Jul 2026· Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB· Vol 237, pp.
111564
· 1 citation· 78 references
Medicine
TL;DR
This study provides a root-focused transcriptomic resource and identifies candidate regulatory genes potentially linking ABA-related responses with lignin/lignan-associated metabolism in H. pedunculosum under salt stress.
Abstract
Salt stress is a major abiotic factor limiting plant growth and productivity. Herpetospermum pedunculosum, a medicinal plant adapted to high-altitude environments, offers a unique non-model system for investigating salt stress responses. Here, we combined physiological and biochemical assays with time-course root transcriptome profiling to characterize the responses of H. pedunculosum to 200 mM NaCl treatment. Salt stress induced rapid wilting, oxidative stress-related physiological changes, membrane damage, and significant accumulation of ABA, total lignin, and total lignans. RNA-seq across five time points (1, 3, 24, 48, and 96 h) identified nearly 28,000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which formed distinct temporal clusters associated with hormone signaling, transcriptional regulation, stress responses, and phenylpropanoid-related metabolism. Antioxidant enzyme-related genes, ABA biosynthesis/homeostasis genes, ABA signaling components, and lignin/lignan pathway biosynthesis genes (LLPBGs) showed stage-specific expression patterns, with several genes responding rapidly during the early phase of salt stress. WGCNA and co-expression analyses further identified trait-associated modules and candidate links among core TFs, ABA-related genes, and LLPBGs. Subcellular localization, yeast transactivation, Y1H and Dual-LUC assays provided preliminary evidence that the AP2/ERF factor HpERF141 can bind to and activate the promoter of the previously characterized lignan-related gene HpDIR17. Overall, this study provides a root-focused transcriptomic resource and identifies candidate regulatory genes potentially linking ABA-related responses with lignin/lignan-associated metabolism in H. pedunculosum under salt stress.
Pyrus betulifolia Bunge is a salt‑tolerant rootstock for pear, but its salt‑tolerance mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, P. betulifolia seedlings were subjected to graded NaCl stress at concentrations of 0 (CK), 50 (T1), 100 (T2), and 200 (T3) mM. We integrated phenotypic observation, physiological assessment, transcriptomic profiling, and functional gene validation to systematically elucidate its salt tolerance mechanisms. Salt stress inhibited seedling growth and root traits in a concentration-dependent manner, and T3 caused the most severe damage. Osmotic solutes responded differentially: soluble sugars peaked under T2, while proline peaked under T3. Antioxidant enzymes showed tissue-specific biphasic responses and declined after prolonged T3 stress. Meanwhile, chlorophyll and photosynthesis decreased, whereas anthocyanin increased, indicating a metabolic shift from photosynthesis to photoprotection. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct responses depending on stress intensity: mild stress induced membrane lipid remodeling, moderate stress activated circadian rhythm and hormone signaling, and severe stress enhanced phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and thiamine metabolism. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) further highlighted progressive enrichment of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, heme binding, and oxidoreductase activity. Weighted Gene Co‑expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified a blue module significantly positively correlated with root traits, from which the hub gene PbSTY46 was identified. Functional validation via overexpression, loss‑of‑function mutants, and pharmacological interventions (MeJA/DIECA) confirmed that PbSTY46 acts through JA signaling to enhance antioxidant enzyme activities and thereby confer salt tolerance. Collectively, P. betulifolia adopts a "survival‑first" strategy that coordinates growth arrest, osmotic homeostasis, and ROS scavenging. These findings establish PbSTY46 as a key regulator that links JA signaling to antioxidant defense. Thus, PbSTY46 represents a promising candidate for marker‑assisted breeding of salt‑tolerant pear cultivars.
Ning Yan, Wei-Chi Wang, Aihao Zhao et al.· Plant Science· 0 citations
Findings highlight evolutionarily conserved patterns in stress-specific signaling pathways and in the underlying transcriptional regulation between bryophytes and angiosperms in the response to moderate salt stress.
