International Journal of Molecular Sciences

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3 pages, 184 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants

by Esther M. González

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6562; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076562 - 31 Mar 2023

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2712

Abstract

The current climate change scenario is accelerating degradation, desertification, and salinisation: all destructive processes that are negatively impacting arable lands and food production [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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16 pages, 5290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CkREV Enhances the Drought Resistance of Caragana korshinskii through Regulating the Expression of Auxin Synthetase Gene CkYUC5

by Jia-Yang Li, Jie-Jie Ren, Tian-Xin Zhang, Jin-Hao Cui and Chun-Mei Gong

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(11), 5902; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23115902 - 24 May 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1943

Abstract

As a common abiotic stress, drought severely impairs the growth, development, and even survival of plants. Here we report a transcription factor, Caragana korshinskii REVOLUTA(CkREV), which can bidirectionally regulate the expression of the critical enzyme gene CkYUC5 in auxin synthesis according to external [...] Read more.

As a common abiotic stress, drought severely impairs the growth, development, and even survival of plants. Here we report a transcription factor, Caragana korshinskii REVOLUTA(CkREV), which can bidirectionally regulate the expression of the critical enzyme gene CkYUC5 in auxin synthesis according to external environment changes, so as to control the biosynthesis of auxin and further enhance the drought resistance of plants. Quantitative analysis reveals that the expression level of both CkYUC5 and AtYUC5 is down-regulated after C. korshinskii and Arabidopsis thaliana are exposed to drought. Functional verification of CkREV reveals that CkREV up-regulates the expression of AtYUC5 in transgenic A. thaliana under common conditions, while down-regulating it under drought conditions. Meanwhile, the expression of CkYUC5 is also down-regulated in C. korshinskii leaves instantaneously overexpressing CkREV. We apply a dual-luciferase reporter system to discover that CkREV can bind to the promoter of CkYUC5 to regulate its expression, which is further proved by EMSA and Y1H esxperiments. Functional verification of CkREV in C. korshinskii and transgenic A. thaliana shows that CkREV can regulate the expression of CkYUC5 and AtYUC5 in a contrary way, maintaining the equilibrium of plants between growth and drought resisting. CkREV can positively regulate the expression of CkYUC5 to promote auxin synthesis in favor of growth under normal development. However, CkREV can also respond to external signals and negatively regulate the expression of CkYUC5, which inhibits auxin synthesis in order to reduce growth rate, lower water demands, and eventually improve the drought resistance of plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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12 pages, 4925 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of NAC Family in Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc. under Various Abiotic Stresses

by Zhiquan Wang, Longjie Ni, Dina Liu, Zekai Fu, Jianfeng Hua, Zhiguo Lu, Liangqin Liu, Yunlong Yin, Huogen Li and Chunsun Gu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(6), 3055; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23063055 - 11 Mar 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2842

Abstract

NAC transcription factor is one of the largest plant gene families, participating in the regulation of plant biological and abiotic stresses. In this study, 182 NAC proteins (HhNACs) were identified based on genomic datasets of Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc (H. hamabo [...] Read more.

NAC transcription factor is one of the largest plant gene families, participating in the regulation of plant biological and abiotic stresses. In this study, 182 NAC proteins (HhNACs) were identified based on genomic datasets of Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc (H. hamabo). These proteins were divided into 19 subfamilies based on their phylogenetic relationship, motif pattern, and gene structure analysis. Expression analysis with RNA-seq revealed that most HhNACs were expressed in response to drought and salt stress. Research of quantitative real-time PCR analysis of nine selected HhNACs supported the transcriptome data’s dependability and suggested that HhNAC54 was significantly upregulated under multiple abiotic stresses. Overexpression of HhNAC54 in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) significantly increased its tolerance to salt. This study provides a basis for a comprehensive analysis of NAC transcription factor and insight into the abiotic stress response mechanism in H. hamabo. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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16 pages, 2841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Characterization of U-box E3 Ubiquitin Ligases (TaPUB2 and TaPUB3) Involved in the Positive Regulation of Drought Stress Response in Arabidopsis

by Jae Ho Kim, Moon Seok Kim, Dae Yeon Kim, Joseph Noble Amoah and Yong Weon Seo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(24), 13658; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222413658 - 20 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2706

Abstract

Plant U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase (PUB) is involved in various environmental stress conditions. However, the molecular mechanism of U-box proteins in response to abiotic stress in wheat remains unknown. In this study, two U-box E3 ligase genes (TaPUB2 and TaPUB3), which [...] Read more.

