Plant Stress最新文献

{"title":"Biogenic zinc nanoparticles modulate physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms to enhance drought resilience in Citrus reticulata","authors":"Nazir Ahmed ,&nbsp;Chuan Wang ,&nbsp;Yongquan Li ,&nbsp;Juan Li ,&nbsp;Lansheng Deng ,&nbsp;Tian Ma ,&nbsp;Rongchang Lao ,&nbsp;Wenbo Ye ,&nbsp;Sadaruddin Chachar ,&nbsp;Zaid Chachar ,&nbsp;Panfeng Tu","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water stress significantly impairs citrus productivity and threatens global food security. We evaluated the comparative efficacy of ionic zinc (iZn) and biogenic zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs), synthesized from castor (<em>Ricinus communis</em>) leaf extract, in enhancing drought tolerance of <em>Citrus reticulata</em> seedlings. ZnNPs showed superior bioavailability due to their nanoscale size, uniform morphology, and crystalline structure. Under drought conditions, foliar application of 50 mg L⁻¹ ZnNPs enhanced relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll and carotenoid levels, and photosynthetic rate, resulting in greater biomass accumulation. Antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT, POD, and GST) was significantly enhanced. In contrast, the levels of oxidative stress indicators, including electrolyte leakage, H₂O₂, and MDA, were significantly reduced, indicating effective ROS scavenging and improved membrane stability. ZnNPs also modulated hormonal balance by elevating stress-responsive hormones (ABA, SA, and JA) while maintaining growth-related hormones (IAA and tZR). Transcriptomic analysis revealed 1545 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ZnNPs-treated plants compared with 639 in iZn-treated seedlings. Notably, upregulated genes included <em>CrHSP70, CrWRKY40, CrSOD1, CrNCED2, CrLOX2–1, CrPE53</em>, and <em>CrAMT3–1</em>. Additionally, ZnNPs uniquely activated key metabolic pathways, such as phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis for oxidative stress mitigation and cutin/suberin biosynthesis to reinforce physical barriers against water loss. These findings provide the first integrated evidence that ZnNPs enhance citrus drought tolerance through coordinated molecular and physiological mechanisms, offering a sustainable nanotechnology-based strategy for climate-resilient horticulture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101031"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145157662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Complete co-flocculation of microalgae and Penicillium induced by sub-inhibitory erythromycin: Boosting biomass, CO2 capture, and protein yield in organic-free cultivation","authors":"Janine Kaewbai-ngam ,&nbsp;Jidapa Leksingto ,&nbsp;Sudarat Kasemcholathan ,&nbsp;Panutchaya Pichaiyotinkul ,&nbsp;Supaart Sirikantaramas ,&nbsp;Tanakarn Monshupanee","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae utilize CO₂ to synthesize bioproducts. However, efficient cell harvesting remains a significant challenge. Bio-flocculation presents a potential solution. We observed that <em>Synechocystis</em> co-flocculated with a naturally contaminating fungus in the presence of the antibiotic erythromycin (EM). The fungus was isolated and identified as <em>Penicillium</em> sp. Co-cultivation in organic compound-free medium showed that <em>Penicillium</em> sp. also co-flocculated with <em>Synechococcus, Oscillatoria</em>, and <em>Chlorella</em> under a sub-inhibitory concentration of EM, but not in the absence of EM. The co-cultivation of <em>Penicillium</em> with each of the four algae under EM resulted in a 2.4- to 14.5-fold increase in biomass production compared to axenic algal cultures. The <em>Synechococcus</em>-<em>Penicillium</em> co-culture with 5 µM EM produced co-floc biomass up to 1.9 g/L, equivalent to 0.3 g CO₂ captured/L/day, representing an 11.2-fold increase in CO₂ capture compared to axenic <em>Synechococcus</em> cultivation. Protein content in <em>Chlorella</em>-<em>Penicillium</em> floc reaches up to 34% of the dry weight. Transcriptomic analysis of the <em>Chlorella</em>-<em>Penicillium</em> co-floc under EM revealed potential <em>Chlorella</em> genes associated with the co-floc process. Up-regulated genes included those involved in lipid synthesis, exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, inhibition of phototactic motility, pilin-like protein synthesis, and transporter/secretion systems. In contrast, genes related to junction proteins, motor proteins, and cytoskeletons were down-regulated. At 160 µM EM, <em>Chlorella</em> cells