Plant CommunicationsPub Date : 2025-08-11Epub Date: 2025-06-16DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101418
Shi-Jian Song, Hai-Ping Diao, Sen-Sen Zhang, Sumin Kang, Chang Liu, Seonghan Kim, Jieun Yun, Hui-Xin Meng, Hongju Moon, Woe-Yeon Kim, Ki Hean Kim, Mao-Jun Yang, Kwang Soon Kim, Yong-Feng Guo, Inhwan Hwang
{"title":"Natural peptidoglycan nanoparticles enable rapid antigen purification and potent delivery of plant-derived vaccines.","authors":"Shi-Jian Song, Hai-Ping Diao, Sen-Sen Zhang, Sumin Kang, Chang Liu, Seonghan Kim, Jieun Yun, Hui-Xin Meng, Hongju Moon, Woe-Yeon Kim, Ki Hean Kim, Mao-Jun Yang, Kwang Soon Kim, Yong-Feng Guo, Inhwan Hwang","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101418","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plant molecular farming is a promising platform for biopharmaceutical production, however, downstream processing remains a challenge due to cost and complexity. In this study, we present natural peptidoglycan nanoparticles (NPNs) derived from Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria as a novel tool for plant-based vaccine purification and delivery. Sequential treatment with trichloroacetic acid and trypsin effectively reduced NPN size, removing residual host subcellular constructs and proteins while preserving protein-binding capacity. Optimizing trimeric protein anchors and trimerization elements for plant-based expression enabled protein binding at low temperatures, minimizing proteolytic degradation. NPNs conjugated with plant-derived hemagglutinin elicited strong humoral immune responses in mice. Additionally, NPNs enhanced the retention of GFP at the injection site and supported efficient polyclonal antibody generation. These findings establish NPNs as a versatile platform for plant-based recombinant vaccine purification and delivery.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101418"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365807/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144318675","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":"Molecular mechanisms of high levels of L-ascorbic acid accumulation in chestnut rose fruits.","authors":"Yawei Li, Ziang Liu, Guanglian Liao, Yue Huang, Shengjun Liu, Xukai Liu, Shuting Wang, Bing Liu, Chunyang He, Kun Yang, Yuantao Xu, Hao Zuo, Jialing Fu, Lizhi Song, Runhui Li, Qianming Zheng, Fei Zhang, Zongcheng Lin, Guogui Ning, Zongzhou Xie, Xiuxin Deng, Xia Wang, Qiang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101419","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The fruit of chestnut rose (Rosa roxburghii Tratt.) contains exceptionally high levels of L-ascorbic acid (AsA) (∼1762 mg/100 g fresh weight), approximately 40-fold higher than those found in sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), which is well known for its high AsA content. However, the molecular mechanisms driving such high accumulation in chestnut rose remain unclear. Here, we report that the genes R. roxburghiiPECTIN METHYLESTERASE (RroxPME), D-GALACTURONATE REDUCTASE (RroxGalUR), and DEHYDROASCORBATE REDUCTASE 2 (RroxDHAR2) play crucial roles in AsA accumulation in chestnut rose fruit. By comparing R. roxburghii with the closely related Rosamultiflora, which has low AsA concentrations, we identified a 545-bp insertion in the promoter of RroxGalUR. We found that TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA 2 (RroxTTG2), a well-known key regulator of trichome development, binds to the W-box-containing inserted region of the RroxGalUR promoter as well as the promoters of RroxPME and RroxDHAR2. In contrast, in sweet orange, CsTTG2 can bind only to CsPME. Furthermore, RroxTTG2 retains its conserved role in the regulation of trichome development during early fruit development, suggesting its spatiotemporal specificity in regulating both trichome development and AsA biosynthesis. To evaluate the application value of this pathway in other species, we heterologously expressed RroxTTG2, RroxPME, RroxGalUR, and RroxDHAR2 in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), which increased AsA concentrations in the transgenic lines by up to 355% (an increase from approximately 2 to 10 mg/100 g fresh weight). This study provides insights into mechanisms underlying AsA accumulation in chestnut rose and the spatiotemporal transcriptional regulation of AsA biosynthesis and trichome development.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101419"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365842/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144318674","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":"Geminiviral replication enhancer hijacks a negative regulator of cytokinin signaling to facilitate viral infection.","authors":"Liu-Ming Guo, Jing Li, Pan-Pan Qi, Ling Qing, Heng-Mu Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101413","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101413","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Geminiviruses are widespread across the globe and cause devastating diseases in food and medicinal crops. Their C3 proteins have long been known to enhance viral replication; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we show that transgenic plants overexpressing the C3 protein of tobacco curly shoot geminivirus (TbCSV) exhibit hypersensitive responses to cytokinin (CK) treatment, which largely restores the attenuated viral replication observed in the TbCSV C3 mutant (TbCSV<sub>mC3</sub>). We identified NbTAF12b, a negative regulator of CK signaling in Nicotiana benthamiana, as a C3-interacting protein that attenuates TbCSV