The Plant Journal最新文献

{"title":"A game of tag: A review of protein tags for the successful detection, purification and fluorescence labelling of proteins expressed in microalgae","authors":"Jonathan Scarfe,&nbsp;Darius Kosmützky,&nbsp;R. Ellen R. Nisbet","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70272","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70272","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Recombinant proteins play a crucial role in both fundamental research and biotechnology. In the laboratory, recombinant proteins are used in a myriad of ways, including to label cells, localize proteins and isolate complexes. In the clinic, antibody-based therapeutics can dramatically increase cancer survival rates, while virus-like particles (VLPs) are being developed as next-generation vaccines. These innovations have escalated demands for biopharmaceutical recombinant proteins. However, in traditional systems (e.g. mammalian and microbial) the expression of recombinant proteins can be prohibitively expensive. One sustainable, low-cost solution is to use a microalgal-based expression system, such as <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Phaeodactylum tricornutum</i>, <i>Chlorella</i> sp., <i>Haematococcus pluvialis</i> or <i>Nannochloropsis gaditana</i>. Tools for microalgal protein expression are developing rapidly. Yet our understanding of recombinant protein expression and purification in microalgal systems lags that of traditional systems. Here, we review the impact of commonly used affinity and epitope tags (e.g. Polyhistidine-tag, Strep-tag II, HA-tag and FLAG-tag) on recombinant protein detection, purification and biofunctionality in microalgae. Additionally, we review fluorescent protein tags (such as GFP, mVenus, DsRed and mCherry) and protease cleavage sites, including ‘self-cleaving’ 2A peptides. Finally, we provide guidance on experimental design to enhance the likelihood of successfully expressing recombinant proteins in microalgae.</p>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/tpj.70272","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144323499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Grain under pressure: Harnessing biochemical pathways to beat drought and heat in wheat","authors":"Itsuhiro Ko,&nbsp;Tyler Chapman,&nbsp;Taras Nazarov,&nbsp;Ruth Uwugiaren,&nbsp;Andrei Smertenko,&nbsp;Niharika Nonavinakere Chandrakanth,&nbsp;Dylan Oates","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70253","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70253","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Erratic climate patterns represent a remarkable challenge to global food security, particularly affecting staple cereal crops of which wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>) plays a critical role in annual agricultural production globally. It has been shown that over the last four decades, wheat cultivation has faced an escalating vulnerability to a variety of abiotic stresses, including heat and drought. These stressors not only decrease overall yield but also compromise grain quality, leading to reduced soluble starch content, higher protein content, altered grain texture, diminished end-use quality, and various other undesirable changes. With climate change projections indicating an intensification and higher frequency of heat and drought conditions in the future, urgent action is needed to develop resilient wheat varieties. Achieving this goal relies on a comprehensive understanding of the molecular responses to environmental shifts during successive stages of reproduction. Here we discuss three types of critical biochemical pathways responsible for sustaining starch biosynthesis in both source and sink tissues under adverse environmental conditions during grain development: (i) signaling network and cross-talk between ABA and SnRK pathways; (ii) transcriptional changes of the enzymes and signaling components; and (iii) inhibition of enzyme activity through temperature-induced misfolding. While summarizing the current knowledge, we also highlight critical factors contributing to the deterioration of grain quality and propose potential strategies for enhancing the resilience of starch biosynthesis in wheat grain.