within the <em>Chlorella</em>-<em>Penicillium</em> floc maintained a normal cell color, while axenic <em>Chlorella</em> suspensions exhibited partial chlorosis. Thus, co-floc between <em>Chlorella</em> and <em>Penicillium</em> protected <em>Chlorella</em> against EM-mediated chlorosis. This co-flocculation offers the production of protein-rich algal-fungal co-floc biomass through organic-free liquid cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101030"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145060552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SlbHLH053 and AtMSRB5 synergistically enhance salt tolerance in transgenic tomatoes","authors":"Freta Kirana Balladona ,&nbsp;Chia-Wen Li ,&nbsp;Yao-Cheng Lin ,&nbsp;Zhen-Rong Cai ,&nbsp;Tsun Ho Lan ,&nbsp;Masaru Ohme-Takagi ,&nbsp;Dewi Sukma ,&nbsp;Ming-Tsair Chan","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salt stress significantly affects crop yield. In this study, we found that co-expressing <em>SlbHLH053</em> and <em>AtMSRB5</em> can enhance salt tolerance in tomato plants. Our results indicated that the simultaneous expression of these genes improved tolerance to higher salt concentrations in transgenic tomatoes. We showed that SlbHLH053 is localized in the nucleus and can form homodimers, suggesting its role as a transcription factor. Furthermore, SlbHLH053 was able to bind to E-box elements and transactivate the <em>SlCI7</em> promoter <em>in vitro</em>. Additionally, <em>SlbHLH053</em> was found to have a role in salt and iron deficiency stress response, and in regulating iron homeostasis and antioxidant pathways. <em>AtMSRB5</em> was verified to be important in maintaining ion balance and enhancing salt tolerance in transgenic tomato plants. The combination of both <em>SlbHLH053</em> and <em>AtMSRB5</em> led to an even greater tolerance to salt stress than either gene alone. The transgenic plants also exhibited improved ion homeostasis, with reduced sodium and elevated potassium levels under salt stress. The overexpression of <em>SlbHLH053</em> and <em>AtMSRB5</em> led to higher iron content and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as ascorbate peroxidase and catalase, which are crucial for combating oxidative stress. These results also indicated that <em>SlbHLH053</em> and <em>AtMSRB5</em> mediate different antioxidant pathways to contribute to enhanced salt tolerance in transgenic tomato plants. In conclusion, the co-expression of the two genes in this study demonstrates a multifaceted approach to enhancing salt stress tolerance that may provide significant advantages for developing resilient crops in challenging environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101029"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145105309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The plasma membrane aquaporin SlPIP2;11 alleviates the inhibition of photosynthesis in tomato under high VPD by refining stomatal morphology and enhancing antioxidant function","authors":"Xiaofan Zhao ,&nbsp;Bo Li ,&nbsp;Yuhui Zhang ,&nbsp;Shuhui Zhang ,&nbsp;Guoying Liu ,&nbsp;Jianming Li","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vapor pressure deficit (VPD), as a key environmental factor, at elevated levels can lead to restricted photosynthesis, reduced water use efficiency, and decreased plant productivity. Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) function as the core channels for transmembrane water transport in cells, thereby playing a critical regulatory role in phytophysiological adaptation mechanisms under environmental stressors. Consequently, conducting an in-depth analysis of the functional characteristics and regulatory systems of PIPs in response to high VPD stress is vital for elucidating the mechanisms of plant resistance to air dryness and improving crop stress tolerance. This study comprehensively utilized tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em> L.) genetic transformation technology and tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) techniques to systematically elucidate the molecular mechanism by which <em>SlPIP2;11</em> reacts to high VPD stress. The findings revealed that in high VPD environments, the <em>SlPIP2;11</em> overexpression line optimizes root morphology, thereby enhancing soil water absorption and utilization efficiency and promoting plant growth. Meanwhile, this line improves antioxidant enzyme activity, enhances PSII reaction center activity, refines stomatal morphology, and optimizes water and gas exchange capacity, enabling plants to maintain a dynamic