TL;DR
A critical assessment of the molecular regulatory networks involving ncRNAs in plants is provided, thereby offering a realistic foundation for future translational applications in agriculture and forestry.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) constitute a class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) responsible for playing critical regulatory roles at different stages of development and in plants subjected to diverse types of biotic and abiotic stress. Research with plants subjected to biostimulants (e.g., plant growth-promoting bacteria and humic acid) has shown promising results regarding increased productivity and resistance to stress. However, despite the increase of studies on plant lncRNAs in recent years, the functions of lncRNAs in maize (Zea mays L.) subjected to colonization by beneficial microorganisms and its response to humic acids remain unknown. To identify and characterize maize lncRNAs, we used single-end RNA-seq libraries constructed from roots of non-inoculated seedlings and inoculated with diazotrophic endophytic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae and humic acid. Through a computational pipeline, we identified a total of 32 501 known High-Confidence lncRNAs (HC-lncRNAs) and 6 418 novel candidate lncRNAs (NC-lncRNAs) in the transcriptome. The expression profile of lncRNAs revealed 3 263 HC-lncRNAs and 1 050 NC-lncRNAs significantly differentially expressed (DE) when treated plants are compared to controls. We also identified the regulatory networks of DE-lncRNAs by predicting cis-target genes and miRNAs. The results showed that lncRNAs target genes related to different processes, including the participation of elements associated with distinct plant hormones. Furthermore, interaction networks of lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA were constructed and showed the potential of lncRNAs as a key regulatory element.
Against the backdrop of global environmental change, plant growth and development face multiple challenges, and a range of abiotic stresses seriously affect their normal growth. In recent years, plant small peptides (SPs)-widely defined as peptides of fewer than 100 amino acids-have emerged as important signaling molecules at the forefront of stress response strategies, playing a key role in regulating plant growth, development, and stress adaptation. This paper reviews the classification of small peptides and their effects on plant growth and development, with a particular focus on the dynamic changes and regulatory mechanisms of various small peptide families under abiotic stress. Studies have shown that small peptides regulate root development, promote cell division and growth, and control reproductive development by participating in intercellular communication, hormone signaling, and stress response networks. The aim of the review is to summarize recent advances in the understanding of SPs in plant growth and development as well as in responses to abiotic stress. We also discuss future research directions concerning the application of these molecules in crop improvement and the enhancement of environmental resilience, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the elucidation of stress tolerance mechanisms and the breeding of stress-resistant crop varieties.
Regulatory mechanisms of several types of PTMs, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, acetylation, crotonylation, and S-acylation, in the cold stress signaling pathway are summarized.
Transcriptional regulation is the cornerstone of plant developmental plasticity and environmental resilience. Central to these processes are the B-Box (BBX) proteins, a family of zinc-finger transcription factors that have emerged as pivotal signaling hubs. While their roles were initially defined through light signaling and photoperiodic flowering in Arabidopsis, recent advances have repositioned BBX proteins as integrative nodes across a vast array of physiological processes, including seed germination, thermomorphogenesis, shade avoidance and senescence, as well as responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. The remarkable functional diversity of BBX proteins emerges from a highly orchestrated, hierarchical regulatory landscape. This review synthesizes recent progress in how BBX activity is modulated through chromatin remodeling, alternative splicing and E3-ligase-mediated protein stability, among other mechanisms. We propose that understanding BBX function requires a shift from identifying isolated target genes to decoding the combinatorial logic of their interactions. Deciphering this interactome under fluctuating environments not only deepens our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms regulating plant plasticity but also identifies highly promising targets for the precision breeding of climate-resilient crops.
This review synthesizes the significant advancements made over the past decade in understanding JA's role in regulating plant development and mediating responses to environmental stresses, areas that lacked systematic review in previous years.