</p>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/tpj.70253","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The interplay between ScSWEET11 promoters and Paracidovorax avenae effectors regulate resistance in sugarcane","authors":"Junhong Liu,&nbsp;Cuicui Du,&nbsp;Ping Zhao,&nbsp;Shiwei Yang,&nbsp;Hui Zhong,&nbsp;Shoujian Zang,&nbsp;Binghua Wu,&nbsp;Zhiqiang Zhang,&nbsp;Jun Luo,&nbsp;Youxiong Que,&nbsp;Hengbo Wang","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70255","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Red stripe, caused by the bacterial pathogen <i>Paracidovorax avenae</i>, poses a significant threat to the sugarcane industry. The Sugar Will Eventually be Exported Transporter (SWEET) gene family participates in plant–pathogen interactions. However, the specific mechanism underlying the interaction between SWEETs and the red stripe pathogen remains unclear. In this study, 17, 21, and 25 members of the SWEET gene family were identified from <i>Saccharum spontaneum</i>, <i>S. officinarum</i>, and <i>Saccharum</i> spp. hybrid, respectively. They were phylogenetically divided into four clades. Four members in clade III, especially <i>ScSWEET11</i>, showed significantly different expression patterns between red stripe-resistant and susceptible sugarcane varieties. Subsequently, the <i>ScSWEET11</i> gene was isolated and overexpressed in tobacco, resulting in significant lesions when infected with <i>P. avenae</i> (<i>Pa</i>), and there was no substantial difference in lesion area compared to wild-type tobacco. Heterologous expression of <i>ScSWEET11</i> demonstrated sucrose transport activity in yeast sugar transport mutants. Besides, pScSWEET11_I and pScSWEET11_II, the two types of SWEET11 promoters in <i>Saccharum</i>, were mined and found to originate from <i>S. spontaneum</i> and <i>S. officinarum</i>, respectively. Interestingly, both types of promoters were observed in the susceptible cultivar, while there was only pScSWEET11_II in the resistant one. Notably, the activity of pScSWEET11_I was much higher than that of pScSWEET11_II, particularly under ABA and <i>P. avenae</i> stress conditions. Yeast one-hybrid, dual-luciferase reporter, and transient overexpression assays indicated that the interaction between PaXopQ, PaXopAU, PaXopF2, and pScSWEET11_I led to more susceptibility by promoting the <i>ScSWEET11</i> expression, while that between PaAvrRxo1, PaXopAU, and pScSWEET11_II resulted in higher resistance through suppressing the <i>ScSWEET11</i> expression. Collectively, this study provided a good understanding of the regulatory network for the red stripe pathogen invading the host, offering a valuable research basis for molecular breeding of disease-resistant sugarcane.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314946","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":"MsPYL6 and MsPYL9 improves drought tolerance by regulating stomata in alfalfa (Medicago sativa)","authors":"Lu Zhao,&nbsp;Xiaomei Ma,&nbsp;Wenxue Ma,&nbsp;Zhaoming Wang,&nbsp;Dong Luo,&nbsp;Qiang Zhou,&nbsp;Wenxian Liu,&nbsp;Longfa Fang,&nbsp;Jingbo Jin,&nbsp;Iain R. Searle,&nbsp;Zhipeng Liu","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70265","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70265","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Severe drought stress can significantly reduce alfalfa production, and the phytohormone abscisic acid plays a central role in responses to abiotic stress. As abscisic acid receptors, the PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE 1/PYR1-LIKE/ABA-binding REGULATORY COMPONENT OF ABA RECEPTOR (PYR1/PYL/RCAR) family constitutes a critical component of the ABA signaling pathway, mediating adaptive responses and protecting plants under drought conditions. In this study, nine <i>MsPYL</i> genes were identified in alfalfa, and their expression levels were found to be significantly upregulated in response to ABA and drought stress. The overexpression of <i>MsPYL</i> genes in both <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> and alfalfa significantly improved drought tolerance. Among the <i>MsPYL</i> family genes, functional analysis of <i>MsPYL6</i> and <i>MsPYL9</i> revealed that both genes enhanced water-use efficiency by reducing leaf stomatal density, promoting stomatal closure, and decreasing transpiration rates when overexpressed. In contrast, the RNAi plants exhibited the opposite phenotypes, with increased stomatal density and higher transpiration rates. Furthermore, overexpression plants exhibited reduced malondialdehyde content and lower reactive oxygen species levels, indicating enhanced cellular stability under stress. Additionally, transcriptome analysis showed that drought-responsive genes related to antioxidant defense, stomatal regulation, and photosynthesis were more abundant in drought-treated OE plants and less abundant in RNAi plants. Interaction analysis revealed that all MsPYL proteins could interact with at least one MsPP2CA, indicating a conserved interaction pattern in ABA signaling. These findings confirm that <i>MsPYLs</i> play a crucial role in the ABA signaling pathway by modulating the expression of downstream drought-tolerant genes, thereby enabling alfalfa to effectively respond to drought stress conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144308757","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":"Cytokinin-mediated