balance between water utilization and photosynthetic under high VPD stress. Thus, <em>SlPIP2;11</em> effectively alleviates the inhibition of photosynthesis in tomato plants under high VPD stress though refining stomatal morphology and strengthening antioxidant functions. These results provide an important theoretical basis and experimental foundation for in-depth understanding of tomato responses to high VPD stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101028"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Radiation-specific metabolic reprogramming drives yield-quality balance in Astragalus mongholicus: Comparative insights from gamma-ray and heavy-ion beam irradiation","authors":"Yuanmeng Wang ,&nbsp;Xiao Liu ,&nbsp;Liangcai Wang ,&nbsp;Xuehu Li ,&nbsp;Fanglei Chen ,&nbsp;Ping Li ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Ma ,&nbsp;Fusheng Wang ,&nbsp;Li Li ,&nbsp;Zhijun Xin ,&nbsp;Xihong Lu ,&nbsp;Ling Jin ,&nbsp;Libin Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The inherent trade-off between biomass accumulation and secondary metabolite production remains a fundamental challenge in medicinal plant domestication. While conventional approaches predominantly focus on single-trait improvement, effective strategies for concurrent optimization remain underexplored. Here we present a pioneering comparative investigation employing gamma-ray (GR) and heavy-ion beam (HIB) irradiation (200 Gy) in <em>Astragalus mongholicus</em> cultivation, coupled with integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling to dissect their differential impacts on agronomic traits and medicinal quality. Our findings demonstrate GR irradiation as a potent inducer of biomass enhancement, achieving a remarkable 200% increase in fresh root weight while simultaneously elevating flavonoid content by 20.2%. In comparison, HIB irradiation exerted more pronounced impacts on metabolic reprogramming and genetic regulation despite moderate growth promotion. Multi-omics analysis revealed distinct molecular mechanisms: GR preferentially activated auxin signaling pathways and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis to coordinate root development and flavonoid accumulation, whereas HIB significantly modulated amino acid metabolism and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways. This radiation-specific pattern provides unprecedented insights into regulation of secondary metabolic networks regulation. Our study establishes a novel paradigm for radiation-based medicinal plants improvement - GR demonstrates superior potential for biomass and primary bioactive compound enhancement, while HIB offers unique advantages in manipulating complex secondary metabolism. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for precision application of radiation technologies in agronomic strategies aimed at enhancing bioactive compound accumulation in medicinal plants by leveraging the hormesis effect, effectively addressing the persistent yield-quality paradox in pharmaceutical crop cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101027"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hormone–nanoparticle synergy: Co-application of melatonin and nano-biochar enhances soybean resilience to arsenic stress via modulation of proline metabolism and oxidative stress markers","authors":"Bengisu Gulsah ,&nbsp;Mohammad Faizan ,&nbsp;Haider Sultan ,&nbsp;Pravej Alam ,&nbsp;Thamer Albalawi ,&nbsp;Shamweel Ahmad","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of nano-biochar (nano-BC) and melatonin on soybean (<em>Glycine</em> max) plants subjected to arsenic stress. Exposure to arsenic (150 µM) markedly impaired soybean growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and carbohydrate metabolism. Arsenic stress also disrupted nutrient homeostasis, leading to substantial reductions in leaf nitrogen (46 %), phosphorus (41 %), potassium (44 %), manganese (42 %), and iron (35 %) contents. Moreover, oxidative stress intensified under arsenic exposure, as evidenced by a 79 % increase in hydrogen peroxide accumulation and a 67 % elevation in lipid peroxidation. In contrast, exogenous application of nano-BC (1 % w/w) through soil and melatonin (100 µM) as a foliar spray significantly alleviated arsenic-induced oxidative damage by suppressing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Both treatments, individually and in combination, enhanced the activity of key antioxidant enzymes involved in ROS detoxification. Notably, the combined application of nano-BC and melatonin improved plant height, Fv/Fm, photosynthetic