Most ReadDA1 peptidase is a key plant protease that and plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation. In recent years, with the improvement of gene editing technology, the function mechanism of DA1 peptidase have gradually been elucidated. All studies show that DA1 peptidase is regulated at the transcriptional and post-translational levels. Although there are plenty of studies on specific biological functions of DA1 peptidase, there still lacks systematic and comprehensive summaries of the research progress on DA1. This review briefly describes the molecular structure of DA1 peptidase, summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of DA1 peptidase, and focuses on its biological functions in regulating organ size, responding to salt and drought stresses, and activating immune responses to biological stresses. In addition, we have summarized the role of DA1 peptidase in the regulation of vascular cambium activity and auxin signal transduction. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex functions and regulatory networks of DA1 peptidase.
Maize is a main cereal crop in China. The number of tassel branches significantly affects density-tolerant plant architecture, which is the key to increasing yield. Currently, multiple genes associated with tassel branch number, many of which are closely related to plant hormone pathways, have been cloned and identified. This review summarizes the roles and signaling pathways of auxin, cytokinin, strigolactone, gibberellin and abscisic acid in regulating maize tassel branch number, preliminarily investigates the interaction mechanisms among hormones and the impact of environmental factors on hormonal regulatory mechanisms, and outlines the hormonal regulation network for tassel branch number in maize. These findings suggest that plant hormones integrate environmental factors to regulate the tassel branch number. This review aims to provide a theoretical reference for revealing the molecular mechanisms of phytohormone regulation of maize tassel branch number and to lay a scientific foundation for novel cultivars of the maize ideotype through plant hormones.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important secondary metabolites in plants, with significant physiological, ecological, economic, and ornamental value. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is a classical method for detecting and analyzing plant volatile aromas and is often regarded as the gold standard. However, its sample preparation is laborious and time-consuming, and real-time detection is difficult to achieve, which limits its application in large-scale sample analyses. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a method capable of accurate, real-time, and rapid detection of specific plant VOCs.
Proton transfer reaction-time of flight-mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) enables real-time quantitative analysis of complex VOC mixtures due to its high sensitivity, rapid response, and non-destructive soft ionization mechanism. Nevertheless, its inability to effectively distinguish between volatile isomers and the tendency for compound fragmentation prevent it from fully replacing the powerful qualitative capabilities of GC-MS. Integrating the strengths of both techniques could lead to an efficient and accurate VOC detection system. Using Hedychium plants as an example, this study systematically combines GC-MS and PTR-ToF-MS to establish a technical workflow aiming to identify marker ions that can rapidly predict the emission of specific VOCs, thereby improving the efficiency of aroma compound detection.
Using Hedychium plants as the study subject, this method details a technical framework that integrates GC-MS and PTR-ToF-MS to establish a rapid detection system for specific aromatic compounds. Key steps—including sample collection, parameter optimization, and data acquisition—are outlined. Additionally, a cross-platform data integration method based on partial least squares regression (PLSR) is introduced, along with detailed code execution steps. By constructing a robust and optimized prediction model, the PTR-ToF-MS spectral peak at m/z 155.144 was identified as a stable marker for predicting linalool emissions. This result was validated in two independent aroma datasets, demonstrating the successful application of PTR-ToF-MS for rapid quantification of target aromatic components.
This study addresses the limitations of GC-MS in large-scale sample applications by incorporating PTR- ToF-MS and integrating the advantages of both techniques. Using Hedychium as a model, a rapid detection system for specific aroma compounds was established, with detailed descriptions of the technical workflow and a cross-platform data integration method, including code implementation. A predictive model identified a robust marker for linalool emissions, validated across independent datasets, enabling rapid quantification of target aroma components via PTR-ToF-MS. These findings provide a new strategy for plant VOCs detection, with potential to advance detection technologies and improve efficiency and accuracy. The approach shows broad application prospects in plant physiology and ecology research, quality evaluation of economic crops, and aroma regulation in ornamental plants.
