed that <em>SmNAC68</em> can interact with the promoter of <em>SmCPS1</em> and inhibit its transcription. The results reveal the molecular mechanism of low-temperature regulation of tanshinone biosynthesis, which is of great significance for improving the post-harvest processing and quality enhancement of <em>S. miltiorrhiza</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113058"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146220888","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":"Fine mapping of the qSCT12 locus conferring seedling cold tolerance in Oryza nivara","authors":"Yanju Zhu ,&nbsp;Qile Sun ,&nbsp;Shanshan Wang ,&nbsp;Fengxia Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113070","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113070","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cold stress severely limits rice growth and yield, making it crucial to identify cold-tolerant QTLs and genes for effective molecular breeding. In this study, we detected four QTLs for seedling cold tolerance using the introgression lines derived from wild rice (<em>Oryza nivara</em>) and identified an introgression line Ra47 harboring the major QTL <em>qSCT12</em>, which exhibited a higher seedling survival rate under cold stress than its recipient parent 9311 (an elite <em>indica</em> cultivar). Using the F_2:3 population developed by backcrossing Ra47 with 9311, we confirmed the major QTL <em>qSCT12</em> for seedling cold tolerance, which explained up to 29.92% of the phenotypic variation in cold tolerance traits, and which allele from wild rice could enhance seedling cold tolerance. Using additional 2744 F₂ individuals, we narrowed the QTL <em>qSCT12</em> to a 21.8-kb region on chromosome 12 between markers CT321 and 3-F. This interval contains 2 candidate genes <em>LOC_Os12g10700</em> and <em>LOC_Os12g10710</em>. Further RNA-seq analysis of Ra47 and 9311 before and after cold treatment revealed that DEGs were enriched in primary metabolic process, cellular metabolic process, hydrolase activity and pyrophosphatase activity. These findings will provide important insights into the genetic basis of cold tolerance in rice seedlings and offer new genetic resources for developing cold-tolerant rice varieties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113070"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147326821","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":"Integrating SEM-based phenotyping with GWAS reveals the genetic architecture of rice straw secondary cell wall and internode cell features","authors":"Mahta Mohamadiaza ,&nbsp;Naser Farrokhi ,&nbsp;Asadollah Ahmadikhah ,&nbsp;Pär K. Ingvarsson ,&nbsp;Mehdi Jahanfar","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice stem performs assimilate transport and promises sturdiness due to cell wall structure and composition. However, less is known about the genetic basis of its structural characteristics. In this study, for the first time, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging technique was developed to capture digital phenotypes to assess 18 straw traits collected from the cross-sections of 147 rice accessions. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified 54 significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; integrated into 28 quantitative trait loci) residing in the genic sequences of rice (promoter and coding DNA sequence), and classified into three groups: 1) cell wall-defining genes, 2) cell size-defining genes, and 3) transcription factors. <em>DUF246</em> and <em>DUF1218</em>, <em>galactose oxidase</em>, <em>mitochondrial Rho GTPase</em>, <em>WUSCHEL-related homeobox 5</em> and <em>scarecrow-like 9</em> are the novel genes identified among the 21 candidate genes. These genes may play roles in stem development traits, specifically the distance from the vascular bundle to the end of the parenchymal cells (DVBEPC) and the thickness of the straw cell wall in the protruding part (TSCWP). Post-GWAS analyses showed one significant haplotype on chromosome 4 and 25 significant epistatic interactions. Most notably, nine TF families were repeatedly detected among the significant QTL. <em>Os07g0644300</em> (XPA-binding protein 2), located in <em>the q7–1</em> genomic segment and associated with DVBEPC, was found to have a missense mutation. Phenotyping via SEM imaging provides precise genome-phenome association in understanding rice stem cell size and cell wall architecture, which ultimately can define biomass and lodging resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113084"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147326871","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":"Relationship between DNA methylation and ethylene in plants: A review","authors":"Xinmeng Geng,&nbsp;Zesheng Liu,&nbsp;Caiting An,&nbsp;Min Cao,&nbsp;Qi Wang,&nbsp;Mengkun Liu,&nbsp;Qianbing Li,&nbsp;Chunlei Wang,&nbsp;Linli Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113063","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113063","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>DNA methylation, as a central mechanism of epigenetic regulation, plays a key role in coordinating plant growth and stress responses. Simultaneously, the gaseous phytohormone