{"title":"Cell Fate Determination of the Potato Shoot Apex and Stolon Tips Revealed by Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis.","authors":"Chaocheng Guo, Zhuoran Huang, Siyu Luo, Xinyuan Wang, Jiahao Li, Guolong Yu, Yudong Wang, Xu Wang","doi":"10.1111/pce.15459","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15459","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a starch-rich crop with two types of meristematic stems: the shoot and stolon. Shoots grow vertically, while stolons grow horizontally underground and produce tubers at their tips. However, transcriptional differences between shoot and stolon cells remain unclear. To address this, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of the shoot apex and stolon tip, generating a comprehensive transcriptional landscape. We identified 23 distinct cell clusters with high cell heterogeneity, including cell-specific genes and conserved genes with cell-specific expression patterns. Hormone-related genes, particularly those involved in auxin and gibberellin pathways, exhibited distinct patterns among shoot and stolon cells. Meristematic cells were re-clustered based on the expression of StPOTH15, a homolog of SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) in Arabidopsis. Co-expression networks of transcription factors identified the key transcription factors involved in stolon development. We also constructed developmental trajectories for xylem and phloem development using key vascular genes, including MP, XCP1, PP2A1 and SEOR1. Comparative analysis with Arabidopsis highlighted significant differences in cell type-specific transcript profiles. These results provide insights into the transcriptional divergence between potato shoot and stolon, and identify key transcription factors co-expressed with StPOTH15 that can be used to explore their roles in stolon development.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143646707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chihang Cheng, Fanghua Liu, Yi Wu, Peng Li, Wei Chen, Chenhao Wu, Jianghua Sun
{"title":"Positive Linkage in Bacterial Microbiota at the Plant-Insect Interface Benefits an Invasive Bark Beetle.","authors":"Chihang Cheng, Fanghua Liu, Yi Wu, Peng Li, Wei Chen, Chenhao Wu, Jianghua Sun","doi":"10.1111/pce.15470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15470","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Symbiotic microbes facilitate rapid adaptation of invasive insects on novel plants via multifaceted function provisions, but little was known on the importance of cross linkages in symbiotic microbiota to insect invasiveness. Novel host pine Pinus tabuliformis is inherently unsuitable for invasive red turpentine beetle (RTB) in China; however, Novosphingobium and Erwinia/Serratia in gallery microbiota (at the interface between RTB larvae and pine phloem) have been discovered to help beetles via biodegrading pine detrimental compounds naringenin and pinitol, respectively. Here, we further revealed significant positive linkage of the two functions, with higher activity level conferring more growth benefit to RTB larvae. Abundance of Erwinia/Serratia was remarkably increased in response to pinitol, while naringenin-biodegrading Novosphingobium was unable to utilize this main phloem carbohydrate directly. High-activity bacterial microbiota produced nutritive metabolites (sucrose and hexadecanoic acid) from pinitol consumption that facilitated growth of both Novosphingobium and beetle larvae. Functional proteins of several bacterial taxa were enriched in high-activity microbiota that appeared to form a metabolic network collectively to regulate the nutrient production. Our results indicate that positive interaction between Erwinia/Serratia and Novosphingobium is critical for RTB invasion success, while Bacilli bacteria might restrict this linkage, providing new insights into symbiotic microbial interactions for insect herbivores.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143646720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chao Xia, Juliana Miranda, David Mendoza-Cozatl, Byung-Koo Ham, Jianxin Ma, Cankui Zhang
{"title":"Decoding Long-Distance Communication Under Mineral Stress: Advances in Vascular Signalling and Molecular Tools for Plant Resilience.","authors":"Chao Xia, Juliana Miranda, David Mendoza-Cozatl, Byung-Koo Ham, Jianxin Ma, Cankui Zhang","doi":"10.1111/pce.15475","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15475","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mineral nutrients are essential for plant growth, development and crop yield. Under mineral deficient conditions, plants rely on a sophisticated network of signalling pathways to coordinate their molecular, physiological, and morphological responses. Recent research has shown that long-distance signalling pathways play a pivotal role in maintaining mineral homeostasis and optimising growth. This review explores the intricate mechanisms of long-distance signalling under mineral deficiencies, emphasising its importance as a communication network between roots and shoots. Through the vascular tissues, plants transport an array of signalling molecules, including phytohormones, small RNAs, proteins, small peptides, and mobile mRNAs, to mediate systemic responses. Vascular tissues, particularly companion cells, are critical hubs for sensing and relaying mineral deficiency signals, leading to rapid changes in mineral uptake and optimised root morphology. We highlight the roles of key signalling molecules in regulating mineral acquisition and stress adaptation. Advances in molecular tools, including TRAP-Seq, heterografting, and single-cell RNA sequencing, have recently unveiled novel aspects of long-distance signalling and its regulatory components. These insights underscore the essential role of vascular-mediated communication in enabling plants to navigate heterogeneous mineral distribution environments and suggest new avenues for improving crop resilience and mineral use efficiency.