efficiency, carbohydrate metabolism, nutrients uptake, and protein content under arsenic stress. These benefits are attributed to the ability of nano-BC to improve soil quality, immobilize arsenic, and enhance nutrient availability, while melatonin modulates antioxidant defense and stress signaling pathways. Furthermore, the combined treatment increased proline by 34 %, starch by 23 % and sucrose by 19 %. These findings highlight the synergistic potential of nano-BC and melatonin in mitigating arsenic toxicity in soybean by improving soil-plant interactions, enhancing nutrient uptake, and strengthening physiological and antioxidant responses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101026"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CaNAC014 transcription factor enhances salt stress tolerance in pepper by regulating the activity of the CaSOS1 promoter","authors":"Liu Shengcai ,&nbsp;Huang Tianliu ,&nbsp;He Yingxiao ,&nbsp;Liang Weijia ,&nbsp;Yin Mengbo ,&nbsp;Zhang Rui ,&nbsp;Li Ning","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pepper is an important vegetable widely grown in the world, and most of them are very sensitive to salt stress. In previous study, <em>CaNAC014</em> gene responded to NaCl stress. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, the overexpression vector pRI101-AN<img>CaNAC014-EGFP and VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) vector pTRV2-CaNAC014 were transferred into leaves of ‘FJNY-1′ and ‘FJYM-1’ by an <em>Agrobacterium</em>-mediated method. Then these transiently transformed pepper plants were treated with 150 mM NaCl. The results showed that overexpression of CaNAC014 increased salt tolerance in pepper, promoted the plant growth and root development, and maintained significantly higher chlorophyll levels and photosynthetic performance under salt stress, while the silent plants exhibited opposite results. Subcellular localization showed that CaNAC014 was located in the nucleus. A yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assay demonstrated that CaNAC014 could bind to the CaSOS1 promoter. These findings highlight CaNAC014 as a pivotal transcriptional regulator in pepper salt tolerance and provide insights into potential mechanisms of salt stress adaptation in pepper.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101025"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145105306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Micro-Area and Transcriptome Analysis revealed the mechanism of manganese inhibits the accumulation and upward transport of cadmium in the first node of rice","authors":"Junyang Zhao ,&nbsp;Linhui Liang ,&nbsp;Guanchun Qin ,&nbsp;Shunpiao Meng ,&nbsp;Shide Tang ,&nbsp;Liyu Shi ,&nbsp;Yuhang Qiu ,&nbsp;Haiming Li ,&nbsp;Bing He ,&nbsp;Ronghui Wen","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It was proved that manganese (Mn) inhibits the accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in rice, and Mn and Cd share multiple transporter proteins, but the interaction mechanism between Mn and Cd in rice is still unclear. This study confirmed that Mn decreased the Cd content of grain (Cd_grain) through field and pot experiments. Moreover, the foliar spraying of EDTA-Mn with the Mn level of 0.135 g L^-1 obtained the best inhibitory effect (66.7%) on Cd_grain. Cd_grain was significantly positively correlated with Cd in the first node (N1) which showed the greatest decrease(0.19 mg kg^-1) compared with that of the other parts after Mn spraying. It was observed by LA-ICP-MS that Mn significantly decreased the density both of Cd and Zn in N1, and the reduction of Cd in the central stem bundle was higher than that in the peripheral sheath bundle. The SEM-EDS results also verified that the proportion of Cd and Zn in N1 decreased with the increase of Mn proportion. Therefore, N1 is the key part of the interaction between Cd and Mn. Transcriptome data supported that the spraying of Mn upregulated the expression of <em>OsACA3</em>, downregulated the expressions of metal transporter genes in N1, which may inhibit the upward transport of Cd by downregulate genes such as <em>OsYSL8, OsABCG39, OsPT8, NAT2, NAT6, OsYSL12</em>, and <em>OsZIP1</em>. This study identified the optimal practical form and application concentration of Mn, and improved the molecular regulation mechanism of spraying Mn to inhibit Cd_grain, which provided an important research basis for the application of spraying Mn in rice safety production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101023"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145003796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"OsBRP1 