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Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 23860

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Prof. Dr. Jen-Tsung Chen

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Guest Editor

Department of Life Sciences, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan
Interests: bioactive compounds; chromatography techniques; medicinal plants; phytochemicals; plant biotechnology; plant growth regulators; plant secondary metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Daniela Romano

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Co-Guest Editor

Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Valdisavoia, 5, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: floriculture; ornamental plants; abiotic stresses; biodiversity; new crops, product quality; germination; light response
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is the continuation of our previous Special Issue, “Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance”

Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that retard the growth and productivity of crops, particularly in hot and dry areas of the world. It is an intensive topic on which many studies have been conducted, with the aim of understanding the physiological and molecular responses involved in plant salinity stress. In recent years, with the rapid progress of molecular technologies, scientists have acquired more powerful tools to reveal in-depth mechanisms and to establish crop breeding programs for plant salinity tolerance. Hence, this Special Issue aims to unravel the whole picture of plant salinity tolerance by expanding knowledge that focuses on the molecular aspects of the following subtopics.

Mechanistic insights: Exploring mechanisms associated with responses to salinity stress using modern molecular tools such as high-throughput technologies:
- Crucial cell signaling networks and integrative multi-omics;
- Structure and function of key signaling components involved in membrane Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Cl⁻transport systems, as well as the role of secondary messengers;
- Role of phytohormones (e.g., the involvement of abscisic acid);
- Role of biostimulants such as melatonin.
Biotechnology: Enhancing the salinity tolerance of plants using biotechnological tools:
- The identification of candidate genes for salinity tolerance;
- Genetic engineering for salinity tolerance by altering the patterns of gene expression, including technologies involving targeted genome editing;
- In vitro screening and induced mutation, including polyploidy, to obtain salinity-tolerant genotypes.
Breeding: Developing salinity-tolerant crops that have improved growth, yield, and product quality in salt-affected fields:
- Explore genetic resources for salinity tolerance in crops based on molecular-marker-assisted methods such as the use of QTLs and SNPs for genetic mapping;
- Plant breeding programs for developing salinity-tolerant crops.
Agricultural practices: The use of agricultural techniques and/or chemical or biological regimes to improve plant growth and productivity when subjected to soil salinity:
- The application of beneficial soil microorganisms such as mycorrhizal fungi and growth-promoting bacteria;
- The utilization of plant growth regulators, osmoprotectants, antioxidants, and trace elements;
- Studies on the effects of organic and inorganic immobilizing amendments on salinity stress alleviation.

We invite scientists to contribute original research articles and reviews for this Special Issue. Please note that approaches will only be considered for peer review if they are extended to provide further in-depth insights into the mechanisms associated with responses to salinity stress.

Prof. Dr. Jen-Tsung Chen
Prof. Dr. Daniela Romano
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

agricultural practice
biotechnology
breeding
high-throughput technology
ion transport
molecular markers
plant hormones
plant growth regulation
salinity stress
salinity tolerance
soil microorganisms

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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24 pages, 1984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combining Genetic and Transcriptomic Approaches to Identify Transporter-Coding Genes as Likely Responsible for a Repeatable Salt Tolerance QTL in Citrus

by Maria J. Asins, Amanda Bullones, Veronica Raga, Maria R. Romero-Aranda, Jesus Espinosa, Juan C. Triviño, Guillermo P. Bernet, Jose A. Traverso, Emilio A. Carbonell, M. Gonzalo Claros and Andres Belver

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15759; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115759 - 30 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1556

Abstract

The excessive accumulation of chloride (Cl⁻) in leaves due to salinity is frequently related to decreased yield in citrus. Two salt tolerance experiments to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for leaf concentrations of Cl⁻, Na⁺, and other traits using the same reference progeny derived from the salt-tolerant Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reshni) and the disease-resistant donor Poncirus trifoliata were performed with the aim to identify repeatable QTLs that regulate leaf Cl⁻ (and/or Na⁺) exclusion across independent experiments in citrus, as well as potential candidate genes involved. A repeatable QTL controlling leaf Cl⁻ was detected in chromosome 6 (LCl-6), where 23 potential candidate genes coding for transporters were identified using the C. clementina genome as reference. Transcriptomic analysis revealed two important candidate genes coding for a member of the nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (NPF5.9) and a major facilitator superfamily (MFS) protein. Cell wall biosynthesis- and secondary metabolism-related processes appeared to play a significant role in differential gene expression in LCl-6. Six likely gene candidates were mapped in LCl-6, showing conserved synteny in C. reshni. In conclusion, markers to select beneficial Cleopatra mandarin alleles of likely candidate genes in LCl-6 to improve salt tolerance in citrus rootstock breeding programs are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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24 pages, 5396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Analysis of MBF1 Family Genes in Five Solanaceous Plants and Functional Analysis of SlER24 in Salt Stress

