aBIOTECHPub Date : 2025-07-15DOI: 10.1007/s42994-025-00227-2
Wenyang Zhang, Yanjiao Wang, Wenyan Li, Shaowen Wu, Yuanyuan Chen, Mingyang Ye, Wenjie Huang, Alisdair R. Fernie, Shijuan Yan
{"title":"A novel proteomics workflow for simultaneous analysis of protein phosphorylation and S-nitrosylation","authors":"Wenyang Zhang, Yanjiao Wang, Wenyan Li, Shaowen Wu, Yuanyuan Chen, Mingyang Ye, Wenjie Huang, Alisdair R. Fernie, Shijuan Yan","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00227-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00227-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Protein post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and <i>S</i>-nitrosylation regulate protein functions and cellular programs in eukaryotes. Moreover, extensive evidence suggests crosstalk between these modifications. However, we lack a comprehensive method for the simultaneous detection and analysis of multiple post-translational modifications. Here, we present an optimized workflow that identifies phosphorylation and <i>S</i>-nitrosylation sites using a novel phosphate affinity tag switch technique. Validation with model proteins and complex biological samples confirmed the high sensitivity, coverage, and reproducibility of this method. Applying this method to <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> seedlings revealed 12,552 phosphorylation sites and 6,108 <i>S</i>-nitrosylation sites, representing the largest single-study dataset of <i>S</i>-nitrosylation sites to date. This approach enhances our understanding of post-translational modification dynamics in plant signaling, stress responses, and metabolism.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 3","pages":"452 - 465"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42994-025-00227-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145100777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
aBIOTECHPub Date : 2025-07-02DOI: 10.1007/s42994-025-00223-6
Qi Zhang, Zeng Tao
{"title":"Emerging roles of histone methylation in phytopathogenic fungi","authors":"Qi Zhang, Zeng Tao","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00223-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00223-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Plant-pathogenic fungi significantly affect crop yield and quality. Understanding pathogenic mechanisms and reducing yield losses from plant diseases are therefore crucial for global food security. Epigenetics has become a central focus in fungal biology research, and recent refinements in high-throughput sequencing technologies have drawn attention to the role of histone methylation in fungal pathogenicity. Due to their diversity and complexity, histone methylations play crucial roles in epigenetic and transcriptional regulation. In this review, we summarize recent progress in understanding histone methylation in plant-pathogenic fungi and examine how these modifications influence fungal pathogenicity. Ultimately, we aim to offer insight for creating fungal disease control strategies through the lens of histone methylation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 3","pages":"528 - 541"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42994-025-00223-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145100772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nodule-specific AhPUGN1.1 positively regulates nodulation in peanuts","authors":"Haitong He, Weiqing Liu, Yiwei Xu, Xuerui Fang, Wei Zhang, Zhaosheng Kong, Lixiang Wang","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00222-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00222-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Peanut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i>) is a widely cultivated legume crop that can fix nitrogen by forming root nodules with compatible rhizobia. The initiation and formation of these nodules require complex molecular communication between legumes and rhizobia, involving the precise regulation of multiple legume genes. However, the mechanism underlying nodulation in peanuts remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified a gene associated with nodulation in peanuts, named <i>Peanut unique gene for nodulation 1.1</i> (<i>AhPUGN1.1</i>). Multiple lines of evidence indicate that <i>AhPUGN1.1</i> is primarily expressed in peanut nodules. Silencing or knocking out <i>AhPUGN1.1</i> in peanut resulted in fewer nodules, as well as lower fresh weight and nitrogenase activity, while overexpressing <i>AhPUGN1.1</i> significantly enhanced nodulation ability and nitrogenase activity. Modulating the expression of <i>AhPUGN1.1</i> also influenced the expression levels of genes associated with the Nod factor signaling pathway and infection via crack entry. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that <i>AhPUGN1.1</i> likely regulates peanut nodulation by affecting the expression of genes involved in the cytokinin and calcium signaling pathways. Our data thus show that <i>AhPUGN1.1</i> acts as a crucial regulator promoting symbiotic nodulation in peanuts.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 3","pages":"542 - 553"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s42994-025-00222-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145100812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
