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Article
Peer-Review Record

Identification of NAC Transcription Factors in Suaeda glauca and Their Responses to Salt Stress

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2024, 46(8), 8741-8751; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46080516
by Xujun Fu, Longmin Zhu, Xiaomin Yu, Qinghua Yang, Fengjie Yuan and Hangxia Jin *
Reviewer 1:
Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2024, 46(8), 8741-8751; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46080516
Submission received: 28 June 2024 / Revised: 31 July 2024 / Accepted: 9 August 2024 / Published: 10 August 2024

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

Thank you for submitting your manuscript "Identification of NAC Transcription Factors in Suaeda glauca and Analysis of Their Response to Salt Stress." I have reviewed your paper and have the following comments and suggestions:

 

1. The overall logical flow of the manuscript needs improvement. The discussion is not always coherent, and some statements are not concise. For example, in lines 32-35, you discuss the role of NAC transcription factors in abiotic stress response, but the subsequent example provided is not relevant to abiotic stress.

 

2. Ensure that the Latin names of species are italicized throughout the manuscript. For example, in line 43, "Triticum aestivum" should be in italics.

 

3. While NAC transcription factors have been extensively studied, it is crucial to emphasize the necessity of identifying the NAC transcription factor family in your specific context. In the introduction, please elaborate on the significance of studying NAC transcription factors in Suaeda glauca and their unique role in response to salt stress.

 

4. The pattern in the bright field image (1302) in Figure 6 does not match the other groups. Please clarify if these images are from the same experimental batch and provide a rationale for any observed discrepancies.

 

5. In line 157, consider presenting the qPCR validation results before the subcellular localization results. This sequence would provide a more logical flow to your findings.

 

6. Ensure uniformity in terminology throughout the manuscript. For instance, in lines 165-166, use either "qPCR" or "QPCR" consistently.

 

7. In line 169, you mention that "a few proteins were localized outside the cell." Please provide evidence to support this claim. If this is based on your experimental results, ensure the relevant data is included and clearly presented.

 

 

8. The necessity of the research presented in this manuscript is not entirely clear. Please articulate the broader implications of your study and its potential contributions to the field. Specifically, clarify the novelty and importance of identifying NAC transcription factors in Suaeda glauca in the context of salt stress.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Moderate editing of English language required

Author Response

Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. English Language has been edited by experts.

Comments 1: The overall logical flow of the manuscript needs improvement. The discussion is not always coherent, and some statements are not concise. For example, in lines 32-35, you discuss the role of NAC transcription factors in abiotic stress response, but the subsequent example provided is not relevant to abiotic stress. 

Response 1: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have revised the paper according to the comment in line 38, 53-55, 71-72, etc.   

Comments 2: Ensure that the Latin names of species are italicized throughout the manuscript. For example, in line 43, "Triticum aestivum" should be in italics.

Response 2: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have revised the paper according to the comment.

Comments 3: While NAC transcription factors have been extensively studied, it is crucial to emphasize the necessity of identifying the NAC transcription factor family in your specific context. In the introduction, please elaborate on the significance of studying NAC transcription factors in Suaeda glauca and their unique role in response to salt stress.

Response 3: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have revised the paper according to the comment in line 53-55, 71-72.

Comments 4: The pattern in the bright field image (1302) in Figure 6 does not match the other groups. Please clarify if these images are from the same experimental batch and provide a rationale for any observed discrepancies.

Response 4: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. These images are from the same experimental batch. The difference is due to the selection of different brightness levels when observing different slices and patterns. The pattern in the bright field image (1302) is the last observed group, and I chose this field of view because it clearer under this light intensity. But the other two groups did not have enough slices for repeated photography, so the different light intensity cased the difference between the bright field images. 

Comments 5: In line 157, consider presenting the qPCR validation results before the subcellular localization results. This sequence would provide a more logical flow to your findings.

Response 5: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have revised the paper according to the comment.

Comments 6: Ensure uniformity in terminology throughout the manuscript. For instance, in lines 165-166, use either "qPCR" or "QPCR" consistently.

Response 6: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have modified these terminologies in lines 169, 172 and 177-178.

Comments 7: In line 169, you mention that "a few proteins were localized outside the cell." Please provide evidence to support this claim. If this is based on your experimental results, ensure the relevant data is included and clearly presented.

Response 7: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have changed the claim by ‘extracellular’ which described in table 1. This claim is predicted by bioinformatics software ProtComp 9.0 (http://linux1.softberry.com/). It has also been reported that some NAC family members in other plants are located extracellular.

Comments 8: The necessity of the research presented in this manuscript is not entirely clear. Please articulate the broader implications of your study and its potential contributions to the field. Specifically, clarify the novelty and importance of identifying NAC transcription factors in Suaeda glauca in the context of salt stress.