replication. TbCSV C3 not only inhibits the transcription of NbTAF12b but also competes with NbRR1 and NbKMD17 for binding to the NbTAF12b protein. This competition disrupts the formation of the NbTAF12b-NbKMD-NbRR heterotrimer and promotes NbRR1 accumulation, thereby enhancing CK signaling and ultimately facilitating TbCSV replication. C3 proteins from other distantly related geminiviruses exhibit similar 3D structures and also target NbTAF12b in vivo, suggesting that this mechanism is conserved among geminiviruses. These findings shed new light on the molecular mechanism by which TbCSV C3 facilitates viral replication through the modulation of CK signaling and provide potential molecular targets for engineering virus-resistant plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101413"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365827/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144267883","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}
Plant CommunicationsPub Date : 2025-08-11Epub Date: 2025-06-06DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101409
Bo Wu, Yiping Cui, Yongping Duan, Frederick G Gmitter, Feng Luo
{"title":"Comprehensive transposon-insertion profiling unravels the asexual breeding history of sweet orange cultivars.","authors":"Bo Wu, Yiping Cui, Yongping Duan, Frederick G Gmitter, Feng Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101409","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sweet orange has one of the largest cultivar groups in Citrus, characterized by diverse horticultural traits developed through the selection of bud sports (somatic mutants). However, the role of transposable-element activity in its diversification is largely unknown. Here, we comprehensively surveyed transposon activity in sweet orange genomes and identified six transposon families whose activity is increased up to 8974.2-fold in modern cultivars. These insertions serve as mutational markers, enabling the tagging of major sweet orange cultivar groups and distinguishing over 99% of sweet orange accessions. Moreover, they are significantly enriched in genes that affect plant development and hormone signaling. The widespread insertions of these hyperactive transposons enabled us to trace the lineage history of nearly all sweet orange cultivars, dating them to a common ancestor ∼500 years ago, and to infer three major dispersal events. The activation of these transposons has resulted in significantly higher transposon activity in sweet orange compared to its parental species, revealing their unrecognized and crucial role in sweet orange breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101409"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365825/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144250854","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":"Transcriptional activation and repression in the plant circadian clock: Revisiting core oscillator feedback loops and output pathways.","authors":"Jing Li, Ming-Kang Yang, Jian Zeng, Liang Chen, Wei Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101415","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101415","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The plant circadian clock operates through interconnected transcriptional-translational feedback loops, comprising circadian-regulated transcriptional activators and repressors at the core oscillator. These transcription factors (TFs) not only regulate the timing of gene expression within the oscillator but also orchestrate downstream transcriptomic regulation in output pathways by directly binding to promoters of key genes. To date, most plant TFs identified in these loops are transcriptional repressors, supporting a clock model dominated by repressive interactions. However, a number of studies have reported the presence of transcriptional activators in newly identified feedback loops. Interestingly, some TFs can function as both activators and repressors of circadian-regulated genes, offering new insights into clock regulatory mechanisms. This review revisits transcriptional activation and repression in core oscillator genes, offering a conceptual framework to advance the understanding of their roles, particularly in the regulation of clock output pathways.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101415"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365851/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144276627","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}
Plant CommunicationsPub Date : 2025-08-11Epub Date: 2025-06-10DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101414
Qingyu Cao, Yuanyuan Mei, Zewen Wen, Kaixuan He, Mengyuan Zhang, Xiaoyan Lv, Wenjing Li, Tengteng Cui, Dan Wang, Ning Ning Wang
{"title":"The RING-type E3 ligase ATL72 positively regulates leaf senescence by monoubiquitinating the phosphatase SSPP to impair its dephosphorylation activity in Arabidopsis.","authors":"Qingyu Cao, Yuanyuan Mei, Zewen Wen, Kaixuan He, Mengyuan Zhang, Xiaoyan Lv, Wenjing Li, Tengteng Cui, Dan Wang, Ning Ning Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101414","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Posttranslational modifications (PTMs), such as ubiquitination and phosphorylation, regulate diverse cellular processes. Whereas individual contributions of PTMs to leaf senescence have been well documented, their crosstalk remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identified Arabidopsis To'xicos en Levadura 72 (ATL72), a RING-type E3 ligase, as a positive regulator of leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. ATL72 targets