repression of anthocyanin biosynthesis in banana fruits","authors":"Ruchika Rajput,&nbsp;Shivi Tyagi,&nbsp;Kumar Anchal,&nbsp;Samar Singh,&nbsp;Ashverya Laxmi,&nbsp;Prashant Misra,&nbsp;Ashutosh Pandey","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70267","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Anthocyanins are pigments responsible for vibrant plant colors and play vital roles in plant physiology. This study compares two banana cultivars, Grand Naine (GN) and Red Banana (RB), which exhibit significant differences in anthocyanin pigmentation. Transcriptomic profiling of peel (PL) and pulp (PP) tissues revealed cytokinin-responsive type-B response regulators (RRs), MaRR_B9 and MaRR_B12, as key modulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Cytokinin treatment of PP tissues increased the expression of <i>MaRR_B9</i> and <i>MaRR_B12</i>, while significantly reducing the expression of <i>dihydroflavanol reductase</i> (<i>MaDFR1</i>, <i>MaDFR2</i>) and <i>anthocyanidin synthase (MaANS</i>) genes along with anthocyanin content. Through a combination of physiological, molecular, and biochemical analyses, we demonstrate that MaRR_B9 and MaRR_B12 exert direct regulatory control over key structural genes of anthocyanin biosynthesis, <i>MaDFRs</i> and <i>MaANS</i>. Additionally, a type B-RRs motif (AGATT) was identified in the promoter regions of <i>MaDFR2</i> and <i>MaANS</i>, suggesting that MaRRs might directly regulate the transcription of <i>MaDFR2</i> and <i>MaANS</i>. MaRR_B9 and MaRR_B12 interact with the promoters of <i>MaDFR2</i> and <i>MaANS</i>, repressing these genes <i>in vivo</i>. Overexpression of <i>MaRR_B9</i> and <i>MaRR_B12</i> in banana fruits leads to a reduction in anthocyanin content, notably the cyanidin derivative, accompanied by altered expression patterns of <i>MaDFRs</i> and <i>MaANS</i>. Thus, the present study identifies MaRR_B9 and MaRR_B12 as novel regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis in banana and provides further evidence that the cytokinin regulatory network modifies anthocyanin accumulation in plants. In conclusion, our findings reveal new molecular targets, in the form of MaRRs, for the genetic optimization aimed at enhancing anthocyanin content, stress resilience, and nutritional value in crop plants.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144308758","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":"Reverse prenylation in plants by non-canonical aromatic prenyltransferases","authors":"Lukas Ernst,&nbsp;Hesham M.B. Sayed,&nbsp;Ahmed Hassanin,&nbsp;Rebekka Moegenburg,&nbsp;Tomke Meents,&nbsp;Hui Lyu,&nbsp;David Kaufholdt,&nbsp;Mehdi D. Davari,&nbsp;Ludger Beerhues,&nbsp;Benye Liu,&nbsp;Islam El-Awaad","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70268","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70268","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Reverse-prenylated phenolic compounds are an abundant class of bioactive plant natural products. Hyperixanthone A, an inhibitor of multidrug-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, is a polyprenylated xanthone carrying two forward geminal and one reverse prenyl group. Although prenyltransferases responsible for the forward prenylations were identified, the final reverse prenylation reaction remained elusive. No plant enzyme catalyzing reverse prenylation of an aromatic carbon has been described so far. Here we use metabolic profiling and transcriptomic information from <i>Hypericum perforatum</i> and <i>H. sampsonii</i> to identify homologous enzymes involved in the formation of reverse-prenylated xanthones and characterize their functions using <i>in vitro</i>, <i>in vivo</i>, and <i>in silico</i> approaches. The identified enzymes are non-canonical UbiA-type prenyltransferases, which surprisingly catalyze both forward and reverse prenylations with different regioselectivities. Reconstruction of the enzyme cascade in <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> and <i>Nicotiana benthamiana</i> confirmed reverse-prenylated hyperixanthone A as the major product. Molecular modeling and docking simulations supported by site-directed mutagenesis suggest two distinct binding modes, which enable forward and reverse prenylations and provide a rationale for the preferred catalysis of the reverse prenyl transfer reaction. The identification of reverse prenylation augments the repertoire of reactions catalyzed by membrane-bound UbiA-type plant aromatic prenyltransferases. The insights also provide a new tool for the biotechnological modification of pharmaceutically valuable natural products.