ethylene is also a crucial regulator in these processes. Both form a metabolic competition through <em>S</em>-adenosyl-<span>L</span>-methionine (SAM) and mutually regulate each other at the level of gene expression. Studies demonstrate that DNA methylation functions to either enhance or block ethylene synthesis and ethylene signal transduction, thereby regulating a spectrum of developmental processes including seed development, root growth, flower opening and senescence, flower sex differentiation, and fruit maturation. Conversely, ethylene acts to reprogram DNA methylation patterns to accelerate seedling development, leaf senescence, fruit ripening, and abscission. Under abiotic stresses, alterations in DNA methylation affect the ethylene pathway, thereby enhancing plant tolerance to cold, heat, herbicides, sulfur dioxide, and salinity. During pathogen infection, DNA methylation enhances ethylene biosynthesis and signalling, thereby reinforcing disease defence mechanisms. Additionally, studies have shown that DNA methylation regulates the ethylene pathway in processes such as embryonic development, domestication, fruit softening, and the accumulation of aromatic compounds and pigments. Although there still exist unclear specific effects and causal mechanisms concerning DNA methylation and ethylene, the current knowledge we summarized may provide new insights into ethylene and epigenetic modification in plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113063"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146259171","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 analysis of barley HvRTH3 reveals its role in root hair patterning with no detectable impact on drought response","authors":"Beata Chmielewska,&nbsp;Marek Marzec,&nbsp;Iwona Szarejko,&nbsp;Agata Daszkowska-Golec","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113067","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113067","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Root hairs, tubular extensions of the rhizodermal cells, facilitate nutrient uptake, yet their role in water acquisition remains debated and may be species- and soil-specific. To elucidate the genetic basis of root hair development and assess their physiological relevance in barley (<em>Hordeum vulgare</em> L.), particularly under water-limited conditions, we characterized a mutant with a changed root hairs phenotype. The <em>HvRTH3</em> gene, a barley homolog of the maize <em>COBRA</em> gene <em>roothairless3</em> (<em>rth3</em>) encoding a COBRA protein (Hochholdinger et al., 2008), was subjected to TILLING analysis. In the <em>hvrth3.h</em> mutant, the mutation was identified in 804 bp position (transition of G to A), which results in premature STOP codon, that caused a reduction of protein length by 405 aa. The sparsely located root hairs in a barley <em>hvrth3.h</em> mutant, otherwise than in maize, where short root hairs were observed, was a result of a smaller number of trichoblasts in comparison to WT. The newly identified <em>hvrth3.h</em> mutant was not allelic to any characterized barley mutant isolated in our lab. It showed diminished root traits and yield under greenhouse and field conditions but did not exhibit pronounced disadvantage under severe drought. The expression of <em>HvRTH3</em> gene was observed in all analyzed tissues, with the highest expression level in root elongation zone. <em>HvRTH3</em> is essential for root hair development, but apparently dispensable for water uptake under severe drought.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113067"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147271396","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 analysis of FveBZR1-2 reveals a potential auxin–BR regulatory module in early receptacle elongation of strawberry","authors":"Tingting Han ,&nbsp;Yongqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Yajun Tang ,&nbsp;Xiaodan Zhao ,&nbsp;Guoming Wang ,&nbsp;Junhui Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113072","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113072","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Brassinazole-resistant 1 (BZR1) transcription factors are central regulators of brassinosteroid (BR) signaling and play key roles in plant growth and development, often through crosstalk with other hormone pathways such as auxin. However, their functions in strawberry remain largely unexplored. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification and characterization of <em>BZR1</em> family genes in woodland strawberry (<em>Fragaria vesca</em>). Seven <em>FveBZR1</em> genes encoding 11 transcript isoforms were identified and cloned. All the <em>FveBZR1</em> family genes systematically analyzed with respect to their physicochemical properties, phylogeny, conserved motifs, gene structures, and promoter cis-elements. Expression profiling revealed divergent spatiotemporal patterns, among which <em>FveBZR1–2</em> was predominantly expressed in early receptacle stages, suggesting a role in fruit development. Functional validation demonstrated that overexpression of <em>FveBZR1–2</em> promoted receptacle elongation at early floral stages, whereas no significant effect was observed at later stages. Furthermore, LCI assays