Plant U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase (PUB) is involved in various environmental stress conditions. However, the molecular mechanism of U-box proteins in response to abiotic stress in wheat remains unknown. In this study, two U-box E3 ligase genes (TaPUB2 and TaPUB3), which are highly expressed in response to adverse abiotic stresses, were isolated from common wheat, and their cellular functions were characterized under drought stress. Transient expression assay revealed that TaPUB2 was localized in the cytoplasm and Golgi apparatus, whereas TaPUB3 was expressed only in the Golgi apparatus in wheat protoplasts. Additionally, TaPUB2 and TaPUB3 underwent self-ubiquitination. Moreover, TaPUB2/TaPUB3 heterodimer was identified in yeast and the cytoplasm of wheat protoplasts using a pull-down assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis. Heterogeneous overexpression of TaPUB2 and TaPUB3 conferred tolerance to drought stress. Taken together, these results implied that the heterodimeric form of U-box E3 ubiquitin ligases (TaPUB2/TaPUB3) responded to abiotic stress and roles as a positive regulator of drought stress tolerance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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20 pages, 24559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanistic Insights into Potassium-Conferred Drought Stress Tolerance in Cultivated and Tibetan Wild Barley: Differential Osmoregulation, Nutrient Retention, Secondary Metabolism and Antioxidative Defense Capacity

by Shafaque Sehar, Muhammad Faheem Adil, Muhammad Zeeshan, Paul Holford, Fangbin Cao, Feibo Wu and Yizhou Wang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(23), 13100; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222313100 - 3 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2314

Abstract

Keeping the significance of potassium (K) nutrition in focus, this study explores the genotypic responses of two wild Tibetan barley genotypes (drought tolerant XZ5 and drought sensitive XZ54) and one drought tolerant barley cv. Tadmor, under the exposure of polyethylene glycol-induced drought [...] Read more.

Keeping the significance of potassium (K) nutrition in focus, this study explores the genotypic responses of two wild Tibetan barley genotypes (drought tolerant XZ5 and drought sensitive XZ54) and one drought tolerant barley cv. Tadmor, under the exposure of polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress. The results revealed that drought and K deprivation attenuated overall plant growth in all the tested genotypes; however, XZ5 was least affected due to its ability to retain K in its tissues which could be attributed to the smallest reductions of photosynthetic parameters, relative chlorophyll contents and the lowest Na⁺/K⁺ ratios in all treatments. Our results also indicate that higher H⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity (enhancement of 1.6 and 1.3-fold for shoot; 1.4 and 2.5-fold for root), higher shoot K⁺ (2 and 2.3-fold) and Ca²⁺ content (1.5 and 1.7-fold), better maintenance of turgor pressure by osmolyte accumulation and enhanced antioxidative performance to scavenge ROS, ultimately suppress lipid peroxidation (in shoots: 4% and 35%; in roots 4% and 20% less) and bestow higher tolerance to XZ5 against drought stress in comparison with Tadmor and XZ54, respectively. Conclusively, this study adds further evidence to support the concept that Tibetan wild barley genotypes that utilize K efficiently could serve as a valuable genetic resource for the provision of genes for improved K metabolism in addition to those for combating drought stress, thereby enabling the development of elite barley lines better tolerant of abiotic stresses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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23 pages, 16139 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification and Analyses of Drought/Salt-Responsive Cytochrome P450 Genes in Medicago truncatula

by Yaying Xia, Junfeng Yang, Lin Ma, Su Yan and Yongzhen Pang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(18), 9957; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22189957 - 15 Sep 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3168

Abstract

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) catalyze a great number of biochemical reactions and play vital roles in plant growth, development and secondary metabolism. As yet, the genome-scale investigation on P450s is still lacking in the model legume Medicago truncatula. In particular, whether and [...] Read more.

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) catalyze a great number of biochemical reactions and play vital roles in plant growth, development and secondary metabolism. As yet, the genome-scale investigation on P450s is still lacking in the model legume Medicago truncatula. In particular, whether and how many MtP450s are involved in drought and salt stresses for Medicago growth, development and yield remain unclear. In this study, a total of 346 MtP450 genes were identified and classified into 10 clans containing 48 families. Among them, sixty-one MtP450 genes pairs are tandem duplication events and 10 MtP450 genes are segmental duplication events. MtP450 genes within one family exhibit high conservation and specificity in intron–exon structure. Meanwhile, many Mt450 genes displayed tissue-specific expression pattern in various tissues. Specifically, the expression pattern of 204 Mt450 genes under drought/NaCl treatments were analyzed by using the weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Among them, eight genes (CYP72A59v1, CYP74B4, CYP71AU56, CYP81E9, CYP71A31, CYP704G6, CYP76Y14, and CYP78A126), and six genes (CYP83D3, CYP76F70, CYP72A66, CYP76E1, CYP74C12, and CYP94A52) were found to be hub genes under drought/NaCl treatments, respectively. The expression levels of these selected hub genes could be induced, respectively, by drought/NaCl treatments, as validated by qPCR analyses, and most of these genes are involved in the secondary metabolism and fatty acid pathways. The genome-wide identification and co-expression analyses of M. truncatulaP450 superfamily genes established a gene atlas for a deep and systematic investigation of P450 genes in M. truncatula, and the selected drought-/salt-responsive genes could be utilized for further functional characterization and molecular breeding for resistance in legume crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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18 pages, 5021 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-wide Analysis of Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Family Genes and Expression Analysis in Response to Drought and Salt Stresses in Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc

by Longjie Ni, Zhiquan Wang, Zekai Fu, Dina Liu, Yunlong Yin, Huogen Li and Chunsun Gu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8748; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168748 - 15 Aug 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2837

Abstract

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors is one of the most significant and biggest in plants. It is involved in the regulation of both growth and development, as well as stress response. Numerous members of the bHLH family have been found [...] Read more.