by Dongnan Xia, Lulu Guan, Yue Yin, Yixi Wang, Hongyan Shi, Wenyu Li, Dekai Zhang, Ran Song, Tixu Hu and Xiangqiang Zhan

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(18), 13965; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241813965 - 11 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1611

Abstract

Multiprotein bridging factor 1 (MBF1) is an ancient family of transcription coactivators that play a crucial role in the response of plants to abiotic stress. In this study, we analyzed the genomic data of five Solanaceae plants and identified a total of 21 MBF1 genes. The expansion of MBF1a and MBF1b subfamilies was attributed to whole-genome duplication (WGD), and the expansion of the MBF1c subfamily occurred through transposed duplication (TRD). Collinearity analysis within Solanaceae species revealed collinearity between members of the MBF1a and MBF1b subfamilies, whereas the MBF1c subfamily showed relative independence. The gene expression of SlER24 was induced by sodium chloride (NaCl), polyethylene glycol (PEG), ABA (abscisic acid), and ethrel treatments, with the highest expression observed under NaCl treatment. The overexpression of SlER24 significantly enhanced the salt tolerance of tomato, and the functional deficiency of SlER24 decreased the tolerance of tomato to salt stress. SlER24 enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity to reduce the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and alleviated plasma membrane damage under salt stress. SlER24 upregulated the expression levels of salt stress-related genes to enhance salt tolerance in tomato. In conclusion, this study provides basic information for the study of the MBF1 family of Solanaceae under abiotic stress, as well as a reference for the study of other plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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25 pages, 4336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome, Biochemical and Phenotypic Analysis of the Effects of a Precision Engineered Biostimulant for Inducing Salinity Stress Tolerance in Tomato

by Elomofe Ikuyinminu, Oscar Goñi, Łukasz Łangowski and Shane O’Connell

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 6988; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24086988 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2488

Abstract

Salinity stress is a major problem affecting plant growth and crop productivity. While plant biostimulants have been reported to be an effective solution to tackle salinity stress in different crops, the key genes and metabolic pathways involved in these tolerance processes remain unclear. This study focused on integrating phenotypic, physiological, biochemical and transcriptome data obtained from different tissues of Solanum lycopersicum L. plants (cv. Micro-Tom) subjected to a saline irrigation water program for 61 days (EC: 5.8 dS/m) and treated with a combination of protein hydrolysate and Ascophyllum nodosum-derived biostimulant, namely PSI-475. The biostimulant application was associated with the maintenance of higher K⁺/Na⁺ ratios in both young leaf and root tissue and the overexpression of transporter genes related to ion homeostasis (e.g., NHX4, HKT1;2). A more efficient osmotic adjustment was characterized by a significant increase in relative water content (RWC), which most likely was associated with osmolyte accumulation and upregulation of genes related to aquaporins (e.g., PIP2.1, TIP2.1). A higher content of photosynthetic pigments (+19.8% to +27.5%), increased expression of genes involved in photosynthetic efficiency and chlorophyll biosynthesis (e.g., LHC, PORC) and enhanced primary carbon and nitrogen metabolic mechanisms were observed, leading to a higher fruit yield and fruit number (47.5% and 32.5%, respectively). Overall, it can be concluded that the precision engineered PSI-475 biostimulant can provide long-term protective effects on salinity stressed tomato plants through a well-defined mode of action in different plant tissues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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12 pages, 2918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genomic Identification of CCCH-Type Zinc Finger Protein Genes Reveals the Role of HuTZF3 in Tolerance of Heat and Salt Stress of Pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus)

by Weijuan Xu, Shuguang Jian, Jianyi Li, Yusang Wang, Mingyong Zhang and Kuaifei Xia

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6359; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076359 - 28 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1919