In 2024, the numbers of original research articles published by Chinese plant scientists in mainstream plant science journals increased significantly compared with that in 2023, and important advances have been made in the fields of plant hormone regulation, pathology, synthetic biology, stress resistance mechanism, phylogenetics and genomics. Among them, “Characterization and Heterologous Reconstitution of Taxus Biosynthetic Enzymes Leading to Baccatin III”, and “Reciprocal Conversion Between Annual and Polycarpic Perennial Flowering Behavior in the Brassicaceae” were selected as two of the “Top Ten Advances in Life Sciences in China” in 2024. Here we summarize the achievements of plant science research in China in 2024, by briefly introducing 50 representative important research advances, so as to help readers understand the trend of plant science development in China, and evaluate future research direction to meet major national strategic needs.
Rice bacterial leaf streak (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc), is a significant quarantine disease. The pathogen exhibits both high genetic diversity and strong transmission capabilities. Driven by agricultural intensification and global warming, BLS has been progressively expanding across major indica rice-producing regions in southern China. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in Xoc-rice interaction mechanisms: (1) Pathogen perspective: elucidating pathogenic mechanisms of virulence factors (including T2SS, T3SS, and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS)) and pathovar differentiation patterns; (2) Host perspective: clarifying advances in PTI/ETI-mediated immunity signaling pathways, resistance (R) gene cloning, and susceptibility (S) gene editing; and (3) Future directions: proposing multi-omics approaches to decode Xoc pathogenicity networks, leveraging pan-genomics for large-scale mining of durable and broad-spectrum R genes, and constructing synergistic systems integrating S gene editing with immune activation to establish systematic solutions for sustainable BLS management.
Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) is an important economic crop whose fruits are not only rich in fiber, vitamins, and phenolic metabolites, but also have significant health benefits. Traditional blackberry propagation methods, including seed propagation, layering, cutting, and suckering, have various limitations. For example, seed propagation has a long cycle, a low germination rate, and variable offspring traits. In contrast, tissue culture-based rapid propagation technology offers distinct advantages, such as season-independent operation, a high multiplication coefficient, and preservation of superior maternal traits, making it an effective solution for blackberry plantlet propagation. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an efficient blackberry rapid propagation system, which would lay the foundation for large-scale production of high-quality virus-free plantlets and germplasm innovation.
The establishment of an in vitro regeneration system for blackberry stem segments is based on the theory of plant cell totipotency and hormonal regulatory mechanisms, under which the meristematic cells of stem segments can regenerate into complete plants under suitable culture conditions. To establish a stable regeneration system for blackberry APF-190T, we investigated the effects of sterilization conditions, medium types, and the types and concentrations of plant growth regulators on primary culture, proliferation culture, and rooting culture. Additionally, the influence of different substrates on the growth of tissue-cultured plantlets was further analyzed.
Comparative experiments on disinfection durations revealed that a 7-minute treatment yielded optimal results for blackberry explants, with the lowest contamination rate of 20.00%, a relatively low browning rate of 6.67%, and the highest survival rate of 73.33%. In MS media, these conditions produced the best stem segment growth, with a maximum bud induction rate of 63.33%, characterized by abundant germinated buds reaching an average length of 1.41 cm. For primary culture, the combination of 1.0 mg∙L–1 6-BA+0.2 mg∙L–1 NAA was the most effective, achieving a 100% bud induction rate and producing robust seedlings with dark green leaves. Subsequent proliferation culture with a combination of 0.8 mg∙L–1 6-BA and 0.1 mg∙L–1 NAA resulted in the highest adventitious bud proliferation coefficient of 12.51 and the tallest average bud height of 3.83 cm, along with vigorous growth. The rooting efficiency peaked in 1/2MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg∙L–1 NAA, attaining a 97.78% rooting rate with an average of 5.11 thick roots per plant, featuring well-developed lateral roots and abundant fine roots. Finally, transplantation success was maximized when a 2:1 (v/v) peat-vermiculite substrate was used, resulting in a 95.56% survival rate with robust plant growth, expanded leaves, and continuous root development.