</p>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/tpj.70268","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144308756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulation as key to fulfilling the promises of agricultural genomics: Going beyond bottlenecks in plant gene technology development","authors":"Michail Ivanov,&nbsp;Emily A. Buddle,&nbsp;Rachel A. Ankeny","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70277","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70277","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The development of new gene technologies including gene editing has reinvigorated long-standing global debates about if and how such technologies should be regulated. Many scientists working in agricultural genomics believe that current regulatory approaches are problematic, often emphasizing that the regulatory system is merely a ‘bottleneck’ that limits research and innovation in crop sciences. The concept of a ‘bottleneck’ is prominent in discussions in this domain, but we contend that what counts as a ‘bottleneck’ depends on point of view and the interests and goals of the party that wishes to describe a particular situation as bottlenecked. In this Focused Review, we provide a short account of recent scholarship on gene editing regulation and argue that regulation is an important part of the research development and innovation process that should not merely be viewed as a ‘bottleneck.’ Regulation permits regulators and diverse publics to engage with research and assess whether the particular application of gene technology is desirable and beneficial beyond the laboratory bench or field. We conclude by providing lessons for scientists working in agricultural genomics, emphasizing the need to move away from visions of ‘bottlenecks’ and embracing regulation's potential to support the promises associated with agricultural genomics.</p>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/tpj.70277","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144299569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"14-3-3 proteins GRF6 and GRF8 negatively regulate phosphate acquisition by interacting with and inhibiting PHR1 in Arabidopsis","authors":"Ru-Feng Song,&nbsp;Xin-Ru Guo,&nbsp;Lin Li,&nbsp;Run-Xin Wu,&nbsp;Ji-Xiao Wu,&nbsp;Xiao-Yu Hu,&nbsp;Cai-Yi Liao,&nbsp;Hong Yang,&nbsp;Wen-Cheng Liu","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70284","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Phosphate starvation response1 (PHR1) is a central transcription factor necessary for low phosphate (LP) response in plants, thus its activity is tightly regulated in plants. Here, we report that two members of the 14-3-3 protein family, GRF6 and GRF8, regulate PHR1 activity and LP response independently of SPX1 in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>. GRF6 and GRF8 physically interact with PHR1, while disruption of both genes causes increased expression of PHR1-targeted phosphate transporter genes and elevated phosphate acquisition. Genetically, PHR1 acts downstream of GRF6 and GRF8, as the <i>phr1 grf6/8</i> triple mutant phenocopies the <i>phr1</i> single mutant under phosphate-deficient conditions. Furthermore, both GRF6 and GRF8 suppress PHR1 transcriptional activation activity, at least partially through interfering with PHR1 binding to its target genes. In addition, neither GRF6 nor GRF8 interacts with SPX1, a well-known inhibitor of PHR1; nevertheless, mutation of both <i>GRF6</i> and <i>GRF8</i> could further enhance the phosphate starvation response in the <i>spx1</i> mutant, suggesting that GRF6 and GRF8 act in parallel with SPX1 in the negative regulation of plant LP response. Collectively, our study uncovers a critical role of GRF6 and GRF8 in the negative regulation of phosphate acquisition through interacting with and inhibiting PHR1, possibly in an SPX1-independent manner in Arabidopsis.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144273128","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":"CsMYB60 confers cucumber resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans through both receptor-like kinase CsFLS2-dependent and -independent pathways","authors":"Jialin Li,&nbsp;Jingdan Zhang,&nbsp;Wei Liu,&nbsp;Hongmei Li,&nbsp;Ramon Santos-Bermudez,&nbsp;Wenxing He,&nbsp;Zenghui Wang","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70283","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70283","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Bacterial angular leaf spot (BALS), caused by <i>Pseudomonas syringae</i> pv. <i>lachrymans</i> (<i>Psl</i>), is a severe bacterial disease constraining the cucumber industry. However, few genes have been identified that regulate resistance to BALS in cucumber. Here, we identified a gene, <i>CsFLS2</i>, which encoded a receptor-like kinase and was significantly upregulated following infection with <i>P. syringae</i> pv. <i>lachrymans</i>. Overexpression of <i>CsFLS2</i> enhanced cucumber resistance to BALS by