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143646714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring Plant Resilience Through Secondary Metabolite Profiling: Advances in Stress Response and Crop Improvement.","authors":"Naeem Khan","doi":"10.1111/pce.15473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15473","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The metabolome, encompassing small molecules within organisms, provides critical insights into physiology, environmental influences, and stress responses. Metabolomics enables comprehensive analysis of plant metabolites, uncovering biomarkers and mechanisms underlying stress adaptation. Regulatory genes such as MYB and WRKY are central to secondary metabolite synthesis and environmental resilience. By integrating metabolomics with genomics, researchers can explore stress-related pathways and advance crop improvement efforts. This review examines metabolomic profiling under stress conditions, emphasizing drought tolerance mechanisms mediated by amino acids and organic acids. Additionally, it highlights the shikimate pathway's pivotal role in synthesizing amino acids and secondary metabolites essential for plant defense. These insights contribute to understanding metabolic networks that drive plant resilience, informing strategies for agricultural sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143646718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yifang Zhang, Qinglin Chen, Xiaoru Yang, Likai Hao, Lu Lu, Sara Kleindienst, Jianqun Lin, Shun Li
{"title":"Unravelling the Activity and Presence of N<sub>2</sub>O Reducers on Urban Greening Tree Leaves.","authors":"Yifang Zhang, Qinglin Chen, Xiaoru Yang, Likai Hao, Lu Lu, Sara Kleindienst, Jianqun Lin, Shun Li","doi":"10.1111/pce.15463","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15463","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) is a potent greenhouse gas and can be biotically emitted from soils, water, and the less recognised plant leaves. Leaves can produce N<sub>2</sub>O and may host N<sub>2</sub>O-reducing microbes that use it as a respiratory substrate, potentially mitigating climate warming. This study examines the ecophysiology of N<sub>2</sub>O reducers in the plant phyllosphere. Anoxic microcosm experiments, quantification of N<sub>2</sub>O reduction kinetics, and analysis of nosZ gene governing N<sub>2</sub>O reduction were conducted to assess the activity and presence of N<sub>2</sub>O reducers in leaf epiphytes from various canopy positions of Photinia fraseri, an urban greenery plant. Results revealed canopy position-dependent N<sub>2</sub>O reduction activity in the leaf microbiota. We identified previously unrecognised atypical Clade II nosZ gene in the phyllosphere microbiome, with its absolute abundance positively correlated with N<sub>2</sub>O reduction activity, highlighting its significance in this process. Sequencing of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes revealed keystone taxa as primary drivers of N<sub>2</sub>O reduction activity. These findings underscore the functional potential for N<sub>2</sub>O reduction and the presence of the Clade II nosZ group within epiphytic microbes. This work provides insights into the ecophysiology of epiphytic N<sub>2</sub>O reducers and underpins the development of leaf-based microbial solutions for N<sub>2</sub>O mitigation under future warming.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143623056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Reveal the Function of Trigonelline and Its Synthesis Gene BrNANMT in Clubroot Susceptibility of Brassica rapa.","authors":"Yuting Zhang, Mingliang Jiang, Junjie Ma, Jingjing Chen, Liyan Kong, Zongxiang Zhan, Xiaonan Li, Zhongyun Piao","doi":"10.1111/pce.15474","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15474","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, a soil-borne pathogen, threatens cruciferous plants, resulting in severe yield reductions. To identify genes and metabolites associated with clubroot resistance and susceptibility, we performed metabolome and transcriptome analyses of Brassica rapa inbred line CRBJN3-2 inoculated with resistant and susceptible P. brassicae strains. Co-expression network analysis revealed that trigonelline accumulation, linked to the nicotinic acid and nicotinamide metabolic pathways, was significantly higher in clubroot-susceptible plants. Furthermore, applying trigonelline externally aggravated clubroot in both B. rapa and Arabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of the nicotinate N-methyltransferase gene (BrNANMT) responsible for the conversion from nicotinate to trigonelline in these plants increased disease susceptibility, while loss of this gene's function resulted in improved clubroot resistance. Our study is the first to reveal the function of trigonelline in promoting clubroot development and identify BrNANMT as a clubroot susceptibility gene and trigonelline can be used as a marker metabolite in response to P. brassicae infection. Gene editing of BrNANMT provides new insights for the development of Brassica crops with improved resistance to clubroot.