revealed that FveARF6 associates with multiple FveBZR1 proteins, including FveBZR1–2. The interaction between FveARF6 and FveBZR1–2 was further supported by Y2H and BiFC assays, while Co-IP assays provided additional biochemical evidence for the association between FveARF6 and another FveBZR1 member. Together, these findings provide the first comprehensive insight into the <em>FveBZR1</em> gene family in strawberry and highlight <em>FveBZR1–2</em> as a potential regulator of early receptacle elongation, advancing our understanding of hormone-mediated control of strawberry fruit development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113072"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147309413","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":"RlTTG1 isolated from Rosa laevigata Michx. regulates trichome development and stress response in transgenic Arabidopsis","authors":"Sinian Wu ,&nbsp;Lisha Song ,&nbsp;Yixi Chen ,&nbsp;Cong Luo ,&nbsp;Lingyun Wan ,&nbsp;Guojian Liao ,&nbsp;Wenjing Liang ,&nbsp;Shugen Wei ,&nbsp;Cuihong Yang ,&nbsp;Yujian Huang ,&nbsp;Ying Wei ,&nbsp;Shixin Feng ,&nbsp;Jine Fu ,&nbsp;Haixia Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113080","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113080","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rosa laevigata</em> Michx. (<em>R. laevigata</em>) is an important horticultural plant with strong drought resistance and ornamental value. Its fruit can be used as medicine, but its fruits and stems are covered with dense prickles, which leads to difficulty for cultivation. The molecular mechanism of prickle development in <em>R. laevigata</em> is still unknown. In the present study, eighty-one prickle-related genes were found by transcriptome sequencing. A gene closely related to prickle development was selected for functional research, which was named TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA 1 (TTG1). <em>RlTTG1</em> (Rl corresponds to <em>R. laevigat</em>a) is highly expressed in the prickles rich tissues. Overexpression of <em>RlTTG</em>1 in <em>Arabidopsis</em> (At represents the species of <em>Arabidopsis</em>), a model plant where epidermal protrusions are termed trichomes (unlike the prickles in <em>R. laevigata</em>), caused an increased number of leaf trichomes but reduced root hair growth. When exposed to abiotic stress, the roots of overexpressed <em>RlTTG1</em> lines grew longer than the wild type. And increased the seed germination rate under drought and salt stress. Physiological and biochemical tests showed that the contents of proline (Pro) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were increased, while the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were significantly reduced. In addition, Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments found that RlTTG1 can interact with several trichome-related proteins, including ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC 1 (RlETC1), ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC 3 (RlETC3), Glabra 1a (RlGL1a), Glabra 1b (RlGL1b), and ENHANCER OF GLABRA 3 (RlEGL3). Overall, this study lays the foundation for the research on the molecular mechanism of prickle development and stress response in <em>R. laevigata</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113080"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147321915","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":"Overexpression of the Mentha canadensis McTTG2 gene positively regulates trichome development and proanthocyanidins biosynthesis in transgenic Arabidopsis","authors":"Yang Bai ,&nbsp;Yichuan Xu ,&nbsp;Xiwu Qi ,&nbsp;Li Li ,&nbsp;Xu Yu ,&nbsp;Hailing Fang ,&nbsp;Dongmei Liu ,&nbsp;Fei Chen ,&nbsp;Chengyuan Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113065","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113065","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>WRKY transcription factors play key roles in plant development and growth, as well as in response to stress and metabolism. Hence, WRKY members have been identified in many plant species; however, few reports are available on the WRKY family in mint (<em>Mentha canadensis</em>). Therefore, this study employed phylogenetic analyses to identify a mint WRKY Group I gene named <em>McTTG2</em>. <em>McTTG2</em> is widely expressed in both vegetative and reproductive organs, encoding a nuclear protein with no transcriptional auto-activation activity in yeast cells. By a heterologous complementation study, <em>McTTG2</em> was overexpressed in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana ttg2</em>-7 mutant plants, which significantly increased trichome number and proanthocyanidin (PA) accumulation. Consistent with these phenotypes in <em>McTTG2</em>-overexpressing lines, the expression of several key genes involved in trichome formation, such as <em>AtGL2</em>, <em>AtTRY</em>, and <em>AtBRK1</em>, as well as PA biosynthesis, including <em>AtTT12</em> and <em>AtTT13</em>, was altered. Y1H and Dual-Luciferase assays revealed that McTTG2 could bind the promoters and activate the expression of these genes. These results suggest that McTTG2 positively controls trichome development and PA biosynthesis by regulating the expression of genes