aBIOTECHPub Date : 2025-05-22DOI: 10.1007/s42994-025-00217-4
Hui Zhang, Tao Wang, Jianwei Gu, Dengfeng Hong
{"title":"Mutation of ERECTA homologous genes confers ideal plant architecture in Brassica napus","authors":"Hui Zhang, Tao Wang, Jianwei Gu, Dengfeng Hong","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00217-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00217-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Varieties with a semi-dwarf compact plant architecture may increase yield per unit area in rapeseed (<i>Brassica napus</i>) by allowing high-density cultivation and mechanical harvesting while conferring lodging resistance. Mutation of <i>ERECTA</i> (<i>ER</i>), which encodes a receptor-like protein kinase, generates a compact and upright plant architecture in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>; however, there have been no reports on the roles of the ER family (ERf) in <i>B. napus</i>. In this study, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate mutants in each of the two homoeologs of <i>B. napus ERf</i> members <i>BnaER</i> and <i>ER-Like 1</i> (<i>BnaERL1</i>), and in the single <i>BnaERL2</i> gene, resulting in the homozygous mutants <i>BnaA09.er/BnaC08.er</i>, <i>BnaA06.erl1</i>/<i>BnaC03.erl1</i>, and <i>BnaA10.erl2</i>. Under greenhouse conditions, <i>BnaA09.er</i>/<i>BnaC08.er</i> plants were shorter than the wild type, with a compact inflorescence and shorter siliques. In addition, <i>BnaA09.er</i>/<i>BnaC08.er</i> plants produced significantly more branches and total siliques than the wild type, with no significant changes in the number of ovules per silique or thousand-seed weight. Under field conditions, the <i>BnaA09.er/BnaC08.er</i> mutant plant showed a phenotype comparable to that under greenhouse conditions, but with a notable drop in thousand-seed weight. These results indicate that the <i>BnaA09.er/BnaC08.er</i> mutant offers a valuable germplasm resource for breeding rapeseed with ideal plant architecture.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 2","pages":"249 - 262"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144610301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
aBIOTECHPub Date : 2025-05-20DOI: 10.1007/s42994-025-00215-6
Tian Wu, Shifeng Cheng
{"title":"Observe natural selection by evolutionary experiments in crops","authors":"Tian Wu, Shifeng Cheng","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00215-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00215-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Evolutionary experiments provide a unique lens through which to observe the impacts of natural selection on crop evolution, domestication, and adaptation through empirical evidence. Enabled by modern technologies—such as the development of large-scale, structured evolving populations, high-throughput phenotyping, and genomics-driven genetics studies—the transition from theoretical evolutionary biology to practical application is now possible for staple crops. The century-long Barley Composite Cross II (CCII) competition experiment has offered invaluable insights into understanding the genomic and phenotypic basis of natural and artificial selection driven by environmental adaptation during crop evolution and domestication. These experiments enable scientists to measure evolutionary dynamics, in real time, of genetic diversity, adaptation of fitness-associated traits, and the trade-offs inherent in selective processes. Beyond advancing our understanding of evolutionary biology and agricultural practices, these studies provide critical insights into addressing global challenges, from ensuring food security to fostering resilience in human societies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 2","pages":"381 - 387"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12238452/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144610302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
aBIOTECHPub Date : 2025-05-15DOI: 10.1007/s42994-025-00209-4
Jingang Liang, Yu Sun, Yanchao Yang, Zeyu Wang, Han Wu, Taotao Gu, Ruifu Zhang, Xinli Sun, Bin Yao, Tao Tu, Xiaoqing Liu, Huiying Luo, Guangzhi Tong, Yue Jiao, Kui Li, Jie Zhang, Kongming Wu