Abstract

Pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is cultivated in a broad ecological range, due to its tolerance to drought, heat, and poor soil. The zinc finger proteins regulate gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, by interacting with DNA, RNA, and proteins, to play roles in plant growth and development, and stress response. Here, a total of 81 CCCH-type zinc finger protein genes were identified from the pitaya genome. Transcriptomic analysis showed that nine of them, including HuTZF3, responded to both salt and heat stress. RT-qPCR results showed that HuTZF3 is expressed in all tested organs of pitaya, with a high level in the roots and stems, and confirmed that expression of HuTZF3 is induced by salt and heat stress. Subcellular localization showed that HuTZF3 is targeted in the processing bodies (PBs) and stress granules (SGs). Heterologous expression of HuTZF3 could improve both salt and heat tolerance in Arabidopsis, reduce oxidative stress, and improve the activity of catalase and peroxidase. Therefore, HuTZF3 may be involved in post-transcriptional regulation via localizing to PBs and SGs, contributing to both salt and heat tolerance in pitaya. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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19 pages, 5569 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lactate Dehydrogenase Superfamily in Rice and Arabidopsis: Understanding the Molecular Evolution and Structural Diversity

by Yajnaseni Chatterjee, Bidisha Bhowal, Kapuganti Jagadis Gupta, Ashwani Pareek and Sneh Lata Singla-Pareek

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5900; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065900 - 21 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6466

Abstract

Lactate/malate dehydrogenases (Ldh/Maldh) are ubiquitous enzymes involved in the central metabolic pathway of plants and animals. The role of malate dehydrogenases in the plant system is very well documented. However, the role of its homolog L-lactate dehydrogenases still remains elusive. Though its occurrence is experimentally proven in a few plant species, not much is known about its role in rice. Therefore, a comprehensive genome-wide in silico investigation was carried out to identify all Ldh genes in model plants, rice and Arabidopsis, which revealed Ldh to be a multigene family encoding multiple proteins. Publicly available data suggest its role in a wide range of abiotic stresses such as anoxia, salinity, heat, submergence, cold and heavy metal stress, as also confirmed by our qRT-PCR analysis, especially in salinity and heavy metal mediated stresses. A detailed protein modelling and docking analysis using Schrodinger Suite reveals the presence of three putatively functional L-lactate dehydrogenases in rice, namely OsLdh3, OsLdh7 and OsLdh9. The analysis also highlights the important role of Ser-219, Gly-220 and His-251 in the active site geometry of OsLdh3, OsLdh7 and OsLdh9, respectively. In fact, these three genes have also been found to be highly upregulated under salinity, hypoxia and heavy metal mediated stresses in rice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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28 pages, 3320 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptomic Analysis Provides Insight into the ROS Scavenging System and Regulatory Mechanisms in Atriplex canescens Response to Salinity

by Shan Feng, Beibei Wang, Chan Li, Huan Guo and Ai-Ke Bao

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010242 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1925

Abstract

Atriplex canescens is a representative halophyte with excellent tolerance to salt. Previous studies have revealed certain physiological mechanisms and detected functional genes associated with salt tolerance. However, knowledge on the ROS scavenging system and regulatory mechanisms in this species when adapting to salinity is limited. Therefore, this study further analyzed the transcriptional changes in genes related to the ROS scavenging system and important regulatory mechanisms in A. canescens under saline conditions using our previous RNA sequencing data. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway annotation revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were highly enriched in signal transduction- and reactive oxygen species-related biological processes, including “response to oxidative stress”, “oxidoreductase activity”, “protein kinase activity”, “transcription factor activity”, and “plant hormone signal transduction”. Further analyses suggested that the transcription abundance of many genes involved in SOD, the AsA-GSH cycle, the GPX pathway, PrxR/Trx, and the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were obviously enhanced. These pathways are favorable for scavenging excessive ROS induced by salt and maintaining the integrity of the cell membrane. Meanwhile, many vital transcription factor genes (WRKY, MYB, ZF, HSF, DREB, and NAC) exhibited increased transcripts, which is conducive to dealing with saline conditions by regulating downstream salt-responsive genes. Furthermore, a larger number of genes encoding protein kinases (RLK, CDPK, MAPK, and CTR1) were significantly induced by saline conditions, which is beneficial to the reception/transduction of salt-related signals. This study describes the abundant genetic resources for enhancing the salt tolerance in salt-sensitive plants, especially in forages and crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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14 pages, 6282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Characterization and Function Analysis of ZmERD15 Genes’ Response to Saline Stress in Zea mays L.