Response 8: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have revised the paper according to the comment in line 66, 70-72, 228-230.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I consider the research presented by the collective of authors to be relevant in the context of seeking to find various applicable solutions to increase the resistance of plants to stress generated in particular by drought and increased salinity.

In evaluating the article, we looked for:

1.     The introduction systematizes the data from the specialized literature about the implications of stress, especially generated by drought and salinity, on different plant species;  information about NAC-26 transcription factors from various plant species with an important role in regulating tolerance to salinity, drought, low temperatures, but also in their development; role of NAC-32 families in the involvement in various biological processes, especially in response to abiotic stress; systematized data on the species Suaeda glauca, presented in various areas of the Asian continent; the purpose is well defined, the authors of the study propose to carry out a bioinformatic analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of the NAC families from the Suaeda glauca species in the context of analyzing the expression model under stress conditions;

2.     The results section I consider to be organized established; the authors present systematized in tables, diagrams, graphs, dendrograms, photomicrographs, all the activities obtained, each being justified in understanding the research process; the physicochemical properties of NAC transcription factors of Suaeda glauca, the evolutionary analysis of NAC family in Suaeda glauca and Arabidopsis thaliana, the the analysis of conserved motifs of NAC family transcription factors in Suaeda glauca, expression analysis of NAC family members in Suaeda glauca, analysis of the NAC protein interaction network collaborator, subcellular localization of SgNAC6 and SgNAC18 proteins, qRT-PCR verification;

3.     The discussions are correlated with the data from the specialized literature;

4.     The materials and methods section is presented developed;

5.     I consider the bibliography to be justifiable.

 

Author Response

Comments 1:  The introduction systematizes the data from the specialized literature about the implications of stress, especially generated by drought and salinity, on different plant species;  information about NAC-26 transcription factors from various plant species with an important role in regulating tolerance to salinity, drought, low temperatures, but also in their development; role of NAC-32 families in the involvement in various biological processes, especially in response to abiotic stress; systematized data on the species Suaeda glauca, presented in various areas of the Asian continent; the purpose is well defined, the authors of the study propose to carry out a bioinformatic analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of the NAC families from the Suaeda glauca species in the context of analyzing the expression model under stress conditions

Response 1: Thanks for your review on our manuscript.

 

Comments 2: The results section I consider to be organized established; the authors present systematized in tables, diagrams, graphs, dendrograms, photomicrographs, all the activities obtained, each being justified in understanding the research process; the physicochemical properties of NAC transcription factors of Suaeda glauca, the evolutionary analysis of NAC family in Suaeda glauca and Arabidopsis thaliana, the the analysis of conserved motifs of NAC family transcription factors in Suaeda glauca, expression analysis of NAC family members in Suaeda glauca, analysis of the NAC protein interaction network collaborator, subcellular localization of SgNAC6 and SgNAC18 proteins, qRT-PCR verification

Response 2: Thanks for your review on our manuscript.

 

Comments 3: The discussions are correlated with the data from the specialized literature

Response 3: Thanks for your review on our manuscript.

 

Comments 4: The materials and methods section is presented developed

Response 4: Thanks for your review on our manuscript.

 

Comments 5:  I consider the bibliography to be justifiable.

Response 5: Thanks for your review on our manuscript.

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. I have noticed several instances of incomplete citation of references throughout the manuscript. For example, in lines 64-65, the authors describe the identification of NACh transcription factors in both Arabidopsis and rice. However, the references cited only pertain to rice studies. Such issues are frequent in the manuscript. I recommend that the authors thoroughly review and correct all instances where references are incomplete, ensuring that each claim is supported by appropriate and complete citations. This will enhance the manuscript's accuracy and credibility.

 2. Although the authors have made revisions to the manuscript based on my previous suggestions, many sentences still lack clarity and contain issues with language precision and grammatical errors. I recommend that the authors thoroughly revise and polish the manuscript to improve the overall quality of the writing.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

N/A

Author Response

Comments 1:  I have noticed several instances of incomplete citation of references throughout the manuscript. For example, in lines 64-65, the authors describe the identification of NACh transcription factors in both Arabidopsis and rice. However, the references cited only pertain to rice studies. Such issues are frequent in the manuscript. I recommend that the authors thoroughly review and correct all instances where references are incomplete, ensuring that each claim is supported by appropriate and complete citations. This will enhance the manuscript's accuracy and credibility.

Response 1: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have revised the paper according to the comment. 

Comments 2:   Although the authors have made revisions to the manuscript based on my previous suggestions, many sentences still lack clarity and contain issues with language precision and grammatical errors. I recommend that the authors thoroughly revise and polish the manuscript to improve the overall quality of the writing.

Response 2: Thanks for your comments on our manuscript. We have invited an English expert,Jennifer Smith, PhD, from Liwen Bianji (Edanz) (www.liwenbianji.cn/) for editing the English text of a draft of this manuscript.

 

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