Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are plant pests that infect the roots of host plants. () nematicidal proteins exhibited toxicity to nematodes. However, the application of nematicidal proteins for plant protection is hampered by the lack of effective delivery systems in transgenic plants. In this study, we discovered the accumulation of leucoplasts (root plastids) in galls and RKN-induced giant cells. RKN

Hyperforin is the compound responsible for the effectiveness of St. John’s wort () as an antidepressant, but its complete biosynthetic pathway remains unknown. Gene discovery based on co-expression analysis of bulk RNA-sequencing data or genome mining failed to discover the missing steps in hyperforin biosynthesis. In this study, we sequenced the 1.54-Gb tetraploid . genome assembled into 32 chromosomes

Understanding how maize () responds to cold stress is crucial for facilitating breeding programs of cold-tolerant varieties. Despite extensive utilization of the genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach for exploring favorable natural alleles associated with maize cold tolerance, few studies have successfully identified candidate genes that contribute to maize cold tolerance. In this study, we

Combinatorial interactions between different regulators diversify and enrich the chance of transcriptional regulation in eukaryotic cells. However, a dose-dependent functional switch of homologous transcriptional repressors has rarely been reported. Here, we show that SHY2, an auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) repressor, exhibits a dose-dependent bimodal role in auxin-sensitive root-hair growth

Suppressor of G2 allele of skp1 (SGT1) is a highly conserved eukaryotic protein that plays a vital role in growth, development, and immunity in both animals and plants. Although some SGT1 interactors have been identified, the molecular regulatory network of SGT1 remains unclear. SGT1 serves as a co-chaperone to stabilize protein complexes such as the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) class

Under warm temperatures, plants adjust their morphologies for environmental adaption via precise gene expression regulation. However, the function and regulation of alternative polyadenylation (APA), an important fine-tuning of gene expression, remains unknown in plant thermomorphogenesis. In this study, we found that SUMOylation, a critical post-translational modification, is induced by a long-term

Gene upregulation through genome editing is important for plant research and breeding. Targeted insertion of short transcriptional enhancers (STEs) into gene promoters may offer a universal solution akin to transgene-mediated overexpression while avoiding the drawbacks associated with transgenesis. Here, we introduce an “ activation” technique in rice that leverages well-characterized STEs for refined

Plant cell walls are a critical site where plants and pathogens continuously struggle for physiological dominance. Here we show that dynamic remodeling of pectin methylesterification of plant cell walls is a component of the physiological and co-evolutionary struggles between hosts and pathogens. A pectin methylesterase (PsPME1) secreted by decreases the degree of pectin methylesterification, thus

Plants exploit phenotypic plasticity to adapt their growth and development to prevailing environmental conditions. Interpretation of light and temperature signals is aided by the circadian system, which provides a temporal context. Phenotypic plasticity provides a selective and competitive advantage in nature but is obstructive during large-scale, intensive agricultural practices since economically

Plant immunity is a multilayered process that includes recognition of patterns or effectors from pathogens to elicit defense responses. These include the induction of a cocktail of defense metabolites that typically restrict pathogen virulence. Here, we investigate the interaction between barley roots and the fungal pathogens () and () at the metabolite level. We identify hordedanes, a previously undescribed

Monocarpic senescence, characterized by whole-plant senescence following a single flowering phase, is widespread in seed plants, particularly in crops, determining seed harvest time and quality. However, how external and internal signals are systemically integrated into monocarpic senescence remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the transcription factor WRKY1 plays essential roles in multiple

The discovery of a wild abortive-type (WA) cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) line and breeding its restorer line have led to the commercialization of three-line hybrid rice, contributing considerably to global food security. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying fertility abortion and the restoration of CMS-WA lines remain largely elusive. In this study, we cloned a restorer gene, , following a

Over the past few decades, significant improvements in maize yield have been largely attributed to increased plant density of upright hybrid varieties rather than increased yield per plant. However, dense planting triggers shade avoidance responses (SARs) that optimize light absorption but impair plant vigor and performance, limiting yield improvement through increasing plant density. In this study

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are specialized metabolites produced by hundreds of species, including important vegetable crops such as tomato, potato, and eggplant. Although it has been known that SGAs play important roles in defense in plants and “anti-nutritional” effects (e.g., toxicity and bitterness) to humans, many of these molecules have documented anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory

Xenia, the phenomenon in which the pollen genotype directly affects the phenotypic characteristics of maternal tissues (i.e., fruit ripening), has applications in crop production and breeding. However, the underlying molecular mechanism has yet to be elucidated. Here, we investigated whether mobile mRNAs from the pollen affect the ripening and quality-related characteristics of the fruit using cross-pollination

Plants are sessile organisms that have acquired highly plastic developmental strategies to adapt to the environment. Among these processes, the floral transition is essential to ensure reproductive success and is finely regulated by several internal and external genetic networks. The photoperiodic pathway, which controls plant response to day length, is one of the most important pathways controlling

Maize develops separate ear and tassel inflorescences with initially similar morphology but ultimately different architecture and sexuality. The detailed regulatory mechanisms underlying these changes still remain largely unclear. In this study, through analyzing the time-course meristem transcriptomes and floret single-cell transcriptomes of ear and tassel, we revealed the regulatory dynamics and

Doubled haploid (DH) technology and synthetic apomixis approaches can considerably shorten breeding cycles and enhance breeding efficiency. Compared with traditional breeding methods, DH technology offers the advantage of rapidly generating inbred lines, while synthetic apomixis can effectively fix hybrid vigor. In this review, we focus on (i) recent advances in identifying and characterizing genes