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors is one of the most significant and biggest in plants. It is involved in the regulation of both growth and development, as well as stress response. Numerous members of the bHLH family have been found and characterized in woody plants in recent years. However, no systematic study of the bHLH gene family has been published for Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc. In this research, we identified 162 bHLH proteins (HhbHLHs) from the genomic and transcriptomic datasets of H. hamabo, which were phylogenetically divided into 19 subfamilies. According to a gene structural study, the number of exon-introns in HhbHLHs varied between zero and seventeen. MEME research revealed that the majority of HhbHLH proteins contained three conserved motifs, 1, 4, and 5. The examination of promoter cis-elements revealed that the majority of HhbHLH genes had several cis-elements involved in plant growth and development and abiotic stress responses. In addition, the overexpression of HhbHLH2 increased salt and drought stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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24 pages, 7304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Receptor-Like Kinase ERECTA Confers Improved Water Use Efficiency and Drought Tolerance to Poplar via Modulating Stomatal Density

by Huiguang Li, Yanli Yang, Houling Wang, Sha Liu, Fuli Jia, Yanyan Su, Shuang Li, Fang He, Conghua Feng, Mengxue Niu, Jie Wang, Chao Liu, Weilun Yin and Xinli Xia

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(14), 7245; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22147245 - 6 Jul 2021

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3772

Abstract

Poplar is one of the most important tree species in the north temperate zone, but poplar plantations are quite water intensive. We report here that CaMV 35S promoter-driven overexpression of the PdERECTA gene, which is a member of the LRR-RLKs family from Populus [...] Read more.

Poplar is one of the most important tree species in the north temperate zone, but poplar plantations are quite water intensive. We report here that CaMV 35S promoter-driven overexpression of the PdERECTA gene, which is a member of the LRR-RLKs family from Populus nigra × (Populus deltoides × Populus nigra), improves water use efficiency and enhances drought tolerance in triploid white poplar. PdERECTA localizes to the plasma membrane. Overexpression plants showed lower stomatal density and larger stomatal size. The abaxial stomatal density was 24–34% lower and the stomatal size was 12–14% larger in overexpression lines. Reduced stomatal density led to a sharp restriction of transpiration, which was about 18–35% lower than the control line, and instantaneous water use efficiency was around 14–63% higher in overexpression lines under different conditions. These phenotypic changes led to increased drought tolerance. PdERECTA overexpression plants not only survived longer after stopping watering but also performed better when supplied with limited water, as they had better physical and photosynthesis conditions, faster growth rate, and higher biomass accumulation. Taken together, our data suggest that PdERECTA can alter the development pattern of stomata to reduce stomatal density, which then restricts water consumption, conferring enhanced drought tolerance to poplar. This makes PdERECTA trees promising candidates for establishing more water use efficient plantations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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Review

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33 pages, 3043 KiB

Open AccessReview

Proofing Direct-Seeded Rice with Better Root Plasticity and Architecture

by Siddharth Panda, Prasanta Kumar Majhi, Annamalai Anandan, Anumalla Mahender, Sumanth Veludandi, Debendranath Bastia, Suresh Babu Guttala, Shravan Kumar Singh, Sanjoy Saha and Jauhar Ali

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(11), 6058; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22116058 - 4 Jun 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8594

Abstract

The underground reserve (root) has been an uncharted research territory with its untapped genetic variation yet to be exploited. Identifying ideal traits and breeding new rice varieties with efficient root system architecture (RSA) has great potential to increase resource-use efficiency and grain yield, [...] Read more.

The underground reserve (root) has been an uncharted research territory with its untapped genetic variation yet to be exploited. Identifying ideal traits and breeding new rice varieties with efficient root system architecture (RSA) has great potential to increase resource-use efficiency and grain yield, especially under direct-seeded rice, by adapting to aerobic soil conditions. In this review, we tried to mine the available research information on the direct-seeded rice (DSR) root system to highlight the requirements of different root traits such as root architecture, length, number, density, thickness, diameter, and angle that play a pivotal role in determining the uptake of nutrients and moisture at different stages of plant growth. RSA also faces several stresses, due to excess or deficiency of moisture and nutrients, low or high temperature, or saline conditions. To counteract these hindrances, adaptation in response to stress becomes essential. Candidate genes such as early root growth enhancer PSTOL1, surface rooting QTL qSOR1, deep rooting gene DRO1, and numerous transporters for their respective nutrients and stress-responsive factors have been identified and validated under different circumstances. Identifying the desired QTLs and transporters underlying these traits and then designing an ideal root architecture can help in developing a suitable DSR cultivar and aid in further advancement in this direction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Stress Tolerance in Plants in 2021)

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