Focus on DnaJ protein research from Arabidopsis to crop improvement

Reframing Pathogenesis-Related proteins: from plant immune drivers to stress resilience integration nodes.

Plants are constantly exposed to biotic and abiotic stresses, but the molecular mechanisms integrating these signals remain underexplored. Traditionally viewed as defense proteins against pathogen infection, pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins comprise 19 diverse families encompassing defense-related enzymes (glucanases, chitinases, nucleases, proteases), antimicrobial peptides, enzyme inhibitors and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating proteins. While their significance during biotic stresses is well-documented, research has started to emerge on their dynamic regulation and functional roles in abiotic stresses, e.g. salinity, drought, heavy metal exposure, temperature and flooding. By synthesizing recent insights and critical knowledge gaps, we propose that PR proteins are global plant stress integration nodes, linking responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. We distill the core molecular principles and regulatory mechanisms underpinning the abiotic regulation of PR genes and proteins, implicating the central importance of plant hormone and ROS signaling pathways. We also critically examine the functional diversity and versatility of PR proteins, as they orchestrate cell wall remodeling, membrane stabilization, ion homeostasis, proteolytic balance and ROS metabolism in stress resilience pathways. Overall, a detailed understanding of the abiotic regulation and function of PR proteins offers rich insights into how plants coordinate survival under environmental challenge and has significant implications for developing stress-resilient crops.

Smart Scaffolds: How WD40 Proteins Integrate Plant Development, Metabolism, and Stress Adaptation.

A review of WD40 repeat proteins strengthens current findings relating their structural properties, molecular mechanisms, and functional diversity, underscoring their potential as targets for developing stress-resilient, high-yield crops in a changing climate.

Histone acetyltransferases as integrative epigenetic regulators of plant abiotic stress responses

Cold stress tolerance in pepper: role of transcription factors in molecular signaling and adaptive responses

By elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying cold stress responses, it offers key perspectives for the breeding of climate-tolerant pepper varieties to ensure sustainable agricultural production.

Jasmonate ZIM-domain protein 2 orchestrates ABA/JA signaling and flavonoid biosynthesis to suppress cold tolerance in grapevine.

Low temperature is a significant abiotic stressor that severely constrains grape cultivation and productivity. Jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins, which function as critical transcriptional repressors in the jasmonic acid signaling pathway, play essential roles in plant stress adaptation. Nevertheless, their specific functions and regulatory mechanisms in grape cold tolerance remain unclear. This work investigated the role and regulatory network of a cold-inducible VvJAZ2 gene by integrating physiological, molecular, and transcriptomic approaches. Functional analyses revealed that overexpression of VvJAZ2 compromised cold tolerance in Arabidopsis and grape calli, manifested as aggravated oxidative damage and compromised antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, transgenic materials exhibited decreased endogenous ABA and JA levels, reduced flavonoid accumulation, and downregulation of the ICE-CBF-COR regulatory module. Consistently, transcriptomic profiling further indicated that VvJAZ2 functions as a negative regulator by coordinating the suppression of ABA/JA signaling cascades, MAPK pathway activity, and flavonoid biosynthetic processes. Mechanistically, the transcription factor VvMSA (Abscisic acid-stress-ripening protein) was identified as an upstream activator that directly binds to the VvJAZ2 promoter and induces its expression under normal conditions; however, this activation is markedly attenuated during cold stress. Moreover, VvJAZ2 physically interacts with VvUGT74F5 (UDP-glycosyltransferase 74F5) implicated in flavonoid modification. Collectively, these findings suggest that VvJAZ2 may function as a potential regulatory node, and support a working model of a dynamic "transcription-protein interaction" module to coordinate hormone signaling and metabolic reprogramming under cold stress. This study provides novel insights into the molecular basis of cold adaptation in grapevine and identifies potential genetic targets for improving cold resilience in viticulture.

ROS-Centered Transcriptomic Regulatory Networks Linking Salinity Stress, Antioxidant Defense and Processability Traits in Salicornia spp.

A mechanistic framework that links salinity perception, ROS-mediated signaling, ABA and MAPK pathways, antioxidant gene families, transcription factor networks and processing-oriented quality traits is proposed for improving halophytic raw materials for food, feed and bioprocessing applications.