acts as a regulator of rice development and salt stress response rather than canonical general transcription factor","authors":"Su Yang ,&nbsp;Guangna Chen ,&nbsp;He Ning ,&nbsp;Jialuo Chen ,&nbsp;Hao Chen ,&nbsp;Siyi Wang ,&nbsp;Cheng Zhu ,&nbsp;Pei Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transcriptional initiation in eukaryotes depends on general transcription factor (GTFs), among which TFIIB serving as a core component of the Pol II pre-initiation complex (PIC) assembly. While most eukaryotes possess only two conserved TFIIB paralogs, plants exhibit remarkable expansion of TFIIB-related proteins, indicating functional divergence. Here, we characterize OsBRP1, a plant-specific TFIIB-related protein in rice, and reveal its critical function in coordinating reproductive development and salt stress tolerance. Expression profiling and GUS staining showed that <em>OsBRP1</em> is preferentially expressed in reproductive tissues. Subcellular localization analysis revealed a unique Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) retention mechanism via its N-terminal domain. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) indicate that OsBRP1 is not involved in the formation of PIC. CRISPR/Cas9-generated mutants exhibited reduced plant height, grain size, and salt tolerance, while <em>OsBRP1-overexpressing (OE)</em> lines showed enhanced agronomic traits and significant resistance to salt stress. Physiological analyses demonstrated that <em>OsBRP1</em> modulates proline biosynthesis, suppresses oxidative damage, and maintains Na⁺homeostasis under salinity. RNA-seq analysis revealed that under normal conditions, <em>OsBRP1</em> could influence DNA repair, detoxification, and auxin signaling. Salt stress amplifies these effects, upregulating stress-responsive genes while downregulating genes related to photosynthesis and ROS scavenging. KEGG enrichment highlighted roles in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interaction, and photosynthesis. Together, our results support that <em>OsBRP1</em> acts as a regulator of reproductive development and salt stress response rather than canonical general transcription factor, offering new insights into plant gene evolution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101024"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional characterization of Arabidopsis PQT3 homolog in cotton reveals as a potential candidate for redox homeostasis and abiotic stress resistance","authors":"Sahar Sadaqat,&nbsp;Muhammad Awais,&nbsp;Abdul Qayyum Rao","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2025.101022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Abiotic stresses like drought and salinity severely impact cotton productivity by triggering excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative damage. In this study, we functionally characterized <em>GhPQT3</em>, a homolog of <em>Paraquat tolerance 3</em> from the <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> E3 ligase family, and its role in regulating oxidative stress responses. Computational analysis identified two <em>GhPQT3</em> homologs in the <em>Gossypium hirsutum</em>, showing high sequence conservation with <em>Arabidopsis</em> and rice <em>PQT3</em>. Protein sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, conserved motif, and domain annotation confirmed that <em>GhPQT3</em> shares structural and functional similarity with its dicot homologs. CRISPR-Cas12 mediated knock out mutants were generated for functional characterization of the protein. Functional studies revealed that <em>GhPQT3</em> acts as a negative regulator of antioxidant defenses, and its suppression in mutant lines <em>Ghpqt3–4</em> and <em>Ghpqt3–6</em> significantly enhanced tolerance to drought and salinity. These mutant lines exhibited elevated gene expression and enzymatic activity of APX and GPX especially <em>Ghpqt3–6</em>, which consistently maintained higher antioxidant activity and reduced oxidative damage. The DPPH radical scavenging assay, quantification of chlorophyll content and leaf necrosis further confirmed improved cellular integrity, improved redox homeostasis. These findings establish <em>GhPQT3</em> as a promising target for genetic improvement, offering a robust strategy to develop stress-resilient cotton cultivars capable of withstanding climate-induced abiotic stresses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"18 ","pages":"Article 101022"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}