senescence-suppressed protein phosphatase (SSPP), which negatively regulates leaf senescence by dephosphorylating Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) senescence-associated receptor-like kinase (AtSARK). Expression patterns of ATL72, SSPP, and AtSARK overlap during senescence initiation in leaf development, suggesting that these proteins coordinate to regulate senescence. Our results show that the effect of ATL72 on leaf senescence is dependent on AtSARK. Furthermore, ATL72 monoubiquitinates SSPP; this interaction does not affect the stability of SSPP but significantly reduces its ability to dephosphorylate AtSARK. The SSPP-induced delay in leaf senescence can be effectively rescued by ATL72. We also identified the monoubiquitination sites on SSPP. Collectively, these findings provide critical insights into how complex networks of PTM crosstalk orchestrate the initiation and progression of leaf senescence.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101414"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365828/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144267884","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}
Plant CommunicationsPub Date : 2025-08-11Epub Date: 2025-06-03DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101393
Abigail E Bryson, Kevin L Childs, Nicholas Schlecht, Davis Mathieu, John P Hamilton, Haoyang Xin, Jiming Jiang, C Robin Buell, Bjӧrn Hamberger
{"title":"A high-quality genome assembly of the tetraploid Teucrium chamaedrys unveils a recent whole-genome duplication and a large biosynthetic gene cluster for diterpenoid metabolism.","authors":"Abigail E Bryson, Kevin L Childs, Nicholas Schlecht, Davis Mathieu, John P Hamilton, Haoyang Xin, Jiming Jiang, C Robin Buell, Bjӧrn Hamberger","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101393","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Teucrium chamaedrys, commonly known as wall germander, is a small woody shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Its name is derived from the Greek words meaning \"ground oak,\" as its tiny leaves resemble those of an oak tree. Teucrium species are prolific producers of diterpenes, endowing them with valuable properties widely utilized in traditional and modern medicine. Sequencing and assembly of the 3-Gbp tetraploid T. chamaedrys genome revealed 74 diterpene synthase genes, with a substantial number of these genes clustered at four synteny genomic loci, each harboring a copy of a large diterpene biosynthetic gene cluster. Comparative genomics revealed that this cluster is conserved in the closely related species Teucrium marum. Along with the presence of several cytochrome p450 sequences, this region is among the largest biosynthetic gene clusters identified. Teucrium is well known for accumulating clerodane-type diterpenoids, which are produced from a kolavenyl diphosphate precursor. To elucidate the complex biosynthetic pathways of these medicinal compounds, we identified and functionally characterized several kolavenyl diphosphate synthases from T. chamaedrys. The remarkable chemical diversity and tetraploid nature of T. chamaedrys make it a valuable model for studying genomic evolution and adaptation in plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101393"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365839/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144227593","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":"ABA promotes fatty acid biosynthesis and transport to boost arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in apple roots.","authors":"Shan Jing, Mingjun Li, Chunhui Li, Chunlei Zhang, Lingcheng Zhu, Lijun Du, Yuchao Li, Xiaoyu Wei, Manrang Zhang, Baiquan Ma, Yongling Ruan, Fengwang Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101426","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The roots of most land plants form symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. The fungus promotes nutrient uptake from the soil while receiving plant-derived photosynthates as lipids and sugars. Nutrient exchange must be regulated by both partners; however, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of lipid supply from the plant to the AM fungus remain unclear. Here, we performed a molecular study on the role of elevated abscisic acid (ABA) levels during AM fungal infection in apple (Malus spp.) roots. AM fungal colonization induced the expression of two ABA biosynthesis genes, MdNCED3.1 and MdNCED3.2, in apple roots and increased ABA content, which promoted AM fungal growth. The effect of ABA on symbiosis was confirmed in transgenic apple roots overexpressing or silencing MdNCED3.1 or MdNCED3.2. Transcriptome analysis and transgenic experiments revealed that the transcription factor MdABF2 plays a key role in ABA-mediated symbiosis during AM infection and regulates the expression of genes associated with fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis (e.g., MdKASIII) and transport (such as MdSTR2) in apple roots. Activation of these genes increased FA levels in roots and enhanced AM fungal colonization and arbuscule development. These findings identify a molecular pathway in which ABA signaling positively regulates FA biosynthesis and transport, thereby increasing lipid supply to AM fungi and promoting AM symbiosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":52373,"journal":{"name":"Plant Communications","volume":" ","pages":"101426"},"PeriodicalIF":11.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12365809/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144499115","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}