promoting the occurrence of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), while two knockout lines of <i>CsFLS2</i> exhibited increased sensitivity to <i>P. syringae</i> pv. <i>lachrymans</i>. Additionally, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor, CsMYB60 was identified as directly binding to the <i>CsFLS2</i> promoter to activate its transcription. Overexpression of <i>CsMYB60</i> enhanced cucumber resistance to BALS, partly by inducing the expression of <i>CsFLS2</i> to promote PTI and thereby enhance resistance, and partly by increasing the biosynthesis of proanthocyanidins (PAs) to improve resistance to BALS. Moreover, CsFLS2 restored the responses of <i>Atfls2</i> mutant to flg22-induced reactive oxygen species production and growth inhibition. In conclusion, this study revealed the molecular mechanism of <i>CsMYB60</i> in the biological process of resistance to BALS in cucumber, providing a theoretical basis and technical support for future molecular design breeding of disease-resistant cucumbers.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281598","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":"How DEAR4 keeps plants cool under pressure","authors":"Gwendolyn K. Kirschner","doi":"10.1111/tpj.70276","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.70276","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) describes a process in which biomolecules spontaneously separate from a uniform solution into two liquid layers—a dense condensate phase and a dilute phase. These so-called biomolecular condensates are composed of concentrated proteins and nucleic acids and can be found in the nucleus, the cytoplasm and membranes. They play roles in many biological processes, including transcriptional regulation, RNA splicing, protein degradation and stress granule formation (Liu et al., &lt;span&gt;2024&lt;/span&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In plants, stress granule formation is a mechanism for temperature sensing: high temperature induces a condensation of thermosensors by LLPS into nuclear subdomains, where they interact with heat stress-responsive genes. One example is the temperature-sensing transcriptional co-regulator THERMO-WITH ABA-RESPONSIVE 1 (TWA1), which interacts with the co-repressor TOPLESS (TPL) in nuclear stress granules and thereby regulates the expression of heat stress-responsive genes, such as genes encoding HEAT SHOCK PROTEINs (HSPs) and HEAT SHOCK FACTORs (Hsfs) (Bohn et al., &lt;span&gt;2024&lt;/span&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Condensate formation by LLPS is also a way to integrate light signalling with a response to high temperature (Wang &amp; Zhu, &lt;span&gt;2022&lt;/span&gt;). During their research on thermomorphogenesis, Qi Wang, Zhen Gong and Ziqiang Zhu, authors of the highlighted publication, read a publication by Shimada and colleagues, who had generated a collection of Arabidopsis lines with inducible transcription factors and screened them for light-related phenotypes after induction (Shimada et al., &lt;span&gt;2022&lt;/span&gt;). Among these transcription factors, the DEHYDRATION-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING (DREB) transcription factor, DREB AND EAR MOTIF PROTEIN 4 (DEAR4), caught the attention of Wang and colleagues. Overexpression of &lt;i&gt;DEAR4&lt;/i&gt; caused hypocotyl elongation under both far-red/red and blue light (Shimada et al., &lt;span&gt;2022&lt;/span&gt;). Since some DEARs are also responsive to temperature stress, Wang and colleagues decided to analyse the response of &lt;i&gt;DEAR4&lt;/i&gt; overexpression to high temperature (Wang et al., &lt;span&gt;2025&lt;/span&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Dear4&lt;/i&gt; single mutants resembled the wild-type phenotype, but &lt;i&gt;DEAR4&lt;/i&gt; overexpressors had a higher survival rate under elevated heat stress temperature (43°C) (Figure 1a), suggesting that there is a high redundancy between family members. Interestingly, while &lt;i&gt;DEAR4&lt;/i&gt; transcription decreased under heat stress, the protein accumulation increased. After a temperature shift from 22°C to 38°C, the proteins formed speckle-like condensations in the nuclei of Arabidopsis roots (Figure 1b), which were reversible upon a return to normal temperature. To analyse the nature of the condensates, the authors used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Unlike solid aggregates, the condensates formed by LLPS exhibit liquid-like behaviours such as fluidity, fusion and dripping. In FRAP experiments, fluorescently l","PeriodicalId":233,"journal":{"name":"The Plant Journal","volume":"122 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/tpj.70276","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144281596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}