{"title":"Agricultural biotechnology in China: product development, commercialization, and perspectives","authors":"Jingang Liang, Yu Sun, Yanchao Yang, Zeyu Wang, Han Wu, Taotao Gu, Ruifu Zhang, Xinli Sun, Bin Yao, Tao Tu, Xiaoqing Liu, Huiying Luo, Guangzhi Tong, Yue Jiao, Kui Li, Jie Zhang, Kongming Wu","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00209-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00209-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Meeting the increasing demand for food and industrial products by the growing global population requires targeted efforts to improve crops, livestock, and microorganisms. Modern biotechnology, particularly genetic modification (GM) and genome-editing (GE) technologies, is crucial for food security and environmental sustainability. China, which is at the forefront of global biotechnological innovation and the rapid advancements in GM and GE technologies, has prioritized this field by implementing strategic programs such as the National High-tech Research & Development Program in 1986, the National Genetically Modified Organism New Variety Breeding Program in 2008, and the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project in 2022. Many biotechnological products have been widely commercialized in China, including biofertilizers, animal feed, animal vaccines, pesticides, and GM crops such as cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>), maize (<i>Zea mays</i>), and soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>). In this review, we summarize progress on the research and utilization of GM and GE organisms in China over the past 3 decades and provide perspectives on their further development. This review thus aims to promote worldwide academic exchange and contribute to the further development and commercial success of agricultural biotechnology.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 2","pages":"284 - 310"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12238468/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144610292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Soyasaponin β-glucosidase confers soybean resistance to pod borer (Leguminivora glycinivorella)","authors":"Chengyong Feng, Xindan Xu, Jia Yuan, Mingyu Yang, Fanli Meng, Guodong Wang","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00214-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00214-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Plant specialized metabolites are commonly stored in glycosylated forms within plant cells, with their homeostasis regulated by glycosyltransferases and β-glucosidases (BGLUs, also known as β-glucoside hydrolases (E.C.3.2.1.21)). Soyasaponins, the predominant triterpenoid compounds (C30) in soybean seeds, contain two sugar moieties attached at the C3 and C22 positions. While glycosyltransferases involved in soyasaponin biosynthesis have been well characterized, the role of BGLUs in soyasaponin homeostasis remains unclear. In this study, we identified <i>GmSSBG1</i> (<i>Soyasaponin β-glucosidase1</i>; <i>Glyma.07G258700</i>) as a candidate gene potentially involved in soyasaponin homeostasis through gene to gene co-expression analysis. Biochemical assays demonstrated that GmSSBG1 specifically hydrolyzes arabinose residues at the C22 position of A0- and B0-series soyasaponins. Loss-of-function mutations in <i>GmSSBG1</i> led to a significant accumulation of A0- and B0-series soyasaponins in mutant seeds, which correlated with a pronounced decrease in resistance to the soybean pod borer (<i>Leguminivora glycinivorella</i>). Our findings provide critical insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying soyasaponin homeostasis and lay a theoretical foundation for molecular breeding strategies aimed at developing soybean lines with enhanced resistance to soybean pod borer, even to other insect pests.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 2","pages":"160 - 173"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12238454/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144610307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
aBIOTECHPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.1007/s42994-025-00210-x
Fanghao Sun, Fugui Zhu, Shasha Ran, Qinyi Ye, Tao Wang, Jiangli Dong
{"title":"Heterotrimeric G-protein subunits regulate plant architecture, pod development, seed size, and symbiotic nodulation in Medicago truncatula","authors":"Fanghao Sun, Fugui Zhu, Shasha Ran, Qinyi Ye, Tao Wang, Jiangli Dong","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00210-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00210-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Heterotrimeric G proteins are crucial transducers of signaling from receptors, participating in growth and development, as well as in responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli. However, little is known about their roles in regulating various yield-related traits in legumes. In this study, we systematically analyzed the functions of two G-protein-encoding genes, <i>MtGα1</i> and <i>MtGβ1</i>, along with <i>Regulator of G-protein Signaling1</i> (<i>MtRGS1</i>), in <i>Medicago truncatula</i>. All three genes were ubiquitously expressed in roots, stems, leaves, nodules, flowers, and pods. We generated the knockout mutants <i>Mtgα1</i>, <i>Mtgβ1</i>, and <i>Mtrgs1</i> using CRISPR/Cas9 and assessed their growth and development. <i>MtGα1</i> knockout resulted in slightly shorter plants with smaller pods and shorter spines, but larger seeds, without affecting overall biomass or other traits. <i>MtGβ1</i> knockout led to dwarfism, weak root development, a severe drop in biomass production, smaller legume pods with shorter spines, and smaller seeds. However, the <i>Mtrgs1</i> mutants were largely similar to wild-type plants, with few significant defects in growth and development. We also investigated the symbiotic nodulation-related phenotypes of these mutants, discovering that <i>Mtgβ1</i> mutants produce lighter nodules, whereas <i>Mtgα1</i> and <i>Mtrgs1</i> mutants have normal nodulation phenotypes similar to those of wild-type plants. These observations suggest that MtGβ1 positively regulates nodulation, although the detailed mechanisms by which G proteins regulate symbiotic nitrogen fixation in <i>M. truncatula</i> remain to be explored. This work provides potentially valuable genetic resources for further functional analysis and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of G proteins in this model legume.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 2","pages":"141 - 159"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12238709/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144610299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Simultaneous knockout of multiple eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E genes confers durable and broad-spectrum resistance to potyviruses in tobacco","authors":"Yong Liu, Shuo Wang, Danyang Zhao, Chenglu Zhao, Haiqin Yu, Jianmin Zeng, Zhijun Tong, Cheng Yuan, Zhenghe Li, Changjun Huang","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00216-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00216-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Recessive resistance mediated by mutations in the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), has proven effective against diverse potyviruses and is extensively utilized in breeding programs. However, the rise of resistance-breaking (RB) strains and emerging potyviral species necessitates the development of more durable and broad-spectrum resistance strategies. In this study, our field survey in Yunnan, China, identified potato virus Y (PVY) RB isolates, as well as the prevalence of tobacco vein banding mosaic virus (TVBMV) and chilli veinal mottle virus (ChiVMV), in tobacco carrying the recessive <i>va</i> locus, which lacks the <i>eIF4E1-S</i> susceptibility gene, due to a chromosomal deletion. Protein interaction and viral infection assays demonstrated that both eIF4E1-S and eIFiso4E-T are used by PVY RB as susceptibility factors for infection, with the combined inactivation of these genes confering durable resistance. Similarly, the knockout of <i>eIFiso4E-S,</i> in the <i>va</i> genetic background, provided effective resistance to TVBMV and reduced susceptibility to ChiVMV. Notably, pyramiding mutations in <i>eIFiso4E-S</i> and <i>eIFiso4E-T</i>, in <i>va</i> tobacco, generated plants exhibiting robust, broad-spectrum resistance, to all three viruses, without compromising plant development. These findings underscore the potential of stacking eIF4E mutations to engineer durable, broad-spectrum resistance to potyviruses in tobacco, offering a promising strategy for crop improvement.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 2","pages":"232 - 248"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12238429/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144610306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
aBIOTECHPub Date : 2025-04-28DOI: 10.1007/s42994-025-00213-8
Guoying Hua, Chenfei He, Erwei Zuo
{"title":"SuperDecode: A versatile toolkit for mutation analysis in genome editing","authors":"Guoying Hua, Chenfei He, Erwei Zuo","doi":"10.1007/s42994-025-00213-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s42994-025-00213-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The CRISPR-Cas system has revolutionized modern life sciences, enabling groundbreaking applications ranging from functional genomics to therapeutic development. Despite its transformative potential, significant technical limitations persist in current computational tools for quantifying editing efficiency - particularly concerning data processing capabilities, analytical throughput, and operational flexibility. This research presents SuperDecode, a novel computational framework designed to address these methodological constraints. The SuperDecode offers key advantages, including local processing capabilities, large-size sequencing files, batch-processing, and diversified operational functions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":53135,"journal":{"name":"aBIOTECH","volume":"6 2","pages":"377 - 380"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144610308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}