related to trichome development (<em>AtGL2</em>, <em>AtTRY</em>, and <em>AtBRK1</em>) and PA biosynthesis (<em>AtTT12</em> and <em>AtTT13</em>) in transgenic plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113065"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146776525","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":"Overexpression of PbWRKY66 negatively regulate phosphate uptake and root-to-shoot distribution in Arabidopsis","authors":"Mengdan Li ,&nbsp;Wenyu Sun ,&nbsp;Mengjie Wu,&nbsp;Fangyan Li,&nbsp;Zhen Cao,&nbsp;Nian Liu,&nbsp;Longjun Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113069","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113069","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Phoebe bournei</em> is a valuable timber species endemic to southern China, renowned for its economic and ecological importance. However, the widespread low phosphorus level in the acidic soils of this region severely constrains the productivity of <em>P. bournei</em> plantations. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing phosphorus uptake, translocation, and homeostasis in <em>P. bournei</em> is therefore essential for breeding varieties with enhanced tolerance to low phosphorus conditions. The current study focuses on PbWRKY66, a group II WRKY transcription factor that was identified and characterized in <em>Phoebe bournei</em>. Under phosphorus deficient conditions, <em>PbWRKY66</em> expression was markedly induced in leaves but strongly suppressed in roots during prolonged phosphorus deprivation. The PbWRKY66 protein was localized in the nucleus and exhibited transactivation activity. Expression analysis in different tissues revealed that PbWRKY66 transcripts accumulated predominantly in stems and leaves, while the assays of GUS reporter driven by promoter of <em>PbWRKY66</em> demonstrated strong promoter activity in leaves vein, vascular tissues of stems and roots, flower stalk base, and lateral root tips. Transgenic <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> lines overexpressing PbWRKY66 displayed higher sensitivity to phosphorus deficiency, characterized by reduced root elongation, small aerial parts, and increased anthocyanin accumulation compared to the wild type. Phosphorus starvation also resulted in markedly lower total phosphorus in shoots and roots and reduced inorganic phosphate in leaves of the transgenic lines compared with those of the wild type plants. Moreover, the expression of <em>AtPHT1;1</em>, <em>AtPHT1;4</em>, and <em>AtPHO1</em>, which are central to phosphorus uptake and transport, was substantially repressed in PbWRKY66-OE roots, whereas <em>AtSPX1</em>, a negative regulator of the phosphate starvation response, was upregulated. Collectively, these findings point to PbWRKY66 functioning as a negative modulator in the control of phosphorus uptake, translocation from roots to shoots, and phosphate starvation signaling, thereby contributing to the modulation of phosphorus homeostasis under phosphorus deficiency stress in plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113069"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147271581","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":"Endosperm-specific overexpression of Opaque2 improves maize kernel texture","authors":"Zan Wu,&nbsp;Tao Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113085","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plantsci.2026.113085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Kernel texture is a crucial agronomic trait that determines crop yield and nutrient quality, yet limited genes with breeding potentials have been identified for texture improvement. In maize, the endosperm-filling central regulator Opaque2 coordinately regulates starch and protein synthesis and plays pivotal roles in vitreous endosperm formation. In this study, we specifically overexpressed <em>Opaque2</em> in the developing endosperm driven by the <em>27-kD γ zein</em> promoter to investigate the effects on kernel texture, yield and nutrient quality. Notably, overexpression of <em>Opaque2</em> enhanced test weight and 100-kernel weight despite reduced kernel dimensions. The overexpressed kernels exhibited improved kernel texture with expanded vitreous endosperm regions. Furthermore, the starch contents were increased, including elevated levels of amylose and amylopectin. The starch granules in the overexpressed endosperms were denser and more tightly packed. Zein accumulation was dramatically elevated in the overexpressed kernels in comparison with wild type, whereas nonzein levels were slightly decreased, resulting in elevated total protein synthesis. Further transcriptomic analysis comprehensively revealed that the <em>Opaque2</em> overexpression positively influences a series of biological processes to precisely modulate vitreous endosperm formation and texture improvement. This work provides a novel insight into maize texture improvement through endosperm-specific overexpression of <em>Opaque2</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20273,"journal":{"name":"Plant Science","volume":"366 ","pages":"Article 113085"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147344936","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}