Transcriptomics and Physiological Analysis Reveal Response Strategies of Sanghuangporus baumii to Aluminum Exposure

Multi-Level Physiological and Metabolomic Responses of Hypnum plumaeforme Reveal Oxidative Imbalance, Photosynthetic Disruption and Metabolic Reprogramming Under Cesium Stress

Cesium (Cs) contamination has become an increasing environmental concern because of its high mobility, persistence, and ecological risks. Mosses have attracted considerable attention as bioindicators owing to their high environmental sensitivity; however, their responses to Cs remain poorly understood. In this study, the moss Hypnum plumaeforme was exposed to Cs+ (5, 50 and 500 mg L−1) stress, and its morphological characteristics, antioxidant responses, photosynthetic performance and metabolomic alterations were comprehensively investigated. Low Cs+ exposure induced early oxidative signaling by increased H2O2 accumulation and slight stimulation of photosynthesis, whereas moderate stress triggered pronounced superoxide production and activation of antioxidant defenses. High Cs+ exposure caused severe cellular deformation, disruption of photosystem II, excessive hydroxyl radical accumulation, and collapse of the coordinated antioxidant–osmotic regulatory network. Untargeted LC–MS metabolomics further revealed substantial metabolic reprogramming under severe stress, including inhibition of carbon metabolism, significant enrichment of tryptophan metabolism, and accumulation of defensive secondary metabolites, indicating a shift in metabolic resources from growth toward stress defense. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the physiological responses of H. plumaeforme to Cs+ in a concentration-dependent manner. The high sensitivity of oxidative biomarkers, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and metabolic signatures highlights the potential of H. plumaeforme as a bioindicator for assessment of cesium contamination.

Physiological and transcriptomic approaches reveal new insight into cadmium tolerance of Sesuvium portulacastrum L.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution severely threatens to plant development and human health. As a phytoremediation species, S. portulacastrum possesses outstanding Cd accumulation ability. S. portulacastrum seedings was cultivated with half-strength Hoagland solution with 25 mg/L of CdCl2, with Cd-free medium as control. After 14 days, treated plant kept growing but showed a 43.4% lower growth rate and 1.3 cm shorter roots. Leaf number increased and then decreased, whereas fresh weight increased continuously. The chlorophyll a/b ratio dropped to 1.89, suppressing photosynthesis. To eliminate excess ROS, plants activated comprehensive antioxidant systems: root SOD activity hit 192.64 U/g, root POD and stem CAT activities rose 2.8- and 4.6-fold separately. Cd accumulated predominantly in roots at 622.14 mg/kg, displaying obvious tissue specificity. Transcriptome analysis revealed 2461 and 4545 leaf DEGs, 2215 and 3004 root DEGs after 7 and 14 ds Cd exposure. Combined physiological and transcriptomic data uncovered two core Cd-tolerant mechanisms: metal transporters sequester toxic Cd²⁺ in vacuoles, and antioxidant systems scavenge ROS. Hub genes of key modules were enriched in glutathione metabolism, carbon metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, peroxisome, protein processing, endocytosis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. RT-qPCR validated the expression of representative metal transport and antioxidant hub genes, and heterologous GPX overexpression in yeast INVSc1 verified its function in boosting Cd tolerance. This study provides theoretical support for breeding heavy metal remediation plants via genetic engineering.

Systems-level transcriptomic and physiological adaptation of Bacillus licheniformis BLN313 to selenite stress

Transcriptomic analysis of cadmium induced hepatotoxicity in Labeo rohita.

This study investigated cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity in Labeo rohita by histological and transcriptomic analyses at 0.05, 0.5, and 3.4 ppm for 14 days. Histological damages comprised sinusoidal architecture, leukocyte infiltration, vacuolization, necrosis, thrombosis, and hemorrhage, indicating impaired detoxification and tissue integrity at increased Cd concentration. Transcriptomic analysis detected 8322, 6371 and 4526 DEGs at 0.05, 0.5, and 3.4 ppm respectively. GO and KEGG pathway analyses showed alterations in immune responses, metabolic pathways, and cellular signaling processes, notably the PI3K-Akt and MAPK pathways, which are critical for cell survival, proliferation, and stress responses. Cadmium disrupts cytokine signaling, diminishes antioxidant activity, and hinders metabolic regulation, leading to liver dysfunction. Additionally, significant modulation of amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism indicated metabolic reprogramming under stress. Overall, Cd compromise immune defense, and trigger oxidative stress, underscoring its detrimental effects on fish liver which might be considered for sustainable aquaculture.

Impaired antioxidant defense associated with flavonoid biosynthesis reprogramming in the mangrove Acanthus ilicifolius under high salinity

Introduction This study investigates how varying salinity levels influence the physiological and metabolic responses of the mangrove plant Acanthus ilicifolius, aiming to clarify its salt adaptation mechanisms. Methods Field experiments were conducted at three sites with stable salinity conditions (approximately 0.73, 2.26, and 3.09 g/L), combined with physiological assays, metabolomics, and transcriptomics. Results Increasing salinity elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species, reduced antioxidant enzyme activity, and aggravated membrane lipid peroxidation. Metabolomics revealed that medium salinity primarily affected terpenoid (18.7%) and lipid (14.5%) metabolism, while high salinity regulated flavonoid (11%) and terpenoid (16.4%) biosynthesis. Transcriptomic data indicated that the antioxidant defense system plays a central role in mitigating oxidative stress, with WRKY and AP2/ERF transcription factors significantly upregulated under high salinity, enhancing kaempferol-flavanone isomerase activity and flavonoid accumulation (e.g., hesperidin). Discussion These findings show that A. ilicifolius compensates for impaired antioxidant defenses by redirecting metabolism toward flavonoid synthesis, providing novel insights into the molecular basis of mangrove salt tolerance and its potential medicinal applications.

An integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis reveals hepatic physiological responses of Perca fluviatilis to heat stress.

Heat stress negatively affects the growth and health of fish. In this study, Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) were exposed to control (18°C, CK) and heat stress (25°C, HS) conditions. Using liver transcriptomics and metabolomics in conjunction with physiological and biochemical indicators, we investigated the mechanisms underlying their thermal response. The results revealed that heat stress in P. fluviatilis led to liver cell damage, characterized by vacuolar degeneration and inflammatory cell infiltration. Heat stress caused a fluctuating decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, a significant reduction in catalase (CAT) activity (p < 0.05) and a transient increase in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity at 24 h, followed by a sustained decrease. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content significantly increased in the later stages. Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity exhibited phase-specific oscillations, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content decreased overall, while lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity displayed complex time-dependent variations. In total, 536 significantly differentially expressed genes and 262 differentially abundant metabolites were identified through combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Integrated multi-omics analysis revealed that key pathways involved in the heat stress response include alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism; purine metabolism; mitophagy; autophagy and apoptosis; cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G (cGMP-PKG) signalling; oestrogen signalling; and lipid metabolism-associated pathways. These findings indicate that acute heat stress induces hepatic oxidative damage, energy-metabolism disturbance and multiomics alterations in P. fluviatilis. This study provides a basis for understanding the hepatic responses of temperate freshwater fish to elevated temperatures.