Root nodule symbiosis (RNS) between legumes and rhizobia is a major source of nitrogen in agricultural systems. Effective symbiosis requires precise regulation of plant defense responses. The role of the defense hormone jasmonic acid (JA) in the immune response has been extensively studied. Current research shows that JA can play either a positive or negative regulatory role in RNS depending on its

Mescaline, among the earliest identified natural hallucinogens, holds great potential in psychotherapy treatment. Nonetheless, despite the existence of a postulated biosynthetic pathway for more than half a century, the specific enzymes involved in this process are yet to be identified. In this study, we investigated the cactus (Peyote), the largest known natural producer of the phenethylamine mescaline

Spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression by polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is critical for animal and plant development. The fertilization independent seed (FIS)-PRC2 complex functions specifically during plant reproduction from gametogenesis to seed development. After a double fertilization event, triploid endosperm proliferates early, followed by the growth of a diploid embryo, which replaces

The precise control of receptor levels is crucial for initiating cellular signaling transduction in response to specific ligands; however, such mechanisms regulating nodulation factor (NF) receptor (NFR)-mediated perception of NFs to establish symbiosis remain unclear. In this study, we unveil the pivotal role of the NFR-interacting RING-type E3 ligase 1 (NIRE1) in regulating NFR1/NFR5 homeostasis

The gray mold fungus is a necrotrophic pathogen that causes diseases in hundreds of plant species, including high-value crops. Its polyxenous nature and pathogenic success are due to its ability to perceive host signals in its favor. In this study, we found that laticifer cells of are a source of susceptibility factors required by to cause disease. Consequently, poor-in-latex () mutants, which lack

Karrikins and strigolactones govern plant development and environmental responses through closely related signaling pathways. The transcriptional repressor proteins SUPPRESSOR OF MAX2 1 (SMAX1), SMAX1-like2 (SMXL2), and D53-like SMXLs mediate karrikin and strigolactone signaling by directly binding downstream genes or by inhibiting the activities of transcription factors. In this study, we characterized

Wheat is a staple food for more than 35% of the world’s population, with wheat flour used to make hundreds of baked goods. Superior end-use quality is a major breeding target; however, improving it is especially time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, genes encoding seed-storage proteins (SSPs) form multi-gene families and are repetitive, with gaps commonplace in several genome assemblies. To overcome

Circular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) viruses have been rarely found in fungi, and the evolutionary and ecological relationships among ssDNA viruses infecting fungi and other organisms remain unclear. In this study, a novel circular ssDNA virus, tentatively named Diaporthe sojae circular DNA virus 1 (DsCDV1), was identified in the phytopathogenic fungus isolated from pear trees. DsCDV1 has a monopartite

-Methyladenosine (mA) is one of the most abundant modifications of eukaryotic mRNA, but its comprehensive biological functionality remains further exploration. In this study, we identified and characterized a new flowering-promoting gene, (), in rice. encodes an RNA recognition motif (RRM)-containing RNA binding protein that is localized in the non-membranous cytoplasm ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules

Leaf angle (LA) is a crucial factor that affects planting density and yield in maize. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying LA formation remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed a comparative histological analysis of the ligular region across various maize inbred lines and revealed that LA is significantly influenced by a two-step regulatory process involving initial cell elongation

Although both protein arginine methylation (PRMT) and jasmonate (JA) signaling are crucial for regulating plant development, the relationship between these processes in the control of spikelet development remains unclear. In this study, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate two loss-of-function mutants that exhibit various abnormal spikelet structures. Interestingly, we found that OsPRMT6a

Stress-induced retrograde signal transmission from the plastids to the nucleus has long puzzled plant biologists. To address this, we performed a suppressor screen of the mutant, which contains elevated 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-2,4-cyclopyrophosphate (MEcPP) levels, and identified the gain-of-function mutant , which shows reversed dwarfism and suppressed expression of stress-response genes in the background

Volatilomics is essential for understanding the biological functions and fragrance contributions of plant volatiles. However, the annotation coverage achieved using current untargeted and widely targeted volatomics (WTV) methods has been limited by low sensitivity and/or low acquisition coverage. Here, we introduce WTV 2.0, which enabled the construction of a high-coverage library containing 2111 plant

Given the escalating impact of climate change on agriculture and food security, gaining insights into the evolutionary dynamics of climatic adaptation and uncovering climate-adapted variation can empower the breeding of climate-resilient crops to face future climate change. Alfalfa ( subsp. ), the queen of forages, shows remarkable adaptability across diverse global environments, making it an excellent

The plant apoplast, which serves as the frontline battleground for long-term host–pathogen interactions, harbors a wealth of disease resistance resources. However, the identification of the disease resistance proteins in the apoplast is relatively lacking. In this study, we identified and characterized the rice secretory protein OsSSP1 ( secretory small protein 1). OsSSP1 can be secreted into the plant

Enviromics refers to the characterization of micro- and macroenvironments based on large-scale environmental datasets. By providing genotypic recommendations with predictive extrapolation at a site-specific level, enviromics could inform plant breeding decisions across varying conditions and anticipate productivity in a changing climate. Enviromics-based integration of statistics, envirotyping (i.e

During maize endosperm filling, sucrose not only serves as a source of carbon skeletons for storage-reserve synthesis but also acts as a stimulus to promote this process. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying sucrose and endosperm filling are poorly understood. In this study, we found that sucrose promotes the expression of endosperm-filling hub gene (), coordinating with storage-reserve accumulation

Macroalgae are multicellular, aquatic autotrophs that play vital roles in global climate maintenance and have diverse applications in biotechnology and eco-engineering, which are directly linked to their multicellularity phenotypes. However, their genomic diversity and the evolutionary mechanisms underlying multicellularity in these organisms remain uncharacterized. In this study, we sequenced 110