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143623055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unveiling the BBX18-APX1 Nexus: A New Frontier in Enhancing Tomato Drought Resilience Through Wild Relatives.","authors":"Xiaopeng Li, Ruixue Xiao","doi":"10.1111/pce.15478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15478","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143612714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Plant-Plant Interactions Drive the Decomposition of Soil Organic Carbon via Nutrition Competition in Dryland.","authors":"Wei Wang, Meng-Ying Li, Qing-Hui Wen, Fei Mo, Ai-Tian Ren, Hai-Xia Duan, Hong-Yan Tao, Jian-Ming Li, Jing Cao, Mohamed S Sheteiwy, You-Cai Xiong","doi":"10.1111/pce.15472","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15472","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plant-plant interactions are often overlooked when assessing carbon (C) cycling in plant community. Limited research exists on how nutrient competition influences soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics via modifying rhizosphere C turnover. To address this issue, quantitative model of plant-plant interactions was established in three intercropping systems across 4 years. Key variables, including plant growth rate, relative interaction intensity, C retention, root and microbial-driven C emissions, rhizosphere priming effects (RPE), and extracellular enzyme activities, were quantified. Superior species exhibited significantly higher growth rate, photosynthetic fixed C retained in roots and rhizodeposition, and root respiration, but lower RPE (31.9%) relative to monocultures. Such trend was tightly associated with significant reduction of microbial mineralization caused by rhizosphere nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment. In contrast, due to low nitrogen and phosphorus availability in rhizosphere soils, the activities of rhizosphere extracellular hydrolase of inferior species increased, resulting in significant increase in RPE (21.9%) and decrease in photosynthetic fixed C from rhizodeposition. Therefore, plant-plant interactions are crucial in regulating SOC turnover in rhizosphere soils, and superior species can enhance soil C conservation by increasing root C inputs and suppressing RPE. These findings confirm the role of plant-plant interactions in SOC turnover in dryland intercropping systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143603014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
LuLu Zhi, Heng Zhang, Yan Mao, Lei Liang, Huanhuan Ni, Ping Li, Jinling Huang, Ying Zhu, Xiangyang Hu
{"title":"A J-Domain Protein J3 Antagonizes ABI5-BINDING PROTEIN2 to Regulate CONSTANS Stability and Flowering Time.","authors":"LuLu Zhi, Heng Zhang, Yan Mao, Lei Liang, Huanhuan Ni, Ping Li, Jinling Huang, Ying Zhu, Xiangyang Hu","doi":"10.1111/pce.15469","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15469","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>CONSTANS (CO) plays a vital role in activating the expression of the florigen FT during photoperiod-dependent flowering. The diurnal oscillation of CO protein abundance is strictly controlled by daylength and the circadian clock. We showed previously that ABI5-BINDING PROTEIN2 (AFP2) represses CO expression to delay flowering. In this study, we identified DNAJ HOMOLOG 3 (J3) as an AFP2-interacting protein in Arabidopsis thaliana. The interaction between J3 and AFP2 was confirmed through a series of biochemical experiments. In long days, the j3 mutant exhibited pronounced late flowering with reduced CO protein abundance, whereas overexpressing J3 accelerated flowering time by stabilizing CO, suggesting that J3 acts as a positive regulator of photoperiod responses. Furthermore, J3 suppressed the interaction between CO and AFP2, and protected CO from AFP2-mediated degradation, thus efficiently activating FT expression at the end of the day. Consistent with these data, the late-flowering phenotype caused by overexpressing AFP2 was reversed by overexpressing J3 in planta, whereas the early-flowering phenotype of the afp2 mutant was compromised in the afp2 j3 double mutant. Together, these results reveal a novel function for J3 in coordinating CO stability through antagonizing AFP2 activity, thus fine-tuning the downstream FT expression during photoperiodic flowering.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143602982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuanyuan Zhang, Haijun Zhao, Haoxin Xiang, Jiashuo Zhang, Lei Wang
{"title":"Seasonal and Diurnal Transcriptome Atlas in Natural Environment Reveals Flowering Time Regulatory Network in Alfalfa.","authors":"Yuanyuan Zhang, Haijun Zhao, Haoxin Xiang, Jiashuo Zhang, Lei Wang","doi":"10.1111/pce.15466","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.15466","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a globally cultivated perennial forage legume. Flowering time, an important agronomic trait of alfalfa, is pivotal for farmers to determine the optimal harvest stage, thereby maximizing economic benefits. However, the underlying molecular basis of flowering time regulation in alfalfa remains unclear. Here we generated a comprehensive full-length, seasonal and diurnal transcriptome atlas comprising 108 samples, including two sets of late- and early-flowering alfalfa across spring, summer and autumn in the natural environment. A total of 389 candidate flowering time-related genes were identified in alfalfa, of which 92 were differentially expressed between early and late flowering plants. Further, we revealed that flowering time regulation genes predominantly identified in spring were mainly involved in vernalization, while genes exclusively identified in summer and autumn were primarily involved in circadian and photoperiodic pathways. Moreover, diurnal dynamics of transcriptomes demonstrate the precise orchestration of various biological processes, including chloroplast development, redox processes, biotic stress responses, growth and development, occurs at designated times throughout the day in accordance with external environmental cues. Together, our results provide a valuable resource for future manipulation of genetic control of flowering time in alfalfa, and demonstrate how plants adapt to diurnal and seasonal environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143603001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}