Armin Horn, C. Misra, Jose Miguel Sordo et al.· Journal of plant physiology· 0 citations
It is demonstrated that heterologous expression of TksPLATZ1, TksPLATZ2 and TksPLATZ7 localize to the cell nucleus and act as transcriptional activators and repressors, respectively, which enhances the tolerance of Arabidopsis to salt and osmotic stress.
Jinxian Chen, Wenhao Wu, Ming-Hua Luo et al.· Phytochemistry· 0 citations
Combined stress more strongly inhibited plant height, stem diameter, fresh weight, net photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate than single stresses, and insights into alfalfa adaptation to multiple abiotic stresses are provided.
Lihe Su, Yongcheng Chen, Xudong Zhang et al.· Journal of Agricultural and...· 0 citations
Multiomics is increasingly valued as a strategy for investigating the regulatory mechanisms by which plants respond to adverse stress conditions. Currently, information on the molecular processes underlying plant responses to Pb stress, particularly those observed through an approach that combines proteomics and metabolomics, is lacking. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore functional correlations between Pb-responsive proteins and metabolites under Pb stress by performing label-free quantitative proteomics and untargeted metabolomics on the roots of the Pb hyperaccumulator Pogonatherum crinitum (Thunb.) Kunth. The selected Pb stress-responsive proteins were functionally verified using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). Under Pb stress, 397 upregulated and 431 downregulated proteins were identified through proteomic analysis. Metabolomic analysis identified 478 upregulated and 354 downregulated metabolites. Pathway enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes revealed that differentially expressed proteins and metabolites were involved in pathways linked to heavy metal stress, such as starch and sucrose metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction. Through integrated proteomic and metabolomics analyses, we uncovered the coordinated regulatory interplay between glutathione (GSH) metabolism and jasmonic acid signaling. GSH reductase and 12-oxophytodienoate reductase drive the accumulation of GSH and jasmonic acid, respectively. The synergistic enhancement of these components is critical for maintaining cellular redox homeostasis and activating hormone-mediated defense signaling. These downstream metabolites were upregulated under Pb stress. RT-qPCR validation revealed that the transcriptional change trends were consistent with those of the proteomics analysis. Further quantitative validation of the target protein using PRM revealed significant upregulation under Pb stress. In conclusion, the P. crinitum root system upregulated the activity of key enzymes in the antioxidant system and plant hormone synthesis under Pb stress, thereby regulating the accumulation of GSH, glutamate, and metabolites for jasmonic acid synthesis. This integrated regulatory network provides promising candidate targets for breeding Pb-tolerant hyperaccumulators to remediate Pb-contaminated farmland and mining soil.
Wei-San Meng, L. Qiu, Yueli Du et al.· Plants· 0 citations
The perennial grass Elymus nutans, native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, exhibits exceptional cold tolerance. To understand its underlying mechanisms, we integrated physiological, transcriptomic, and proteomic profiling under cold stress. Our results revealed a distinct two-phase response strategy to cold stress. The early phase (0-24 h) featured rapid Ca2+ signaling, redox-related transcriptional reprogramming, and increased membrane permeability. The late phase (36-72 h) shifted toward primary metabolic regulation and the translation of protective proteins. Notably, a prominent time lag (temporal delay) occurred between transcript and protein accumulation. Mechanistically, transcriptomic and proteomic signatures suggested a potential energy trade-off, characterized by the extensive downregulation of photosynthetic components concurrent with the mobilization of photoprotective and carbohydrate metabolic networks. Simultaneously, defense capacity was fortified via enhanced proline, phenylpropanoid, and sustained ascorbate-glutathione pathways. Network analyses identified EnP5CS2 and EnMDHAR4 as key functional candidate genes associated with proline accumulation and redox homeostasis. Heterologous expression in yeast further indicated their basic biochemical competence in enhancing cold tolerance. Collectively, these findings provide multi-omics insights into resource reallocation and adaptive strategies employed by alpine extremophytes in response to cold stress, offering valuable genetic targets for breeding climate-resilient forage and crop.
Liuban Tang, Zongyu Zhang, Huanhuan Lu et al.· Plant physiology and biochem...· 0 citations