For in vitro propagation of blackberry stem explants, the optimal sterilization protocol was achieved using 75% ethanol for 30 s followed by 2% sodium hypochlorite for 7 min. For primary culture, the most suitable medium was MS+1.0 mg∙L–1 6-BA+0.2 mg∙L–1 NAA. For shoot proliferation, the best results were obtained with MS+0.8 mg∙L–1 6-BA+0.1 mg∙L–1 NAA, promoting optimal shoot multiplication. During the rooting stage, the highest rooting efficiency was observed in the 1/2MS+1.0 mg∙L–1 NAA group. For ex vitro acclimatization, a peat mixture proved most effective for seedling survival and growth under controlled greenhouse conditions, and this technique can potentially be applied for commercialization of the plant.
Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) serve as a crucial regulatory mechanism of protein function and play a significant role in rice seed development and endosperm starch biosynthesis. With advancements in proteomics technologies, numerous starch synthesis-related proteins in rice endosperm have been identified to undergo various PTMs. This review summarizes the proteomic analyses, modification sites, pathways, and biological functions of six major types of PTMs in starch synthesis-related proteins in rice endosperm: phosphorylation, lysine acetylation, succinylation, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation, malonylation, and ubiquitination. Among these, protein phosphorylation has been the most extensively studied and is recognized as a key regulator of plant growth, development, and starch metabolism. Additionally, we discuss the potential roles of PTMs in grain filling, rice starch quality, and appearance. This review provides insights into the regulatory mechanisms of PTMs in starch synthesis-related proteins in rice endosperm, offering a valuable reference for breeding high-yield and high-quality rice varieties.
Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most vital food crops globally, and its yield plays a crucial role in ensuring food security. However, various diseases affecting rice pose significant threats to this security. Among these, rice blast, bacterial blight, and sheath blight are the three predominant diseases impacting global rice production. Consequently, there is an urgent need to breed and cultivate rice varieties with broad-spectrum disease resistance. In recent years, substantial advancements have been made in understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying disease resistance in rice. This paper reviews these mechanisms from multiple perspectives, including the plant’s intrinsic immune responses and the functional dynamics of resistance genes. Furthermore, it highlights pressing issues that require immediate attention to facilitate broad-spectrum disease-resistant breeding efforts for rice.
FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) is a signaling protein synthesized in leaves and transported to the shoot apical meristem, where it functions as florigen, a key inducer of flowering and developmental transitions. Substantial progress has been made in elucidating the mechanisms underlying FT synthesis, transport, and the assembly and regulation of the florigen activation complex (FAC), providing a solid foundation for understanding plant developmental regulatory networks. Recently, a study integrated multiple regulatory layers, including protein-DNA interactions, liquid-liquid phase separation, and spatiotemporal expression patterns, thereby extending the traditional static FAC model into a dynamic and multilayered assembly framework. This work offers new molecular insights into how plants integrate environmental cues to regulate reproductive development. In this review, we summarize recent advances in FT and FAC research, highlight key outstanding questions, and discuss future directions, aiming to provide fresh perspectives for elucidating plant developmental regulation and for potential applications in crop improvement.
Charophytes and land plants form a monophyletic group known as Streptophyta. Fossil and molecular evidences suggest that land plants originated from charophytes. This article summarizes the 14 sequenced genomes of 10 species in charophytes and reviews the molecular mechanisms involved in the terrestrialization of plants, revealing the genomic basis for the pre-adaptation of charophytes that included the expansion of gene families regulating plant hormone signal transduction and encoding key transcription factors, as well as horizontal gene transfer. We elucidate with examples the helpful role of the whole-genome data of charophytes in transcriptomic and functional genomic discovery. Moreover, we discuss the importance of telomere-to-telomere genomes and pan-genomes for a deeper understanding of plant terrestrialization and the future directions of integrating genomic data with biological experiments for deciphering the function and origin of charophyte genes.
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