by Huaming Duan, Qiankun Fu, Hong Lv, Aijun Gao, Xinyu Chen, Qingqing Yang, Yingge Wang, Wanchen Li, Fengling Fu and Haoqiang Yu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15721; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415721 - 11 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1542

Abstract

Early responsive dehydration (ERD) genes can be rapidly induced by dehydration. ERD15 genes have been confirmed to regulate various stress responses in plants. However, the maize ERD15 members have not been characterized. In the present study, a total of five ZmERD15 genes were identified from the maize genome and named ZmERD15a, ZmERD15b, ZmERD15c, ZmERD15d, and ZmERD15e. Subsequently, their protein properties, gene structure and duplication, chromosomal location, cis-acting elements, subcellular localization, expression pattern, and over-expression in yeast were analyzed. The results showed that the ZmERD15 proteins were characterized by a similar size (113–159 aa) and contained a common domain structure, with PAM2 and adjacent PAE1 motifs followed by an acidic region. The ZmERD15 proteins exhibited a close phylogenetic relationship with OsERD15s from rice. Five ZmERD15 genes were distributed on maize chromosomes 2, 6, 7, and 9 and showed a different exon–intron organization and were expanded by duplication. Besides, the promoter region of the ZmERD15s contained abundant cis-acting elements that are known to be responsive to stress and hormones. Subcellular localization showed that ZmERD15b and ZmERD15c were localized in the nucleus. ZmERD15a and ZmERD15e were localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm. ZmERD15d was localized in the nucleus and cell membrane. The results of the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that the expression of the ZmERD15 genes was regulated by PEG, salinity, and ABA. The heterologous expression of ZmERD15a, ZmERD15b, ZmERD15c, and ZmERD15d significantly enhanced salt tolerance in yeast. In summary, a comprehensive analysis of ZmERD15s was conducted in the study. The results will provide insights into further dissecting the biological function and molecular mechanism of ZmERD15s regulating of the stress response in maize. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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Review

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11 pages, 941 KiB

Open AccessReview

Salinity-Triggered Responses in Plant Apical Meristems for Developmental Plasticity

by Soeun Yang and Horim Lee

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6647; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076647 - 2 Apr 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1920

Abstract

Salt stress severely affects plant growth and development. The plant growth and development of a sessile organism are continuously regulated and reformed in response to surrounding environmental stress stimuli, including salinity. In plants, postembryonic development is derived mainly from primary apical meristems of shoots and roots. Therefore, to understand plant tolerance and adaptation under salt stress conditions, it is essential to determine the stress response mechanisms related to growth and development based on the primary apical meristems. This paper reports that the biological roles of microRNAs, redox status, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and phytohormones, such as auxin and cytokinin, are important for salt tolerance, and are associated with growth and development in apical meristems. Moreover, the mutual relationship between the salt stress response and signaling associated with stem cell homeostasis in meristems is also considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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15 pages, 1334 KiB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Responses of Vegetable, Ornamental Crops, and Model Plants to Salinity Stress

by Stefania Toscano, Daniela Romano and Antonio Ferrante

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3190; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043190 - 6 Feb 2023

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2459

Abstract

Vegetable and ornamental plants represent a very wide group of heterogeneous plants, both herbaceous and woody, generally without relevant salinity-tolerant mechanisms. The cultivation conditions—almost all are irrigated crops—and characteristics of the products, which must not present visual damage linked to salt stress, determine the necessity for a deep investigation of the response of these crops to salinity stress. Tolerance mechanisms are linked to the capacity of a plant to compartmentalize ions, produce compatible solutes, synthesize specific proteins and metabolites, and induce transcriptional factors. The present review critically evaluates advantages and disadvantages to study the molecular control of salt tolerance mechanisms in vegetable and ornamental plants, with the aim of distinguishing tools for the rapid and effective screening of salt tolerance levels in different plants. This information can not only help in suitable germplasm selection, which is very useful in consideration of the high biodiversity expressed by vegetable and ornamental plants, but also drive the further breeding activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance 2.0)

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